PaperStreet Celebrates Teamwork with a Trip to Turks and Caicos
By Nancy Rapp on September 30, 2022 in PaperStreet
After a long, pandemic-caused delay, PaperStreet was able to reinstate our annual corporate retreat. Centered on team-building, these retreats are a time for us to plan for the year ahead, discuss opportunities for growth and improvement, and, most importantly, connect to our teammates.
This year’s retreat was located in Turks and Caicos. Grace Bay Beach did not disappoint, even with Hurricane Fiona throwing a bit of a wrench into our plans. We braved the storm together, laid the foundation for the year ahead, and simply enjoyed each other’s company.
Read on to learn more about the trip and just how important we consider these team-building opportunities.
The Importance of Face to Face Interactions
Covid-19 changed our workplace as it did for millions across the globe. Though we maintain our office in sunny Fort Lauderdale, our team is now fully remote. Accordingly, many of our teammates jumped at the opportunity to see each other in person and connect on both business and personal levels.
In an era where remote work has become the norm, prioritizing team building is crucial for strengthening co-worker relationships and communication. Our Turks and Caicos trip did just that: forge our bonds far beyond our day to day tasks. From rum punches to shell hunting, critiquing the food and surroundings, getting raked at the casinos – well, most of us – and all the “you had to be there” funny moments, those big and small experiences are worth their weight in gold. More than ever, we cannot underestimate the power of a company retreat. – Elyssa, Our Creative Director
I found the team building irreplaceable for a company that is full-time remote. Most of the time, we only speak to each other on Zoom or Slack about projects, so having this time for face to face interaction is crucial. Taking time to step away from our work to focus on getting to know our teammates makes us a stronger team. – Andrew, Our Vice President and Web Director
As someone who has always worked remotely, I look forward to our yearly team building trips. There’s a lot to be said for having in-person human interaction with your teammates. Zoom is cool, but live interaction is much better; and, in between all the good fun and laughs, we manage to share many ideas that will help the company as a whole. – Adrienne, Our Monthly Content Manager
Our Thoughts on Grace Bay Beach
Most of our team call Florida home, yet the beauty of Grace Bay Beach did not disappoint. Many of us considered the beach to be one of the most beautiful we’ve seen.
Grace Bay beach is one of the best I have ever been to, and I am a native Floridian. Can I say that or do I need to turn in my state ID? – Pete, Our Founder and CEO
Walking the beach in Turks & Caicos is worth the flights in itself. I would definitely go back to the resort and the island again in the future. – Kyle, Our Technical Project Manager
Turks and Caicos was definitely an experience. I thought the island was absolutely beautiful. I truly enjoyed connecting with my team – especially building a closer bond with my director, Elyssa. – Stephanie, Our Designer
Team Building During a Hurricane?
Our team fully respects the devastation caused by hurricanes. We did not take the warnings about Hurricane Fiona lightly, and we were careful to follow resort instructions – even if it meant being confined to our rooms.
We know how fortunate we were to not have suffered any harm from the storm. Perhaps surprisingly, our unusual circumstances may actually have led to a stronger bond among those who ventured on the retreat.
We had the opportunity to cancel when we heard a storm may be coming. I made the final decision to go the morning of my flight. Even though we were stuck in our rooms for over 24 hours, I still think I made the right decision. It was definitely an unexpected team building exercise. If you could see our group chat through the storm, you would see all the support we had for each other – like sharing food if someone didn’t get any – and just our overall laughs about the whole situation. – Liz, Our Bookkeeper
This trip was invaluable for me. Being hired remotely, I never had an opportunity to meet my coworkers in person. Through this little adventure, I was able to bond and understand my coworkers in a much more personal way. Even though the hurricane made for unpredictability – oddly enough – it felt like even more team building as we all had to endure it together and check in on each other. All-in-all, I’m very grateful for this opportunity. – Jen, Our Designer
For me, I had no idea what to expect from this trip once I learned of Hurricane Fiona’s path. I grappled with whether or not to cancel my travel plans and was already on the plane when I learned of the severity of the storm. I was one of the more unlucky travelers with my flights being canceled and my luggage being temporarily lost. That said, the bonding we experienced and the true belly laughs we had on this trip – including those from mere text messages – were of immeasurable value.
A good company becomes a great company when its workers are truly engaged with each other, and this trip to Turks and Caicos further solidified the ties between our team members.
Thanks for the memories, Grace Bay!
