Social Tables was born in a 3,000-square foot loft in D.C. that was chaotic in the best possible way. Open office with different teams mixing together, Sonos playlists curated by week’s top sales rep and mobile desks that allowed anyone to move around.
What I didn’t know at the time is that an environment such as the one we created fuelled our innovation culture.
Remote and hybrid work will be around for a long time. The majority of companies don’t mandate RTO, and for good reasons. The productivity has remained almost the same, but employee preferences are heavily skewed towards remote work.
But here’s the tension: while output might look fine on paper, innovation–especially the kind that requires rapid feedback and creative tension–suffers when people aren’t in the same room.
It is easier to innovate if people feel connected and belong.
Remote work and innovation
Recent McKinsey paper supports this . “Remote Workers require additional leadership support including guidance and guardrails for the tasks at-hand, but also to ensure buy-in or financing from other leaders.” Zoom is not the best platform for riffing. Leaders can coach in real-time, something that you cannot do with Slack.
How can remote-first businesses innovate without having to drag people back into the office?
Offsites are a good strategy
It is not ironic to bring teams together whose work demands innovation in real life. Instead of going to the office, or even on a retreat style reward, go to an offsite that is specifically designed.
Make team-building retreats or strategic planning offsites an integral part of your business model. They are not perks, rewards, or outings. Instead, they are essential tools to connect and innovate. As part of the quarterly cycle.
When done right, offsites don’t only boost morale, they also create psychological safety and strengthen organizational commitment. They can even spark creativity and innovative ideas.
Designing offsites to move the needle
Many offsites follow a cookie-cutter model: arrive at the hotel, dine in the on-premises restaurant, have a meeting in the stuffy event room, then enjoy happy hour at he bar. The same tired model is repeated three times. Then repeat the process for the following year.
These “offsites”, however, fail to realize that the goal of these events is not to entertain or empower your team.
Three design principles that I would recommend:
1. Begin with hospitality.
A successful retreat will create a feeling of belonging. Participants need to feel welcome in their environment to achieve this faster. The participants must feel a genuine warmth when they are treated.
For this, ensure that the location is easy to reach and the area is safe. The venue can be kept small as long as each person has their own room. This will create a professional atmosphere.
2. Reduce the alcohol.
Alcohol is a deterrent (because many people do not drink), a distraction (because they shift their attention elsewhere), and sabotage (because drunk people cannot perform).
Consider asking thoughtful questions instead of happy hours where participants are encouraged to form bonds. For example, if you were able to study any subject you have never studied before, what would you choose and why? These questions are more than just a way to get people acquainted. They can also help those who share similar interests connect.
3. Plan your retreats carefully
Every offsite is different. Even if the program is identical, current events, weather conditions, moods of attendees, etc. can affect an offsite’s outcome. The outcome of an offsite can be influenced by a number of factors. Every gathering should be unique.
After deciding on your goals, you can add activities and experiences to help you achieve them. Take the team to a creative improv workshop if a design sprint will be on the agenda. If you are doing annual planning, begin the retreat with a sound meditation. This will help everyone to be centered.
It’s not necessary to spend all of your time in person, but it must be meaningful. A retreat that is well run can achieve what months of virtual syncs cannot. This gives teams the opportunity to come together around a common goal.
Dan Berger, the founder of Assemble hospitality, is also the author of The Quest: A Definitive Guide for Finding Belonging.
