January 17, 2025
Read Time: ~6 minutes
<aside> đź“Ś At Empower, we seek individuals who challenge personal assumptions, value ownership and trust, and strive for excellence to inspire and empower their team. If this article connected with you, join our team!
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<aside> đź“Ž Onsites are crucial for remote teams to build strong bonds and a thriving company culture. While remote work offers flexibility and efficiency, in-person gatherings provide unique opportunities to deepen relationships, foster collaboration, and align on shared goals. Empower, a fully remote company, has successfully integrated onsites into their work culture by balancing purposeful work sessions with unstructured downtime and engaging team-building experiences.
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https://open.spotify.com/episode/77m1RhCeFECnzz4hxqqyA2?si=1c99dec1817a4f06
At Empower, we’re proud of the flexibility and efficiency that come with being a fully remote, global team. Our success hinges on collaboration, streamlined processes, and the tools that keep us connected, no matter where we are. We believe that a healthy work-life balance is essential, and we trust our employees to manage their time in a way that works for them. Our Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy offers the freedom to recharge and prioritize well-being. With this in mind, we carry the same principles of flexibility into our onsites, ensuring there’s ample time for both downtime and meaningful connection.
As the world of remote work evolves, many companies find it challenging to build deep, authentic relationships across a dispersed team. At Empower, we’ve found that in-person onsites aren’t just “nice-to-haves”—they’re key to building trust, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and moving projects forward. There are moments that just can’t be recreated virtually—like the energy of brainstorming in person or sharing a meal with colleagues.
While our daily work thrives in a remote environment, onsites give us the chance to take relationships to the next level, spark strategic conversations, and build the connections that drive our collective success. Here’s how we approach our onsites to make them not just productive, but truly meaningful and enjoyable.
Every onsite is a balancing act—ensuring that productivity, connection, and fun are seamlessly integrated. We design each event to include three key elements:
Purposeful Work Time
We focus on sessions that align with Empower’s goals while allowing flexibility for team-specific priorities. Whether it's brainstorming, strategy meetings, or deep dives into department initiatives, these sessions are productive and intentional.
Unstructured Downtime
Not everything needs to be scheduled. We recognize the importance of unstructured time—whether it’s a spontaneous conversation over coffee or a quiet moment to recharge. This downtime is especially valuable for introverts or international travelers adjusting to new time zones.
Team Bonding Through Experiences
Onsites are an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day grind and create lasting memories. From thrilling activities like ziplining in Vail to creative workshops like glassblowing, we tailor experiences to suit a range of interests and comfort levels. Or a local food tour or ATV ride in the desert in Scottsdale. Whether it’s exploring new tastes, adventuring outdoors, or learning something new together, these shared moments strengthen relationships in ways that outlast the event itself.