Benepeeps in Boulder: A Recap of Our 2023 Q1 On-Site

As a remote-first company, we appreciate the diverse perspectives that arise from hiring a global pool of talent. But we also understand that nothing replaces in-person time when it comes to bonding and connecting as a team. That’s why we host an on-site every quarter, something we consider a core element of our company culture. 

This quarter, we spent a week enjoying the fresh mountain air of Boulder, Colorado, while solidifying our goals and priorities for the next year.

Warm-up activities

We kicked off each day with a short warm-up activity to help us get comfortable and build excitement for the day’s events. These activities also allow us to learn fun facts about our coworkers and get to know each other better. 

State of the Beneunion

On the first day of every on-site, our CEO Jaclyn Chen gives a “State of the Beneunion” to share her thoughts on the company’s current state, reflect on recent events, and highlight our priorities for the next year. This quarter, Jaclyn discussed the exciting momentum for our product and what we need to do to meet our audacious goals for 2023. 

Functional team sessions

After our warm-up activity each morning, we gathered for presentations led by each of our functional teams. On the second day of the on-site, we heard from our Go-to-Market team consisting of our sales and marketing functions. We learned more about the Sales team’s processes and got to see what a “day in the life” of an Account Executive looks like. We also learned about the Marketing team’s daily work and explored our plans for creating content that better serves our audience. 

The next day, our Product team walked us through their latest project, a redesign of our mobile app. Our upgraded mobile app makes it easier for employees to explore their benefits, manage their accounts, and spend their funds. It’s an improvement to the employee experience, something we’re committed to optimizing in 2023. 

On the last day, the Operations team shared how they’ve improved efficiency across customer onboarding, user support, and account management. We learned about projects the team has been working on to ensure employees get answers to their questions more quickly and easily and to help companies get the most out of their programs. 

Small group dinners

At every on-site, we organize randomized small group dinners of 4-6 people. The dinners provide an opportunity for us to connect with colleagues on other functional teams who we might not work closely with on a regular basis. They also give us a chance to sample the local cuisine in the location we’re visiting. 🧑‍🍳

Local activities

Of course, we also want the team to have fun and enjoy the town we’re visiting. In addition to large group dinners and happy hours, we plan activities that allow us to spend quality time together while taking in the local scenery. 

At our Chicago on-site, we took an architecture boat tour. In Austin, we played pickleball and explored Ladybird Lake. In Boulder, we went on a breathtaking (literally 🥵) hike and explored the quaint downtown area. 

Values and reflections

Throughout the week, we ask everyone to write down examples of their colleagues living out our company values during the on-site activities. We share these examples on the last day of the on-site to reflect on all the big and tiny ways we each contribute to the culture at Benepass. 

At the next All Hands meeting following our on-site, we complete a Rose Bud Thorn exercise to share our takeaways from the week and provide constructive feedback on how we can improve future on-sites. 

What’s next for our team

We always leave the on-sites energized and motivated to hit our goals for the upcoming quarter, and our 2023 Q1 on-site in Boulder was no different. We deeply value the opportunity for in-person bonding that carries over to our ability to do great work in a remote environment. 

Here’s what our team had to say about this quarter’s on-site:

• “These are always so invigorating! Great to see everyone’s face and bond, both by pulling folks into room for brainstorming, as well as during small group dinners and happy hours.”
• “As someone that attended their first on-site with Benepass, I was so happy to see so many people in person for the first time and learn about everyone inside and outside the work environment!”
• “I always look forward to the group dinners. It’s cool to talk to colleagues I don’t normally chat with and get to know them better in a dinner setting.”
• “Loved seeing everybody with that beautiful scenery! Also loved each presentation — always very valuable to see other teams in action. It gives you visibility into what other teams do, teams you may not work with directly.”
• “Seeing everyone face to face is incredibly valuable. Hearing what each department is doing is so important to our sales efforts, especially from a product perspective. Having the entire sales team get to bond was awesome!”
• “The on-sites are always super energizing, feeling everybody really dialed in on wanting to exceed this year’s goals was awesome!”

Learn more about the Benepass culture, and connect with us on LinkedIn to see team updates from our future on-sites.