Coming out of the various global lockdowns over the past year or so, one of our key priorities was to make stronger connections between our teams in Europe and the US. What better way to do this, than with a secondment program.
I cannot recommend this highly enough. The opportunity to learn from colleagues in other countries, experience the culture and build long-lasting connections that benefit individuals and the company, is so powerful.
It requires investment but the impact and results far outweigh any costs. Our inaugural programme enabled five people to travel between the UK, Germany and the US and rather than me trying to explain the benefits, let me hand it over to a couple of our lucky team members who made the trips.
Kelsey Winter, Senior Account Executive. Portland, USA
“My biggest takeaway was getting the chance to connect with colleagues in the UK and Germany and learn more about them on a deeper level – much more than you can through a zoom call. I think the more people who do a secondment, the more integrated our company will be. I am already much more excited for this year’s company days because I know so many more people and I am excited to see everyone again.”
Sally Pickering, Account Director. Bath, U.K
“The secondment was such an incredible opportunity for growth, both professionally and personally!
Not only did I learn a lot, but I also had so much fun, and I left the US feeling inspired & motivated. Portland is such a fun and charismatic city with amazing food, bars, culture and people. It was fantastic to bond with colleagues in the US office, and it’s really helped me to understand how much more we can learn from each other, and it’s also made me really appreciate what a truly fantastic team we have.”
Janice Fenton , Senior Account Director. Bath U.K
“My trip to Portland was all about people and places. I learned the American language (‘bus the table’, ‘stand-up meeting’ – which is generally seated!) and was introduced to some delightful delicacies (tater tots, ice-cream sandwich – though I forgot to sample the latter and it may still be in the freezer to this day!).
I know how it feels to start meetings at 7 am or earlier every day, and I have nothing but respect and gratitude to our US team who do this day in, day out to accommodate those of us in Europe. Spending time in person with the Portland team was very special and insightful and helped me form bonds with colleagues that are priceless in helping us work, and socialise, together.”
We have been on a drive to build ‘One Publitek’ – one team, one vision and a strong sense of belonging. People say you can’t build a great culture overnight, in fact you can’t ‘build’ it at all – it’s something that grows organically and finds its own path. Companies can create an environment to enable a good culture but they can’t force it, buy it or hope it happens all by itself.
As we enter 2023, a new secondment programme is about to begin. We’ve had so many brilliant applications ranging from the beautifully written, to video and animation submissions and even an original, fully produced pop song.
