Why Remote Work Needs Periodic In-Person Anchors

Aytekin Tank, founder of Jotform, argues that even fully remote organizations must engineer face-to-face gatherings to prevent the erosion of company culture. During two decades of leadership, he observed that the most significant creative leaps occurred during retreats where employees from two dozen countries met without digital buffers. While remote tools maintain operational momentum, they fail to replicate the spontaneous interactions—side conversations or shared meals—that transform coworkers into a cohesive unit.

Building a meaningful gathering requires intentional design. Tank suggests cross-pollinating teams to break down silos, as limiting interaction to immediate departments merely shifts the office environment to a new location. Leaders should balance structured collaboration with unscheduled time, ensuring that the physical proximity yields authentic connections rather than exhaustion. By viewing in-person events as a foundation for remote work rather than an interruption, companies can foster the trust necessary to sustain long-term innovation.