How We're Staying Connected While Apart
It seems like everywhere we look we find another reminder of just how much has changed over the past few weeks. We're doing a lot of adapting to the "new normal" around here at Cogo, but one thing that hasn't changed is the amazing community of Cogonauts. Here are some of the ways we are working on staying in touch and motivated during our time out of the office and working from home.
Our #pet_alert channel in slack
Our human interactions in the office weren’t the only thing we’ve been missing, so we are coming together in the #pet_alert Slack channel to showcase all of our new coworkers. From cats and dogs, to birds and… plants (?), we have plenty of emotional support when we need it most.
A #gratitude slack channel
To help us keep a positive mindset, we’re focusing on the little things that bring us so much joy. Whether it’s a really good cup of at-home coffee, Zoom calls with coworkers, or realizing we actually enjoy spending time with our roommates, this Slack channel provides respite from all the other potentially stressful moments.
The Cogo Interview Project
The Cogo Interview Project is an opportunity for everyone at Cogo to connect and learn more about one another even though we're apart. Through a shared document of collaborative slideshows, everyone at Cogo is creating a slide to share what they learned about one of their colleagues. This makes up for all of the “how was your weekend” conversations we’ve all been craving.
Zoom “happy hours”
I think we can all agree we need at last one “happy” hour during the day to stay motivated. Teams at Cogo have been connecting through virtual happy hours, game nights, and more to keep morale high and bond outside of work. We never want anyone to feel alone, so managers are conscious of creating events to help the distance between one another feel so much smaller.
Company-wide monthly meeting
Our company-wide monthly meetings are still in full swing! We really tested the limits of the maximum capacity of people on a Zoom call at one time. Nothing says "modern camaraderie" quite like hitting unmute to clap at your computer for your colleagues who got promoted this month.
Transparency across the company
We continue our focus on transparency through a weekly company newsletter with tips for working from home, notes of positivity, and a “teach me how to” where someone teaches us about a hobby or passion of theirs! In addition to our weekly newsletter, CEO, Rob Fisher, provides two weekly updates to help provide context about ongoing projects, navigate life working from home, and more.
At Cogo, we continue to pride ourselves on our transparency, communication, and empathy towards one another. Despite the distance, we’ve made it our mission not to sacrifice any of these values and continue to support one another through the highs and lows. If you’re looking for a company that cares for one another, click the link below to apply for one of our open roles!
