In-Person Meetings Are Still Important (But Not For The Reasons You Think)
While remote work has become increasingly prevalent, offering numerous benefits such as flexibility and cost savings, there are times when bringing your team together in-person can provide unique advantages that virtual collaboration simply can’t replicate. If your team primarily consists of remote employees, here are five reasons when and why you should consider organizing in-person gatherings.
When You’re Recognizing Success
Who doesn’t love celebrating a win? We see a lot of companies intending to do this consistently, but the minutia often gets in the way. But we believe that bringing your team into a shared space to recognize burgeoning leaders, call out important successes, and reward individuals and teams that have gone above and beyond their duty– does a lot for both morale and reinforcing your company’s culture.
When You’re Starting Something New
One trend we’re seeing are companies hold mandatory in-person meetings — but only when something new is brewing. This could mean kicking off a campaign, preparing for the next fiscal year, or even welcoming a new teammate.
When You’re Building a Long Term Strategy
Generally, we’ve noticed that the members of an organization are more invested in goals that they help set; so coming together in-person is a great way to make sure that everyone feels involved and heard during that process. This is why holding planning sessions in-person is valuable, particularly when teams need to discuss areas of growth and set the tone for the future. In the short term, meeting for in-person collaboration sessions gives people a sense of direction, while long-term it offers people a shared history and language they can use when discussing goals.
When You’re Addressing Challenges
Do you sense something feels ‘off’ about your team? If you notice your team’s dynamic is hitting a rough patch, it might be time to get everyone in the same (physical) room. When things are going wrong or there are issues that team members aren’t able to address remotely, it’s important to get together and talk about it. Remember, body language and tone are easier to read when you’re not communicating through a screen, and can go a long way in helping get everyone on the same page.
When You’re Meeting One-on-One
We hear from many of our members about how they often use our spaces to meet with individual team members to discuss performance goals. In-person meetings between managers or company leaders and their direct reports are a great way to establish and maintain a connection — be it weekly, bi-monthly, or quarterly. What’s better is that CENTRL offers spaces that feel less formal than the typical office, which can go a long way to reducing tensions and allowing for more open conversations.
Conclusion
No matter what industry you’re in, the team here at CENTRL understands the importance (and challenges) for managers to create opportunities for hybrid or distributed teams to connect on both a personal and professional level. If you have questions about how to set up your next meeting, please reach out to us. We’re here to help!