It’s no surprise that I’m all about cultivating relationships, especially with my team. And that hasn’t stopped because of a pandemic! Caitlin Propheter, our marketing intern, shares her thoughts on our first virtual team happy hour.
“Cheers!” Sandy said as we each took a sip of our local drink of choice. I can’t say I pictured myself sitting alone, wearing sweatpants, staring at a laptop during my first work happy hour, but it couldn’t have gone more smoothly. As we sipped our drinks and discussed important things like past dates, future dates, and current boyfriends (this happy hour was strictly social — no business), the physical distance between us diminished once again.
Work happy hours are traditionally meant to boost employee morale, increase workplace happiness, and enhance team building. But, this time around, we decided to kill two birds with one stone. Why not have our bonding exercise double as a way to support local businesses during National Small Business Week?
I ordered curbside pick up from a restaurant that’s relatively new to Bel Air called Barrett’s On The Pike. I’ve had their food and drinks before, so I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. I ordered a quart of their White Sangria and was even more pleased than I expected to be. In hindsight, I should’ve gotten two quarts or a gallon. The White Sangria was fruit-forward and sweet. One sip had me on a lounge chair outside, pretending it was about 10 degrees warmer outside.
Ellen chose to support Olde Mother Brewing Co. in downtown Frederick. She chose the Sucker Punch sour. I hope it was strong, as she was on the receiving end of some juicy questions from Sophie.
Sandy ordered a classic Margarita from La Paz, also in downtown Frederick. She loved her drink and said she can’t wait to get back into La Paz so she can enjoy another one… this time with salt.
All jokes aside, the happy hour was a great chance for us to get to know each other “outside” of the working environment. We shared some laughs and had our first group discussion in over a month that didn’t revolve around business.
It’s important to continue to provide employees with the chance to bond during times like these, especially considering your team might be the only people you interact with in a day outside of the people living in your house. We all thoroughly enjoyed the drinks we purchased, and would recommend getting them for a special occasion or work happy hour you may have coming up. Don’t forget to support small businesses during this time!
