Team-Building vs. Annual Planning vs. Training
Formada is a remote agency. We make no secret of that. In fact, we’re pretty proud of how successful we’ve been at creating a healthy, collaborative work culture despite how seldom we’re all in the same room together.
That said, we still believe in the value that comes from our getting together in person for things like annual planning, training and networking, and team building. We view these as being very distinct activities.
Annual planning is where we get together early in the fourth quarter to review our year-to-date accomplishments, discuss fourth quarter priorities, and establish goals for the coming year. The entire day is devoted to what Formada has accomplished, where we are today, and where Formada is going tomorrow.
Training and networking is pretty self-explanatory. Most of our team-wide training can be done virtually, and much of Formada’s in-person training and networking is done in small groups.
We’re an organization that believes in autonomy and simplicity, and we also believe in the power that comes from frequent, agenda-driven all-team, department, and one-on-one meetings. This approach helps us prioritize, work more efficiently, and deliver better service to our clients.
So, with all that in mind, why is team building important? Let’s go over a few basic reasons why an all-remote team would place a premium on in-person team building days.
We Get To Enjoy Rare, In-Person Interactions
Like I mentioned, we’re an organization that believes in autonomy and simplicity, but we also believe in the power of relationships. Being a fully remote agency doesn’t mean that we’re all off in our respective corners, working in silos and focused on our own tasks.
In fact, most of the projects that we work on are collaborative and it’s rare when there isn’t any departmental crossover. This means that we need to know each other. We need to care enough about each other in order to communicate effectively and provide the right kind of support.
Formada doesn’t have a break room that we can share. We can’t have those random office conversations that typically take place in standard office settings where people can naturally get to know one another and form friendships and peer relationships.
Because of that, we intentionally create an environment where the team can form those bonds by giving them a day where they can be together, enjoy work-free activities, and form deeper relationships.
And as we monitor our growth, we recognize that having a dedicated space for the team is one of our long-term goals. No to take away the remote nature of Formada, but to provide an optional space where we can escape at-home distractions and collaborate face-to-face. Speaking of…
We Can Have Distraction-Free Conversations
A corporate office is full of distractions. Home offices are filled with distractions. Coffee shops…also filled with distractions.
The difference here is the intention behind having a day dedicated to team building. We’re removing ourselves from our typical work environments. We’re not focused on our work queues.
The goal of the day is to invest in each other. We don’t typically create a strict agenda. Garrett brings a massive backpack full of board games. We play and laugh and have all sorts of conversations. Sometimes about work, and sometimes about our lives. We go on coffee runs, we have our lunch catered, and we find an exciting new restaurant to enjoy together in the evening.
This might seem frivolous to some, but our belief is that spending the occasional day focused on the chemistry of our people brings us closer and fosters better relationships and better work.
It’s absolutely worth the time and the investment. Every time.
We Can Reset As An Organization, Together
Why is team building important? Because we can give more weight to certain discussions. The day isn’t focused on the business side of the business, but we do tend to spend a little time at the beginning of the day where Meghan and Garrett can give a brief state of the union.
Transparency and consistency are such important parts of a healthy business. We want there to be a long-term purpose behind our team events. We don’t want to set goals in our annual planning meetings and then never discuss them again until we create new goals in our next annual planning meeting.
Our team building event is the perfect venue for revisiting our 2024 goals, reviewing our Q1 performance, and reminding — or sometimes refining — our priorities as we continue our work.
Yes, we can deliver these messages in a remote setting. We often do. But when we have the opportunity to have an in-person meeting, we take it. We can approach conversations around financial health, operational improvements, and departmental priorities in a decidedly different way.
We Have Dedicated Time For Gathering New Marketing Assets
As a Brand Strategist, you better believe that I’m going to take advantage of the time we have together and get new photography and video assets.
We hire an incredible photographer and a stylist, both of whom make us feel comfortable and confident, and we get as many shots in as we can to use in our marketing campaigns for the next several months until we have another team building day.
It’s not the day’s priority by any means, but it matters to us. Our team does incredible work. I want every aspect of our brand to reflect that.
Why Is Team Building Important? Because People Are What Make Businesses Successful!
We have grounded, driven Founders. We have a clear mission and vision for Formada. Our clients are wonderful. But none of this would work without the team that we’ve built.
Team building days are built around giving the Formada team the appreciation they deserve and the space they need to operate as an even better team.
If you want to experience the incomparable results that come from working with the Formada team, then we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business create real growth through proven marketing strategies. Don’t delay!