Strategy Days Don't Have to Happen in a Boardroom
Most companies run strategy sessions with a handful of senior people in a room, then communicate the outcome to everyone else afterwards. On Friday 18th September, we did it differently. The whole Acwyre team — more than 20 people, across every department — spent the day at Nene Park combining a proper strategic working session with genuine team-building activities.
Why involve the whole team in shaping strategy?
Company direction affects everyone who works here, not just the people setting it. Involving the whole team in shaping company objectives means the people closest to the day-to-day reality of client campaigns, office operations, and everything in between have a genuine say in where the business is heading — not just a briefing on a decision that's already been made.
It also means the strategy that comes out of the day is one people actually understand and feel part of, rather than one that gets handed down and slowly forgotten.
Why pair strategy with team building?
A day of pure strategic planning builds a plan. It doesn't necessarily build the working relationships needed to deliver it. Acwyre works across departments constantly : field operations, client services, compliance, marketing. Those departments function better together when the people in them actually know each other, not just each other's job titles.
Combining structured planning with informal team time gave people the chance to build that familiarity naturally, rather than trying to force it through a separate "culture" initiative disconnected from the actual work.
What this reflects about how we think about culture
This sits alongside the other ways we try to invest in the team at Acwyre, from wellbeing days in the office, to the causes we get behind together as a company, to how we plan workload and pace throughout the year. The common thread is the same one that runs through all of it: people work better, and stay longer, somewhere they feel genuinely part of, not just employed by.
Why did Acwyre hold a combined strategy and team-building day?
To involve the whole team — not just senior leadership — in shaping company objectives, while also building the cross-department relationships that help the business run day to day.
What did the day actually involve?
A working session focused on shaping company strategy and objectives together, followed by team-building activities, held at Nene Park with the full Acwyre team of over 20 staff.
Why involve the whole team in company strategy, rather than just leadership?
The people closest to daily operations and client work often have the most relevant perspective on what's realistic and what matters. Involving everyone also means the resulting strategy is better understood and more likely to be genuinely adopted, rather than simply communicated after the fact.
How does this fit with Acwyre's broader approach to culture?
It sits alongside other ongoing initiatives, including employee wellbeing days and company-wide support for charity partnerships, reflecting a consistent approach: investing in the team as people, not just as output.
Curious what working at Acwyre is actually like?
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