Here’s How MicroAgers are Staying Apart—Together

Keeping your company culture going strong can be tough when you’re transitioning to a remote workplace—we know all about that! At MicroAge, our company culture has always started with relationships first. As a tech company with a national presence and roles with work-from-home benefits, we know the power in collaboration tools. We also know understand the comradery and bonds between team members that face-to-face interactions spark.

Twice a year, all of our associates join us at our Arizona headquarters to realign, reconnect, and well, true to our values, have fun! And a lucky select group of employees recognized for making an impact go on our annual Circle of Excellence trip with our executive team alongside them.

So, while going remote wasn’t a hard shift for our organization, it’s been a change. Especially for the team members based out of our headquarters who are engaged regularly with onsite company-wide meetings, lunches, and events.

That’s when senior account executive, Rick Walsh decided he wanted to rally MicroAgers while staying laser-focused on our working relationships—not just with our clients and partners—but with each other.

Since this spring, we’ve had a company-wide Microsoft Teams meeting daily at lunch to come together and bond over professional advice, trivia, games, interviews with team members, and regular rock sessions. That’s right, rock sessions!

What inspired you to start Stay Apart Together?

I was looking for a water-cooler replacement and I knew working solo for an extended period of time was going to be a challenge.  We had just rolled out Microsoft Teams internally. And I thought we could simulate feeling like we were all back at the office, at least for a little while every day with video conferencing capabilities.

What does Stay Apart Together mean to you?

It proves that humans are definitely herd animals. We need each other to thrive.  Stay-together-apart meetings have become an outlet where all of us can share each other’s company, laughter, and in some cases, super-human talents.

What’s most rewarding about this new daily company-culture initiative?

First, I have received many emails from people letting me know how important this has been in their day-to-day lives. Having an opportunity to connect, entertain, and slightly inspire people is something I’m grateful for, it’s when I’m in my element, and at my best.

Secondly, hearing people laugh and temporarily forget that we are all hunkering down in our doomsday prepper bunkers is a great way to come together that never gets old.