6 work activities our team thinks are better in person

I like to be in the office for our bi-weekly team meetings as well as the company end-of-week roundup. You just don't get the same vibe or level of interaction through Zoom.Anna Silovsky, Account Manager UK&I

Generally, meetings that involve active participation from more than 4 people. I prefer to do them in person, for better and faster communication and understanding.Ruxandra Popescu, Webinar Specialist

In-person meetings are great for design sessions at the start of a new epic, like integrating a new rail provider. It's great to be able to brainstorm designs on a whiteboard together - it's far more immediate and more engaging than trying to design over a video call. Being on a long video call can become quite fatiguing - especially when it's hard to hear some people on the call.Ruth Mills, Software Engineer, Ground Transportation

My team and I love to get together for various planning sessions. Being in the same room together brings out better ideas that drive our team's vision in the future.

Give me a whiteboard and I’m the happiest guy out there! My team and I run a lot of creative strategy sessions together, and I really can’t compare the experience of doing that together in person with doing it on Zoom. It’s all about the in-person experience that brings value to what we do together. It makes communication easier and keeps us all more engaged, especially during longer brainstorming sessions.

I prefer to have 1-1's with my manager in person, so I feel more connected when it comes to discussing anything personal or business-related. Also for brainstorming or meetings that need a lot of engagement I prefer them in the office as you can grab a whiteboard and start sharing ideas. Being able to see someone's reaction or excitement face to face makes the collaboration better.Muriel Veenstra, SE Benelux Sales

It's a great opportunity to go out to the pub for lunch as a team, and then hang out together after work - drinking beer and playing pool together. Especially if team members have flown over and we're taking a couple of days or so on the design! It's always good to combine work meetings with team building in this way - and it really feels like a special occasion to stay over in a hotel near the office too.Ruth Mills, Software Engineer, Ground Transportation

I like coming to the office because I get to see in person the people that I work with every day. When you have in-person meetings, you have more chances to build meaningful relationships with other people and get to know them better.Vicky Perperidou, Partnerships & Marketing

The last few months have shown us how important human interaction is. While 99% of my role can be done remotely, coming to the office is important for mental health, sharing ideas, and general wellbeing.Alex Cunningham, Implementation Specialist

The personal touch and affection. It is way easier to connect with your coworkers, plus you get to meet other people from any other department or team. Going to the office brings back part of the social life I love.Enric Piferrer Torres, Software Engineer

I love the energy and the small feedback conversations with colleagues from other teams. That can be super helpful!Adarsh Singh, Product Marketing

I love working with people. My team inspires me and drives me to do my job better. Both my immediate team and the rest of the company, the energy it brings can not be replaced by any video call.Marko Milanovic, Senior Software Engineer

I get a real buzz when I come to the office - and it really helps boost my mood seeing other people in person. I love to take the opportunity to socialize in person over lunch too - or to have a quick mid-morning coffee break in the office cafe. It really helps keep me feeling energized and engaged.Ruth Mills - Software Engineer, Ground Transportation

I like coming to the office because I get inspired by the colleagues around me. When I have an obstacle, I love being able to walk up to the person and ask for help. Out of experience, the issue is solved much faster. In terms of creating work relationships, I notice this occurs much faster when seeing each other in the office. Even meeting someone new at the coffee stand or sitting next to that person at lunch. I am growing as a person on a social and professional level when coming to the office.Muriel Veenstra, SE Benelux Sales

I try to be in the office three days a week – for me it's a great way to stay motivated at work, but I also love bumping into colleagues that I haven't seen for a while or that I don't directly work with.Anna Silovsky, Account Manager UK&I

Coming to the office allows you to network and see what other departments are working on. You also feel the culture more and feel closer to people. It gives you the sense that you are all working towards the same goal rather than you being a small element of a big chain.Natacha Raveendran, PR Manager

I love meeting people, checking in with other departments, having a random conversation at the water-cooler station, and generally working next to my immediate team when we have a project running together. it makes communication and project delivery a lot faster.Ruxandra Popescu, Webinar Specialist

I find training sessions much easier to deliver in person. It creates a better atmosphere for Q&A, and makes it easier to gauge areas where improvement might be needed.Alex Cunningham, Implementation Specialist

I came to the office on my first Friday ever working at TravelPerk. I really got to feel the vibe and culture of the company, meet loads of people, and of course, participate in our famous End of Week meeting and drinks! It really made me feel part of the crew straight away.Sofia Bogunovic, Brand Content Manager