The office is buzzing, meeting rooms are full… that can only mean one thing: it’s time for E&S All-Hands!
With a hybrid team, every moment spent together IRL is time well spent. That’s why several times per year the entire E&S team comes together for an All-Hands gathering. These multi-day events bring our remote and local folks together to collaborate, catch up and have some fun.
Day 1
Excited for the day ahead, our team started the morning with coffee, an assortment of bagels and fresh, cold-pressed juice from Ital Vital Living. The custom, on-brand teal juice was made with a mix of delicious fruit and healthy greens. Talk about a refreshing way to kickstart our time together!
Before our all-agency meeting, we got to know each other a little more by playing a quick game – the middle name game! Employees had to guess which middle name belonged to which team member. We had a blast hearing the origin stories of some names and really felt the popularity of “Elizabeth.” For a small team (that already knows each other well), this was a fun activity that helped us connect on a new level.
Afterward, we got down to business and reflected on the previous quarter and revisited our long- and short-term goals. We ended the meeting by giving #kudos to our team members. Whether it’s going above and beyond on a project, wowing a client or supporting another team member, we’re always excited to recognize others for their hard work.
Then, we closed our laptops (for a second) and traded Zoom calls for IRL collaboration! The office was buzzing with projects, creativity, laughter and new headshots.
At the end of the day, everyone showed their competitive side for a “Classic Omaha” night – pizza from midtown staple LaCasa and super-retro bowling at the Omaha Bowlatorium. With bowling ball in hand and cuffs rolled up for extra style, everyone was excited to sport their new E&S branded socks.
There were a few gutter balls, quick lofts, a Turkey (if no one saw it, did it even happen?), some nervous Body English and several fabulous bowling poses. Sadly, no game ended with a Deuce.
Did we look up bowling terms when writing this recap? We’ll never tell.
After bowling, we made our way to Fizzy’s Fountain & Liquors for sweet treats, eye-catching drinks and conversation. Team members enjoyed drinks topped with S’mores goodies, cotton candy and even a banana dolphin or two!
Day 2
On day two, we started our morning with an open tab at one of our favorite local coffee spots, Roast! With caffeine in hand, the team reflected on our own growth and development surrounding unconscious bias during a companywide DEI roundtable.
We then broke out into small groups to discuss recent podcasts, books and events we’ve attended that expanded our knowledge in this space. When we’re learning and growing as individuals, we’re getting stronger as a team, too.
The rest of the day was spent doing what we do best: collaborating and creating excellent work!
You could find teams brainstorming new taglines, meeting offsite with clients and kicking off new and exciting projects. Teams could also be spotted at Aksarben-favorite eateries having lunch together. There is no doubt that this was a “fill your cup” kind of day, to say the least.
To wrap up our two-day festivities, we ended the day with our weekly Wine-Down Wednesday Thursday happy hour! We took in (even more) snacks and drinks, reflected on our time together and gave some more #kudos to our peers.
Our time together during all-hands is invaluable and we can’t wait for our next all-hands celebration in June!
Bowling references:
- Deuce – a game of 200 or more.
- Loft – the distance the ball travels between the time of release and the time it hits the lane (some quick and some slower lofts).
- Turkey – three consecutive strikes.
- Gutter balls – balls that fall into the gutter.
- Body English – movements and contortions of the body intended to steer the ball as it travels down the lane.