TRI Fest: Where Remote Becomes Remarkable
Bringing Our Remote Culture Together
Starting a new role always comes with a mix of excitement and nerves. Three months ago, I stepped into my new chapter at TRI. Remote working is incredible for flexibility, especially as a working parent, but it also means you don’t have those casual corridor chats or quick coffee breaks, not with other colleagues at least! That’s why TRI Fest, our annual in-person event, has felt so important to me, it was a moment of connection.
Stepping Into the Bigger Picture
The day began with presentations from different departments, it felt like opening a door into the heart of the company. Each team shared what they’ve been working on, their expertise, and their successes….and GIFs! Who knew that finance and operations teams could be so creative!
It reminded me that although our roles might look very different, they all flow into one shared mission. A mission of excellence. I walked away with a deeper appreciation of the incredible talent around me and a real sense of pride to be part of it.
Wacky Races
In the afternoon, things took a turn for the playful with our “Wacky Races” challenge. Picture teams from every corner of the business, coming together to decorate pedal go-karts before racing them around the track.
It was colourful, and completely chaotic in the best way possible. But beyond the laughter and cheering, something much bigger was happening. Teams of people who had never worked together before, or at least not frequently, suddenly became top notch racing collaborators, that could quite frankly, rival the support teams at F1!
When you are working towards a shared mission or a shared goal, you never have time to even consider yourself as “the new person”. You a simply “a person”, working towards that same North Star, and that’s certainly how I felt.
That Community Feel
TRI Fest showed me that community isn’t something we just talk about at TRI, it’s something we live. It’s in the way we celebrate each other’s expertise, and wins. It’s the way we come together to solve challenges (or build go-karts), and the way we support each other no matter what department we’re in.
The event gave me a sense of belonging I’ll carry with me long after the day itself. A knowing that we are all part of one whole. Confirmation that I am not just here to support the business, but to be supported as human. That’s the real power of TRI Fest, it reminds us that even though we’re scattered across the UK, we’re never working alone.
If my first three months and this experience are anything to go by, I couldn’t be more excited for the journey ahead.