In today’s business world, the distributed team model—where remote team members are connected through technology—has become the norm. This setup allows companies to hire the best talent regardless of location. However, maintaining a thriving company culture in such an environment is challenging and puts even the best cultures to the test. Despite the advantages of a distributed team, nothing beats the impact of bringing everyone together in person. At Square 2, we hosted our 2019 Kickoff Extravaganza in Philadelphia, bringing all team members together. Here’s why this type of event is critical for company growth and revenue.
Focus and Direction
Regardless of company size, it’s easy to feel like you’re drifting. Many companies execute daily tasks without a clear direction, sometimes even achieving financial success despite this. However, true focus and direction are crucial for growth. Regular reminders, emails, check-ins, and rewards help, but nothing matches the impact of an in-person meeting. At our event, we concentrated everyone’s energy on four key metrics: revenue, profit, client happiness, and team member happiness. We explained why these metrics were important and discussed how each person could contribute. This alignment is vital for growth and achieving goals.
Culture and Core Values
Culture and core values aren’t just words on a wall; they need to be lived and reinforced continuously. Bringing everyone together allows us to reinforce our values, such as “Team Equals Family,” through personal interactions. Discussing initiatives in person and tying them back to our core values helps to strengthen our culture. While remote communications are essential, in-person interactions provide a unique opportunity to eat, drink, meet, and share, reinforcing the company culture in a way that remote interactions cannot.
Training
Training via video conferencing can be effective, but it often lacks the engagement of in-person sessions. In-person training fosters personal interactions, undisturbed attention, and open conversations. At our kickoff event, we provided training on new technology, service offerings, and client communication strategies. The face-to-face setting allowed for immediate feedback and richer discussions, making the training more impactful.
Rollout of New Programs
Introducing new services and technologies is challenging, especially over video. Having the team in-house simplifies this process. We discussed our sales enablement offering, expanded services, and new technologies in person. This allowed for detailed conversations and role-plays, ensuring everyone understood and could implement the new programs effectively.
Team Building
Team building is essential for aligning a distributed team. Regular rewards and recognition are great, but in-person events strengthen the team bond. During our event, we engaged in a charitable activity, building wooden moose rocking chairs for children. This exercise emphasized communication, cooperation, and teamwork. Additionally, we had fun activities like a bus tour of Philadelphia, an axe-throwing tournament, and a late-night ice cream stop, creating memorable experiences and strengthening team cohesion.
Feedback
Automated feedback mechanisms like pulse surveys and anonymous forms are useful, but personal conversations are irreplaceable. In-person feedback allows for emotional and nuanced communication. During our event, I had direct conversations with team members, offering appreciation and addressing challenges. These personal interactions often reveal significant issues and provide opportunities for genuine appreciation and support.
Conclusion
Bringing your team together in person, even if only occasionally, can significantly impact company culture, focus, training effectiveness, program rollouts, team building, and feedback. While technology facilitates remote work, in-person interactions provide unique and invaluable opportunities for growth and alignment. Investing in events that bring your team together can drive consistent revenue growth and strengthen your company’s foundation.
