- Health-coaching platform Noom operates remotely, but the 1,700-person company usually meets up monthly in local teams to foster connectivity.
- The coronavirus pandemic has stalled these in-person meetups, so teams are taking virtual vacations together.
- Teams picked a "location" to have a two-hour Zoom chat, from Aspen to Jamaica to Bermuda.
- Hosting events like these is one way the company bolsters engagement — they also invest heavily in their staff's growth and happiness.
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Even companies that operate fully remotely try to find ways to bring their employees together in person a few times a year.
Or at least they did, pre-COVID-19.
Take health-coaching and behavioral-change platform Noom, which reported 2.5 million users and $237 million in revenue last year and is continuing to expand, according to a spokesperson. The company employs 1,700 full-time coaches across the country, all of whom work remotely.
To foster connection among these staffers, Noom assigns each coach to one of 13 local "hubs."
"All hubs have a team of designated ambassadors who plan monthly meetups," explained Dr. Andreas Michaelides, chief of psychology and head of coaching at Noom, who oversees the 1,700 coaches. "These small groups allow for more conversation and foster a sense of community amongst coworkers who are not sharing an office with each other on a daily basis."
Tara Shepherd-Bowdel is one of those hub ambassadors, connecting coaches who live within five hours of Raleigh, NC.
"We design activities that help build camaraderie, share best practices, and enjoy some good fun and fellowship," she said. "These events might look like yoga in the park, a deep dive into clinical topics and discussion time, a grocery-store scavenger hunt and picnic, or even a day hiking or playing volleyball by the beach."
Since COVID-19 has forced us into social distancing, those local events haven't been happening. But Noom didn't want the sense of community among its coaches to fall by the wayside.
So last month, each hub took its coaches on a vacation. Virtually, of course.
An inside look at Noom's virtual retreats
What, exactly, does a virtual vacation look like?
Each group picked a location — think Aspen or Bermuda — and hosted themed two-hour Zoom chats based on that spot.
Coaches changed their backgrounds, set up their surroundings, or dressed up to get in "vacation mode." Shepherd-Bowdel's team, for example, chose Jamaica and got into theme with beachy backgrounds, tropical shirts, and sun hats.
Hosts also made playlists to match their destination and decided on a themed cocktail (or mocktail) that everyone could make for themselves and enjoy together — reimbursed by the company.
"One of our hub members, Ryan ... taught us all how to make a delicious Piña Colada," shared Shepherd-Bowdel.
Her hub also planned vacation-themed activities. "We started with an ice-breaker in which we recalled stories of our best vacations … and played a game of Family Feud — vacation edition," she said. Think questions like: "What would you hate to forget to pack for your beach vacation?"
"A virtual vacation was our lighthearted way of offering coaches a way to connect with each other and take a break from the heavy feelings we all share at this time," shared Michaelides. "Just because we can't travel doesn't mean we can't 'get away!'"
To Shepherd-Bowdel, the event embodied one of Noom's company principles: "Care for each other like family while performing as a high-functioning team."
"Our coaches have always worked remotely," added Michaelides. "We've learned the importance of staying connected with each other to feel like a close team even if we are spread out over the entire country."
The importance of communicating regularly and investing in your employees
In addition to the hub events, Noom hosts "TGIF," a weekly all-hands meeting over video chat. "Coaches get to hear from HQ staff and vice versa, and we always find opportunities to both highlight individual coaches and individual Noomers that week," said Michaelides.
But in addition to business meetings, Michaelides noted that it's key for any leader to carve out time for fun and connection, "especially in times like these where it may not be business as usual for you and your team."
Shepherd-Bowdel also highlighted the importance of giving an itinerary for each virtual gathering.
"We are still hiring new coaches, and for some of the new people I think they didn't quite know what to expect [from the virtual vacation]," she said. "Helping all the team members in our hubs know what to expect — basically, a great time with awesome people — might help them feel more comfortable to join us next time."
The Noom team has always relied heavily on virtual connection, but since COVID-19, "we are becoming even more thoughtful and knowledgeable now about how to facilitate connection amongst teammates through a screen," explained Shepherd-Bowdel.
Michaelides advised that as a leader and presenter, you have a responsibility to be more engaging in the virtual environment than you would in real life. "Shift from thinking that people have to listen to you because they're stuck in a room with you to people wanting to listen to you because you're a likable person. Use comedy, use real-life examples to grasp your audience. Be an exaggerated version of yourself."
But hosting events is just a small part of ensuring engagement on a remote team. Michaelides emphasized that a large part of maintaining and fostering culture as the company has scaled is investing in employees.
"Our health coaches are full-time employees who receive health insurance, paid parental leave, as well as intensive training and coaching so they improve their craft," he said. "Because we invest in our coaches, we have seen them go above and beyond to contribute to the success of Noomers, each other, and the organization as a whole."
You can look for these training and coaching opportunities even virtually, noted Shepherd-Bowdel, who has tapped her group of coaches to help lead the virtual events. "A top priority for me as a leader is to empower others to step into their own leadership," she said.
She added, "With enough planning, you can make virtual events awesome. Our experiences, emotions, and the connections we feel to others are real even when we are connecting through a screen."
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