In the last few months, we have been growing more than ever: in projects, teammates, team locations… And with all the prospects and excitement that it entails, a massive challenge for Light-it comes, since the team becomes scattered in many different cities, and strengthening team dynamics becomes very complex. We asked ourselves... "How can we interact? How can we bond?" We are strong believers that great teamwork translates into a better experience and even better results.

Sure, there were many uncertainties... but we knew we had to get creative and think of different initiatives to make this bond happen. In the process, we have been trying out different ideas:

Office/Cowork

At the end of 2021, we moved from our old offices in Montevideo to a new space. The company had grown and we thought it was vital to upgrade our workspace to somewhere where the team could get together, co-work efficiently, and be encouraged to build a stronger bond with other team members. The space was strategically chosen to be accessible to everyone in the group, meet our needs, have spots that promote interaction, and much more!

In Argentina, what suits our team's needs better is going to a co-work every two weeks to share a full day of work, and have lunch together.

Certainly, it’s all about being flexible; what may work in one country may not in another. The Argentinian team is based in Buenos Aires, one of the biggest cities in the world. Teammates are highly distributed in different parts of the city, and that's why they rather work from home and get together every two weeks. In this case, it was all about listening to their needs and understanding what worked for them.

Company Trips

At the end of 2021, the Uruguayan and Argentinian teams gathered for the end of the year party and grand opening of the Uruguayan office. It was a huge success where the whole team was able to meet in person, bond, and build some unforgettable memories.

Thus, when this year started, we thought… "Why wait until the end of the year to get together again?" Many new teammates had joined, and what could be better than to “fly our full team to an epic place?”. This is how this crazy idea started, and it translated into a fantastic week in Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina! This incredible trip helped us grow as a team, get to know each other better, and celebrate our company’s achievements, Light-it style.

Challenges/games

We have found that it is essential to set up dynamics for the team to interact, and these can take many forms and shapes.

For example, a way to learn about each other is to hold trivia sessions with fun facts from the team. People have incredible stories to tell; some just need a slight hint to share them with everyone! Indeed, some websites that have helped us build trivia or dynamics are Kahoot and Figjam from Figma.

Also, this year, we started monthly challenges:

January: the most unique way to use your #Light-it beach chair.

February: #Work-out #challenge to motivate each other to work out.

March: #Workspace #challenge to find the most original way to grab your computer and work.

These challenges help team building by creating a dynamic where coworkers can get creative, show their way of having fun, present themselves in a new context, and learn from others.

Events

Certainly, we like to find excuses to celebrate and have a great time together; if not... What's the point?

Some of the events we enjoy celebrating are:

• Birthdays.
• Anniversaries.
• Special dates.
• Achievements.

But, if we feel it starts just like an ordinary day, we surely make our way to make it special either way with:

• Team lunches
• After offices
• Games
• And more!

Team meetings

On Fridays, we organize team meetings to share company insights: it is crucial to have moments where the company gets together so we can all be aligned and on the same page.

Every Friday, we like to have an instance where our team is encouraged to learn about various topics, give workshops, and share personal insights. This aims to help everyone's professional and personal development as it aligns with our philosophy of continuous learning and improvement.

Last but not least, we also use our Friday talks to bond with the team. This can take the form of games, personal updates, and team news, among others.

What's the formula?

There is no right or wrong formula. Probably some of the initiatives that we are doing at Light-it, won’t even exist in a few months. Change is part of the process, and all ideas are welcome to boost our dynamics. What’s important is to take a human-centered approach and keep exploring and understanding precisely what works for our teammates and organization.

We fully embody our "innovation" and “continuous improvement” values by proposing, carrying out, adjusting, and improving until we find what works at that moment, and then we stick to it but always try to keep an open mind to learn from everyone daily.

For now, we're positive that all these initiatives have impacted our team and are bringing out the best of it.

Do you know of any other initiatives? We are more than happy to hear them!