As an agency of six, we’re proud to be a small and highly specialized team of professionals at Next Step Communications (NSC). The value of having co-workers with different skill sets, backgrounds, and experiences is that we are able to give advice, share perspectives, and provide support through any PR challenge. This variety of personalities not only allows us to collaborate on client accounts and internal projects together – but provides the space for friendships and mentor relationships to develop.
Beyond our own personal growth, effectively collaborating across accounts breeds work we are proud of – look at our case studies, recent business expansion, or LinkedIn page for some of our client coverage and projects. 2019 was a big year for the company, but it wouldn’t have been possible without each and every employee and the culture that is fostered at NSC. Below are just a few of our favorite activities and events from 2019…
Reconnecting – one monthly social at a time:
It’s not “all work and no play” at NSC – every month we have a monthly social.
It can be difficult to find time to connect with those around us at work, as we are invested in our day-to-day client tasks. The socials allow us to reconnect on more than just client work and talk about life outside the office. Whether that is an upcoming vacation, just-announced concert, or recently tried restaurants – the time is always well utilized.
Life outside of work – everyone has one, let’s recognize them:
A work-life balance is imperative, and recognizing the birthdays, achievements, and life milestones of our co-workers is important to our agency. We see the value of a 15-minute break to pop a bottle of bubbly for a new house signing, or to sing happy birthday and eat cake.
Our work is only as good as the employees that produce it, so ensuring everyone feels valued, cared for, and listened to is crucial to our overall success.
From drab to fab – giving our office a new look:
The best surprise of 2019 was walking in one Monday to an office revamp. On the previous work-from-home Friday, our bosses were hard at work putting up new decor, purchasing plants, and rearranging our office into a collaborative working environment. New additions also include a Keurig, where we fuel up multiple times a day to keep us diligently working.
The new common space allows us an area to sit, brainstorm, and collaborate on client work. One of our favorite additions is a wall dedicated solely to client coverage, which reminds us of impressive wins and motivates us to get on the wall again. The physical space of the office provides a new found excitement and enjoyment for coming to work.
Fun in the sun – a new Hampshire getaway:
Every summer, NSC has a summer outing to get out of the office and take advantage of the beautiful New England sunshine. This summer, we took a quick trip up to New Hampshire. After buttoning-up client work, we got on the road and headed to Lake Winnipesaukee. While there, we rented a boat and explored all the lake had to offer, including wine tasting at local gem Hermit Woods Winery. The outing let us rejuvenate, reconnect, and simply enjoy the summer sunshine.
Happy Holidays – our office party:
The holidays are a special time to look back on the year and all the accomplishments and changes that occurred. To celebrate, NSC took the party from Dedham to the Seaport. Our first activity was ice skating at the new Snowport: Winter Village.
While normally a solo sport, ice skating quickly turned into a team building exercise. With a few falls, hand-holdings, and props, we continued to support each other – though more literally than we do at work. We followed skating with dinner at Tuscan Kitchen, where we talked about NSC in 2019, future plans for 2020, personal holiday plans, and old folklore of vintage NSC.
The last hurrah of 2019 took us back through the months and got us excited for what’s to come in 2020. If this culture sounds like something you would enjoy, keep an eye on our website and LinkedIn page for job opportunities as we continue to grow. Continue to check back on the blog for future updates as well as we enter into 2020!
