Our team is fully remote, spread across the contiguous United States. We don’t have an office that creates impromptu water cooler chats or happy hours. Our connection happens across time zones, Slack channels, and video calls. But once a year, we make it a point to meet in person. This gives us the chance to step away from our screens, sit down together, and reconnect in person.
Our latest off-site in New York was a chance to connect in person after months of remote collaboration. We started with a team breakfast and a walk through Prospect Park. We talked about everything from recent projects to what’s been happening in our personal lives.
After the walk, we made our way to Greenwich Village for a guided food tour. The tour took us to eight different stops, each with its own unique flavors and history. We learned about everything from local revolutionary history to pop culture landmarks—like the apartment building from Friends. At one stop, we heard how some of the restaurants had ties to the civil rights movement, adding depth to the experience. These shared moments helped us get to know each other better, seeing different sides of our teammates and having conversations we don’t usually have during work calls.
Later that evening, we ordered takeout and did some strategic planning as a group. During our session, everyone had the chance to contribute ideas about the company’s future and share their perspectives on where we’re headed. These discussions gave us the opportunity to align on our direction and focus as a team. The in-person dynamic helped facilitate open conversations, but it built on the strong foundation we’ve established through our remote work. By the end, we were ready to take our next steps with a clearer, shared vision.
The last two days were spent attending a DevOps Conference. We got the chance to connect, learn from, and share insights with members of the broader community.
Our time in New York highlighted how important building strong connections is to our team’s culture. These off-sites give us the chance to strengthen our relationships, which helps us communicate and work better together. As we return to our remote work, we take those connections with us, ensuring that distance does not weaken our bond or how we work as a team. We’re able to navigate difficult or stressful situations with each other with the understanding that we’re here to support each other.
