The Future of Gathering

Written By Jacqueline Hazan

Employers everywhere are grappling with the future of work. Hybrid, remote, in person -  all of these traditional set ups come with tradeoffs in a world where employees are increasingly rejecting overachiever culture and employer attempts to mandate in office time. In this environment, employers are challenged to find the right solution that supports the best possible business outcomes, supports innovation and enables a sense of purpose and autonomy for employees. 

The companies that will emerge as leaders will be the ones that create authentic and inclusive environments, beginning with how they approach purposeful gathering. Gathering employees with authenticity, activating autonomy and supporting innovation are the key pillars that will drive performance and engagement in the workplace. 

Purposeful gathering is the foundation on which employees and executives can realize better business outcomes, higher innovation, increased purpose and a workplace plan that feels authentic.

In order to do this successfully, leaders must do two things well:

1) Support and grow a communal culture that is

  • Creative and innovative

  • High trust

  • Collaborative

  • Anchored on values


2) Create serendipitous opportunities for authentic connection and innovation when employees gather.

To do both these things well, companies should focus on short, mid and long term actions to amplify purposeful gathering.


Short Term Shifts 

  • Identify Purposeful gathering opportunities at the company and team level

    • Regenerative time OOO gliding into regenerative time together

  • Fun focused on specific micro gatherings and connection building activities

  • Executive team prioritizes in person coffee and lunches

  • Teams anchor on gathering days

Mid Term Opportunities

  • Grow a Culture Crew: appoint culture activists and gathering hosts

  • Gamify in person connection

  • Prioritize building 1-2 spaces in your current space that amplify the serendipitous nature of connection 

  • Layer cross departmental purposeful gathering opportunities

Long Term Evolution of Purposeful Gathering

  • Seek a physical gathering place for connection that embodies your culture, gathering principles and brings the whole employee into the experience

    • Purpose built gathering spaces to support individual work, small group and large gathering

    • Space organized to amplify collaboration and break down team silos

  • Assess and evolve your gathering practices to support innovation, connection and creativity

Interested in learning more about how to build a workplace experience that leads to purpose, engagement  and better business outcomes? Reach out today to learn more at hazanconsulting@gmail.com

Jacqueline Hazan
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