Week #12: As humans we need...
Let's talk about the importance of human connection.
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Welcome to week #12. And hello to new Remote Newbie readers, welcome! I did skip last week’s letter but I’m back now. Sometimes life gets crazy and I didn’t want to send out a half-done letter so hope you enjoy this one and find it useful.
Our next Remote Huddle session will be on Thursday the 20th at 2 pm EST with Chris DeLuca, Founder The Memo on how to stand out when applying to remote jobs. It’s a very competitive space, join us for a discussion. Email me to RSVP.
This week’s read…
So far I’ve been kinda obsessed with Remote.co’s Q&A featuring remote companies. I stumbled across a thread where companies dished how and why they organize remote team retreats. I’ve worked for companies that emphasized bringing remote teams together whether it’s the whole Product and Development team meeting in San Francisco for 3 days and working on higher-level roadmap items or flying out all 200 employees and having a week of fun in Colombia. The overall goal and reasoning behind retreats are to build trust, respect, team build, socialize, and get to know your co-workers on a deeper level.
On the flip side, the thread exposes a few companies that do not do any sort of in-person retreats. These companies say that these retreats do not bring value and rather would let their team self-organize.
I’d be curious to look at companies that prioritize retreats vs. those that do not. Do companies that have retreats see increased productivity and collaboration over companies that do not make an effort to bring employees together in person? I also think several companies may not be able to afford the expense. That’s something to consider.
Overall though, having retreats or small in-person get-togethers or co-working days are huge for teams. It may not seem like it going in but the long-term impact of a cohesive team can directly positively affect the product.
Does your remote company incorporate team retreats yearly or quarterly? Let us know in the comments.
…Extras
📅Watch our last Remote Huddle with Steph Smith. Replay it!
🥭Spending too much time at your desk? Take a break and get matched with other local remote workers for lunch.
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See you next week!
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The question I have is why are retreats only for these remote companies, why not part remote or even in office? I would love to know more about all of this! Great read Irma!