In a hybrid world, meeting the team is an event

I’m someone who likes to meet people in person. That’s no secret. I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m excited to see the back of Zoom and other video conferencing tools. Don’t get me wrong—I think they’re great innovations that are very useful for many things—just not everything, and definitely not what matters. They simply can’t replace the value of meeting in person. They are an element of our present and of our future. They’re just not the future. 

So today, I’m really excited to announce the launch of TravelPerk Events. It’s a revolutionary tool that’s going to help teams all over the world get together in person, easily. But before I tell you what it is and how it works, I want to explain why we built it. 

The most social animal

Modern life imposes a sort of solitary element on us all. From the ability to watch whatever you want from your couch on Netflix, to it being so easy to have food brought to your door with Uber Eats, to connecting to your workspace remotely in your pajamas, the 21st century has made it very easy for us to never leave our homes. To never needing to face reality and other humans.

… And yet, we still do. Humans are hard-wired for social relationships. In fact, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that “man is by nature a social animal”. It’s who we are, and who we’ll continue to be no matter what modern technology and society throw our way. And that’s not just a philosophical concept to debate over wine with your family. It’s a neuroscientific fact. As Dr. Michael Platt, Ph.D., a biological anthropologist from the University of Pennsylvania, explains:

Social behavior is a critical part of our adaptive toolkit. It allows us to come together and do things that we wouldn’t be able to do on our own.

Dr. Michael Platt, Ph.D

Just think about that in your daily life. How often do you walk over to a teammate and ask them for help or advice when you’re at work? Do you sit down to tackle assembling IKEA’s sklurg (shoutout to Phil Dunphy) alone or with your roommate or partner? Where do you have your most creative moments and feel the energy of building something new? My bet is that it was when you are surrounded by people who inspire you. And when you do have these moments—what's the first thing you want to do? Share it with others! Mankind got this far because of our ability to cooperate. And that happened in person. Not through a screen.

Why I’m telling you all this

I’m telling you this because I believe that the future is face-to-face. Not screen-to-screen. The future of work isn’t this matrix/metaverse “reality” where we hang out with robots and talk to each other never. The way I see it—the more technological we become, the more our desire to meet in person grows. 

I believe in this “in real life” future of work so much, that my team and I decided to build the most intuitive solution out there to help teams come together in person. Let me introduce you to none other than… drumroll, please… TravelPerk Events!

After almost 2 years of being apart, it’s time to start coming back together again. But, like many things in the post-pandemic world, work won’t be the same as it was pre-COVID. According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, over 70% of workers want flexible work options to continue, which tells us that remote or hybrid work is truly here to stay. So, we decided to find a way to make getting together face-to-face easier and more intuitive to plan, book, and manage from a single platform. TravelPerk Events isn’t just a tool to organize these opportunities to meet in person. It’s a way to empower teams to boost creativity, build relationships, and maintain company culture together. 

The low-down on TravelPerk Events

Alright. I’ve told you about the why behind TravelPerk Events. Now, let’s get down to the what and the how. TravelPerk Events is a one-stop shop for those planning any kind of event for their company to handle every aspect from ideation through to execution. 

What kinds of events will you be able to organize?

In short, any time you want 2 or more people to meet face-to-face anywhere in the world, you can do it through TravelPerk Events. This tool will help you with kickoffs, team buildings, offsites, seasonal company parties, and even just meetings with teams. 

How does it help you do that?

Pretty much anyone who’s ever organized an event, large or small, knows it can be a pain. Millions of tabs open, the phone constantly ringing, people changing their minds about times and dates, caterers canceling last minute, DJs playing too much Bonnie Tyler… Alright, so we might not be able to help you with the bad DJ, but I think these other features will more than make up for it:

• Track invites & participants by monitoring responses and booking statuses in real-time.
  
• Share relevant information with collaborators and attendees, including names, logistics, and agendas. 
  
• Easily communicate with attendees and keep them updated on any news or changes to the plan.
  
• Have full visibility over everything, including attendees’ travel plans, accommodation details, and more. 

Now, those planning events will have everything they need to manage arrangements and updates all in one place. Attendees will benefit from a single hub where they can find all the details they need and book their travel. Companies will save time and money organizing company meetings and off-sites, freeing them up to focus on getting the most out of the occasion itself.

With hybrid and remote working now the norm across industries, face-to-face meetings are more important than ever. It’s when you meet in person that you forge meaningful relationships and collaborate effectively with your colleagues - and it’s when a whole team meets in person that you create a company-wide culture rooted in your values.

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