During my almost 9 years working in the Talent team, I got to meet and talk with a lot of amazing Avaturians while visiting different offices and locations around the world.
Recently, I embarked on yet another tour together with some Avature leaders (Chiquito, Cris, and Guille). We went around some of the offices we have in Argentina to connect with other Avaturians.
Most of them were coming to the offices for the first time. They told us they liked getting together so much that they’d definitely be coming more often. For me, that’s awesome. And it got me thinking about the power of connecting in person.
As we are a global company, Avaturians have always worked from diverse locations around the world. We believe people perform equally well from anywhere, that’s not in question here. But what we also believe is that deeper and better connections thrive by going to the office. That’s why we encourage it. For us, the workplace is a lot more than just where people work; it’s a place where culture takes shape and is carried on, where people can connect: a breeding ground for meaningful professional and personal relationships.
*
So, how do we foster in-person connections and how does this impact our life at Avature?
We basically foster in-person connections by keeping our offices as meeting points and opening new ones wherever we have a significant number of Avaturians. We see workspaces as nurturing places where people can meet and get to know each other. Actually, it’s never the same to submit a case to a person who’s just a name on a drop-down than to someone who you shared a couple of drinks with.
On our day-to-day, these connections contribute to professional development because you can learn more about Avature and what each team and Avaturian does. By chatting with someone during the lunch break or through an after-work drink, you may get to know Avaturians, teams, and projects that you’d have never heard of in any other way. You might find out there are things going on that you’re interested in, and this can lead to amazing collaborations.
You might also learn about something new and find that fellow Avaturians everywhere are as passionate about their interests and work as you are. This is no coincidence: we look for passionate people who love what they do from the very beginning, which translates into better work dynamics.
On a personal level, sharing the same space can form new bonds and even strong friendships. You may realize that you have more in common with fellow Avaturians than what meets the eye, either through mutual interests or shared experiences like a Summer Day, a couple of after-office beers, or an Avaturian football match.
And let’s not forget about some wonderful and self-organized initiatives from Avaturians on DNA, our internal social network, like a charity group called PeoplexPeople or the Avaband (or Avamusicians). You can always learn from others, whether you share the same interests or not. We thrive on the variety of ideas and points of view, and that’s why diversity is truly the Avature way.
*
In the end, we work based on conviction and not compliance, so we will always encourage our team to work from anywhere that fuels their productivity and creativity. I, for example, make the most out of our flexibility to travel often and work from different locations, but I also go to the office 2 or 3 times a week if I’m around. So, if you ask me for a recommendation, I’ll always tell you to go to your nearby office from time to time and connect in person with fellow Avaturians. This is, in some way, to live “the full Avaturian experience.” I'm sure you’ll find it truly rewarding and enriching. After all, the best of Avature is its people. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get to know them.