One of the big challenges business that have a remote model have is team bonding and people engagement. When all the human interactions are via chat, video or phone, this becomes a strategic move: the team is as strong as the bond between its members. Therefore, any opportunity to strengthen these bonds must be taken.
Tarik Yayla
Last Updated on 1 January 2020
No need to say that Christmas is one of these great opportunities. When team members share an office, it is usual that they have office parties where people can interact with each other in a more personal way…although many times it gets too personal!
But how can you celebrate Christmas when you team is spread all over the world, with different time zones and working schedules? By making this potential obstacle into and advantage.
One of the best things of being an international team is that we get to know how the different traditions are celebrated in different countries. What kind of carols do they sing, what decorations they use and of course…what kind of Christmas sweets and candy do they eat?
That’s what inspired Wojciech, one of our team members from Poland, to propose a great idea for our Christmas gift this year: why don’t we, each of us, buy a bunch of typical Xmas sweets and send them to a central point, where someone will make assorted boxes that will then be send back to each team member?
No sooner said than done! Talent Management volunteered to be the central point that would receive the candy from all over the world and make assorted lots. We got sweets from ten different countries, in all sorts of packaging… It was a real challenge to evenly distribute all these delicious sweets without pinching one or two along the way.
On top of this, we included a letter from the co-founders to each team member, explaining what 2019 has been like, and thanking them for the contribution to the success and an additional small monetary voucher as a surprise gift.
The next challenge was the Post Office…the boxes were to be sent from THE only Post Office of a small town, where the Talent Management team member is located. Can you imagine their heads when she got there with 50 boxes to be sent all over the world? Fortunately, the Christmas spirit eased the way: instead of grumbling at the sight of such am overwhelming wave, on a Friday morning, they were happy to do their bit.
And what about this fun moment where everybody opens their presents under the Xmas tree? We have our own way too… when team members get their boxes, the post a picture of it in our social channel so we all can enjoy it.
Christmas celebration in a remote virtual team? This is no challenge for Hellotax!
