Many leaders are concerned about company culture with the rise of hybrid and remote work.
And they aren’t the only ones. Many competitive advantages can be lost when people cannot meet face-to-face.
Full-time in-office hours may not be in the cards, but you can still create an environment that offers its benefits. A quarterly, company-wide event can be just as effective at fostering the relationships your business needs to truly thrive.
Let’s look at seven reasons to get excited about a quarterly in-person corporate meeting:
Studies show that younger workers have the most difficulty adapting to hybrid and remote work. They can get their career off to a stronger start by working directly with experienced mentors who model proper office etiquette, attire, interactions and reading of social cues.
Likewise, those who take on the responsibility of guiding younger employees will sharpen their skills, developing the intellectual capital that makes your organization truly unique.
Ideas are the lifeblood of innovation.
In information-driven enterprises, those who generate ideas without realizing them or the value of their contributions may go to a competitor or start their own business. With a quarterly in-person meeting, you extend the “open door policy” to help your deepest thinkers get their concepts heard – potentially putting your business on the cutting edge.
Direct interactions between people help foster trust.
Employees often struggle to gauge the tone of emails from people they have never met. This is only one way tensions can develop between physically disconnected workers. No matter what function a staff member performs, a quarterly in-person meeting is a reminder that we’re all on the same team. This is especially valuable in other traditional areas of tension, such as getting sales and marketing teams on the same page. Most modern companies report coordination works better than competition – face-to-face rapport is the key here.
What makes someone a top performer?
While some people are relentless in their pursuit of success, it doesn’t mean all their motivation and inspiration come from within. By recognizing those who are going above and beyond, you help ensure they will continue striving for excellence. Recognition is one of the biggest factors in making others feel valued. What better time than at a quarterly in-person event?
Gallup reports that American workers are in an engagement slump, and it is essential to focus on having an intentional, positive business culture.
Employees who “find their why,” as leadership speaker Simon Sinek famously put it, are far more likely to come through for you when the chips are down. This can be the factor that helps your team elevate their productivity without a higher headcount.
Sometimes, market factors are as plain as day and need a prompt response.
In many cases, however, it’s tough to uncover areas where improvement can be made without introducing a variety of perspectives. All members of your team have the potential to provide you with the next great idea – if they have the right opportunity. Your quarterly in-person corporate meeting could be just the thing.
All of these different factors have one thing in common: They help stop turnover.
It is said that in the current remote work environment, fully one in four employees have never met in person. What’s more, there is a growing phenomenon of job hoppers who find it easy to leave a job where they’ve never shaken a hand or gotten to know coworkers beyond their names. When personal interactions are limited to video calls and where there is not an emphasis on attachment, it’s much easier to change jobs emotionally. This illustrates how important emotional and personal attachments are in building a satisfied and productive workforce.
Not only can turnover “poison the well” by depriving you of important knowledge and skills, it can become a self-reinforcing cycle that ultimately leads the whole business to shrink. A quarterly in-person corporate meeting is the way to steady your team, elevate your culture, and intervene before the desire to leave takes hold.
In closing, a quarterly in-person corporate meeting is the perfect way to strengthen your team. It provides you with fresh ideas and help build trust and can also be an effective tool for defending against turnover. Ultimately, you’ll find that this type of event will allow your business to thrive in today’s hybrid work environment.
Best of all, you don’t need a physical office or bland conference room setting to host an amazing in-person event. Learn more about hosting your quarterly team retreat at the uniquely inspiring Wingspread Retreat & Executive Conference Center.
