The Sun sparkled as I hustled through the busy roads of Lahore to reach the venue. As usual, I was late! But what was making me more nervous was that I was going to see several completely new faces. In fact all of them! As I entered the courtyard of the restaurant, several people were sitting around a long table. “Are these the ones”? I questioned myself, staring at them trying to match the faces with those on the laptop screens. Smiling oddly, I kept searching for one reaction showing that this was my organization!

Yes, I was attending the Annual Lunch of my organization which I had recently joined. After much embarrassment, someone towards the end of the table raised hands and I saw one University Junior that I knew. What a relief that was! Everyone seemed so different from their profile pictures! It took a while to finally settle in and have brief Introductions! Oh wait, let’s take a picture first!

When it comes to Remote Organizations, maintaining a healthy relationship and good work culture is always a hefty task. But those who know the trick, are always able to pull it off like a pro! And this was something I was witnessing right now. Slowly, Introductions kicked in and I became comfortable as little conversations started.

Everyone then placed their orders. Discussions on current topics came in and ChatGPT was at the top! We all laughed if ChatGPT would be replacing us soon but the CEO assured us not to worry! During the same, I had the chance to talk to Mike and make an immediate plan for introductions of everyone! After we were done with the sizzling food, sizzling cakes, and brownies were ordered along with tea and coffee. And the cold sunlight, under the sun, made it a perfect combination!

Before it was time to go, I announced a surprise! The Gift Boxes from Appsofa started coming in and everyone looked at them in awe! “While the CEO hands you the gift, you have to give an introduction of yourself and that must include your hobbies or activities apart from professional life!” I chanted the announcement and gathered everyone to a side. It turned out to be a perfect activity, as we were getting to know a different side of everyone! Surprisingly, half of the team loved playing cricket. The boxed gift followed by the Introductions made everyone smile brightly.

It’s always lovely when remote organizations put effort into arranging such events, bringing people together and helping them bond! Teams are built stronger that way. And this was what Appsofa was solely focused on. It reassures the employees that their organization actually exists and so do the colleagues they were talking to over slack. Moreover, one gets to know each other better which is always impossible over a professional call. And with that, the goodbyes kicked in and everyone started leaving slowly. When I left, the sun was setting: an end to a perfect day, with a lot of memories.