It takes a team đȘ: how to plan for the ultimate company retreat.
The Jampp Camp Team starts small, but thinks BIG.
January 29, 2019
Every year all Jamppers go on our company retreat. Currently known as Jampp Camp đïž
Last year, our Founders shared why and how we do our company retreats and as theyâve said, part of what makes Jampp Camp unique is that we donât outsource and always involve our team when organizing it. So this year, we want to share the #BehindTheScenes from the backstage crew who make it all possible, a.k.a the Jampp Camp Squad đ
If you are a cool nerd wondering what working for Jampp is like, somebody who organizes company events, or just an avid reader looking for cool content, this post is for you!
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A post shared by Jampp (@gojampp) on Jan 29, 2019 at 7:22am PST
The Squad Starts Small
The Jampp Camp Squad starts small, but it thinks big.
The first challenge (as you will read in most posts about organizing events) is finding the right venueâââthink: location, location, location.
We knew from early on that we wanted a beach landscape (and needed a hotel that could fit almost 100 people). We also knew that to maintain the âJampp-Camp spiritâ, it wasnât just about finding a bigger hotel with a bigger conference room. Once we had the location, we started brainstorming about the opportunities it offered⊠for example: Why do the dinner & party in a hotel conference room when we can do it in the middle of the woods with a bonfire? đ
The second challenge is defining the eventâs theme & branding. This isnât just about the look and feel, but also about what youâre trying to communicate to your team.
Here is a sneak peek of what our Jampp Camp was all aboutâŠ
Next, we think about what we need help with and who has the right skills. For us that means a get-things-done energy combined with an ability to work under the radar, to surprise and delight with every detail on the actual day đ€. (We keep the location of the event secret until the day before, when we do end of the year all hands). Another thing to consider when choosing the squad, is making sure we involve Jamppers from every team.
The Squad is the backbone of what makes Jampp Camp possible: they give you feedback on what your team will value, and come up with fresh ideas that are hard to find when you are in the midst of organization chaosâŠ
We usually assign roles like these in our squads
đš Branding & DecorationâââCreate a brand image of the event that excites and inspires, that feeds the imagination.
đ§ ActivitiesâââThink up activities that are both location and industry /company related.
đž Art DirectorsâââMake sure photos and videos capture the essence of the event.
âïž Copywriters âBrand the event and inspire your team to take action.
đž Band LeaderâââWeâre lucky to have several musicians in our team, so we always appoint a Jampper to rally their talents.
đ Global AmbassadorsâââSquad members in every office will help get everyone ready equally excited about the event.
đž âShow Me the Moneyâ BrokerâââTrust us: you will need someone to oversee the budget plus help with all the paymentsâââlots of them.
So how does this all add up to make an awesome company retreat?
People like lists⊠or at least organizers do đ so below weâve highlighted 5 things, which we think really make a difference.
#1 The Ramp Up
Jampp Camp is not just a day to celebrate the end of the yearâââJampp Camp is the the âculminationâ of Jampper Week. Yes: Week.
Itâs the only time of the year when our global team is all together in one office. Itâs both an opportunity to celebrate what we have achieved and a chance to ready ourselves for the upcoming challenges and opportunities.
In the weeks leading up to this, the Global Ambassadors start working behind the scenes to ensure every Jampper is ready for Jampp Camp.
âI love the fact that every office had its own Jampp Camp Ambassador, joining the squad meetings and doing things like filming and sharing mini clips of each office getting ready on slackââââYuchen Zhang, Account Manager, Berlin TeamâWe donât just fly to HQ for Jampper Week, we get to actively participate in planning and getting everyone in the spirit! Itâs important that everyone feels includedââââGreg Wang, Sales Manager, US Team
#2 Let the games begin
At the beginning of Jampper Week, we announce the teams and their captains for the competition. Friendly competition is allowed and encouraged from the moment each team sends in the name and team flag that will represent them throughout the week. #ProTip: captains are also a big help when youâre planning an event for 100 people and need to ensure everybody is where they need to be).
We think itâs important to come up with activities that are somehow related to the eventâs location (for example: this year we went to the beach and hosted a kickass sandcastle building competition).
In short: make the most of the location, be creative and also⊠flexible
âWe started planning months ahead of the event: the beach venue, the outdoor activities, the beach branding⊠and then you get closer to the date and the forecast says rain đ± Well⊠The rain came and went and Jampp Camp was still a success. If youâve obsessively worked on the details, pinned down the essentials, and fostered the right spirit, youâre set. #LetItRainââââLucia Oddonetto, Internal Comms
#2 Weâve said it once, weâll say it twice: details matter
Every year we come up with an awesome Swag Kitâââsometimes we think this is the stuff that only organizers obsess over⊠but, every year we get great feedback from the team soâŠ
âThis is the third Jampp Camp Iâve been to, so Iâve seen the level of attention that goes into everything. I did my research, looking for inspiration in different types of events from weddings to festivals. I was psyched to make the squad and think up details, like original light decorations and Jampp branded candy that would set the event apart.ââââMaite Barrenche, Product Team
We take the branding for Jampp Camp very seriously, from the t-shirts to the brochures and everything in between: The banners with bold phrases to decorate the space, the gift beach mats, the stickers everyone stuck on their laptops. Every branded element counts when you are trying to make the event memorable.âââNathalie Rosengarten, DesignerâI love photography, so I was really happy when they asked me to join the Jampp Squad to help with âArt Directionâ. Even though it was my first time attending, it was clear that it was a different type of company retreat, and I really enjoyed helping to find ways of capturing it.ââââSantiago Redondo, Tech Team
#3 Hire rockstars (or at least have good music)
We are not saying the success of your company retreat relies on your teamâs musical talent⊠but if you have a live band made up of your talented team mates kicking off the party⊠well, itâs pretty awesome đžđ„.
âPutting the band together was quite a challenge because we hadnât played together before, and we really wanted to choose songs that would appeal to everyone. But it was totally worth it, we had a blast playing together and seeing everyone dancing and cheering us on was pretty incredible. A great first gigââââRodrigo Suaya, Strategic Account Manager (and band leader!)
If you donât have a band, invest a little time in the music selection, so you have a repertoire that makes everyone join the dance floor (itâs possible!)
#4 And the Jampp Award goes toâŠÂ đ„
Our founders give out the âJampp Awardsâ; recognizing the people who have truly embodied our company values throughout the year.
No one (except for our founders, who review the nominations) knows who the winners are until the announcementâââkind of like the oscars⊠but much cooler (?) as this year, the trophy for each award was a mini surfboard đ (in-line with the beach theme, remember?) and a book đ
Even if no one in the Squad knows who the winners are until showtime, they do help set the stage/mood: from the presentation to the prizes and music⊠The squad is on top of every detail.
âThe awards were really exciting, I was genuinely impressed with all the little jokes and surprises for the team (from including a fun video with internal jokes to the music selection and everything in between). The atmosphere was electric as we waited for the nominations and winners! And itâs a really nice thing to celebrate your teammatesâ efforts and winsââââCarol Zaccaro, Sales Manager, Brazil Team
#5 Never lose sight of why youâre doing this
The most important thing for us, is to have a theme that represents who we are and where weâre at. What do we want to communicate to the team?
This yearâs messaging was all about daring to⊠build, think big, delight⊠because in order to grow and take things to the next level, the first thing you need is to embrace your values and dare to take the leap.
Wrapping Up
We hope you found this post interesting and, ultimately, inspiring. To make a long story short, hereâs the TL; DR version:
When organizing your next company retreat start small but think BIG:
- 4 months before the event: Youâre a (small) team of people locking location and outlining the basics.
- Choose a theme that represents who you are and your values.
- 2 months into planning: Put together a squad with people from different teams to figure out the detailsâââdecor, photographers, swag etc (your team will love to feel involved and it will certainly help you take the retreat to the next level).
Jampp has a lot of unique ways of doing things, our culture and our offsites are a reflection of that. To learn more about what itâs like to work at Jampp, follow us on Instagram at @gojampp and if you share our values, visit our Jobs page: we are always looking for amazing people to join our team đ
Happy Thank You More Please
Liked this? Keen for more? Read last years post for our foundersâ take on the end of year company retreat.
Big thanks to our kickass squad đ„ and Lucia Oddonetto from our Internal Comms team who helped piece this post together.
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