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On the first Friday of every month, Ron Schneiderman tells his employees to go hiking. literally.
Schneiderman is CEO of AllTrails. A fitness app used by 60 million hikers, mountain bikers, climbers, and snowsports enthusiasts to plan their adventures outdoors. ”“A few years ago, my birthday was on a Friday, so I took the day off from work to go mountain biking with some colleagues,” he explains. But walking the trails together was a great experience. We were brainstorming ideas for his AllTrails, recharging in nature, and letting our guard down for more authentic connections. Not only did I feel great physically and mentally afterwards, but I can’t deny how meaningful our time together off-campus was. ”
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That was the beginning of what is now known as “Trail Day.” For the past four years, staffers have been asked to ditch their desks and computers on the first Friday of every month, hit the trails, field test the app, and, most of the time, unpack it.
Considering the company has been doing this for four years, you might imagine that the program is paying off. “We found that our team members returned from trail days even more excited about our mission to get people outdoors, energized by new ideas, and even more connected to their colleagues.” says Schneiderman. “Trading to have this much positivity and impact on the other side of the screen one day a month was and still is an easy investment.”
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Schneiderman says this has been a great asset in maintaining the company’s culture as it expands. AllTrail’s employee count has doubled for three years in a row and now stands at over 200 people. Sending your staff out into the field once a month is not only a fun vacation, but also helps unify the company’s mission in everyone’s minds. “We’re built on the idea that spending time in nature makes everyone better,” Schneiderman says.
It also helps strengthen the bond between employees and customers. “One of our core values is ‘Spread the Stalk.’ We want others to feel the same excitement you get when you hit the trails with friends and family. “We want to bring in team members who can support us,” he says. Trail Day, he says, reinforces the essence of the company and the value it brings. “Our employees can really empathize with users, because we are the users.”
This concept can be applied in many variations across all types of industries. Do you run a bakery? Give your employees a few bucks to go sample muffins around town and see what they think of the taste and customer experience. Have an EdTech app? Have your sales and technical teams take courses on company time. “By prioritizing his day a month for connection in nature, rejuvenation, idea generation, and clean fun, we keep our core values front and center.” says Schneiderman. Because of that. ”
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