Rituals that create connection in the age of hybrid work ???

If post-pandemic working has taught us anything, it's that meaningful human relationships are really hard to achieve when your team isn’t in one place.

Remote and hybrid work patterns are making genuine connection between colleagues a scarce commodity. It now takes thought and intent from business leaders to chalk out the spaces where connection can take place. Those that don’t will face big challenges around quality of delivery, lower morale, and - critically - retention.

This is something we’ve thought a lot about at Nile.

company, noun. 1. a commercial business.? 2. the fact or condition of being with others, especially in a way that provides enjoyment.

Like any business, we’re a team with a variety of skills, backgrounds and experience levels – not to mention working styles and personality types. It’s really important that we all pull in the same direction. But it’s tough to get everyone on the same page if the only connection you have is through a screen.

That’s why we place such a huge emphasis on workplace culture. For those who like working from the office, we’ve made it a really nice place to be. And, over time, we’ve crafted various ‘rituals’ – shared experiences unique to us – that let our team connect on a human level.

Top of the list for many Nilers is our annual team trip. More than a decade ago, we boarded a budget flight to Norway for our first one; every year since, we’ve come together somewhere far from our usual desks (though usually staying in Scotland!).

Of all our rituals, the team trip is the only one we stipulate everyone has to attend. It’s a big investment for the business, but we stick with it because we know it works for us.

It’s an opportunity to reflect, recharge, and refocus as a team. It’s also a chance to meet new colleagues in person and to learn about each other’s strengths and working styles.

It takes planning — lots of planning

Something thing we’ve learned is that an all-staff trip takes real planning. We typically start working on the next team trip at least 12 months in advance. At times the complexity of the logistics involved - even for an SME like Nile - can be frankly terrifying, so you absolutely must give yourself the space to get it right.

We’ve also found that having a clearly-defined theme is essential to ground your activities. We tend to pick one based on our business’s values: this year, we chose “can-do collaboration”, recognising that, by combining our strengths, we can achieve more ambitious and successful outcomes. Pointedly, the only way we can know our colleagues’ strengths is by creating this space for connection with each other.

To get the best out of people, collective team building time has to be balanced with space for personal reflection. Location matters too – this is an opportunity to escape the everyday by gathering together somewhere inspiring.

We’ve shared an example of the templates we used this year to encourage reflection - before and after a group activity and discussion on what ‘can-do collaboration’ means.

We find that the team trip pays dividends long after we’re back at our desks. Investing in culture and alignment, and creating the space to reflect, translates directly into better outcomes. When businesses partner with Nile, they don’t just gain access to a group of individual experts. They get a cohesive team that collaborates confidently, is aware of our overall purpose, and is ready to deliver meaningful impact together.

It takes effort to cultivate workplace community, but the payoff is immense. Bonded teams achieve greater innovation, efficiency, and fulfilment.

Make space for real interaction amid the complexity of remote work. As you shape your updated operating model, prioritise activities, rituals, and spaces that bring your people together with genuine humanity. With the right intention, you can build a hybrid organisation that thrives.

This post was originally published in The Navigator , our monthly newsletter about people, psychology and design for business leaders who want to make meaningful change. Subscribe now