Thinkathon: Reigniting Purpose and Collaboration in Remote Work

Imagine a time before the relentless hum of machines and the regimented routines of the modern workplace. A world where workers worked in solitude, intimately connected to the fruits of their labor. When job titles were simpler and immediately conveyed meaning and purpose. An era where workers were able to showcase their versatility by taking on various roles to serve the diverse needs of their communities. For instance, a farmer not only grew and harvested crops but also nurtured livestock, tended to the land, and even traded goods directly with neighbors. Similarly, a tailor skillfully crafted garments, repaired fabrics, and offered fashion advice, becoming an indispensable source of expertise for the local community.

Then came the industrial revolution, an era of progress and transformation that propelled us into a new age of productivity. Factories emerged, bustling with activity and promising unmatched efficiency. As the world shifted its focus to specialization and scale, the connection between work and impact began to fray. The essence of craftsmanship and the fulfillment of purpose seemed to fade away, replaced by the cold efficiency of the assembly line. Workers became cogs in a well-oiled machine, each responsible for a small and isolated task, no longer able to witness the direct impact of their work on the broader context.

Today, we stand at the crossroads of traditional and modern work practices. While the rise of remote work has allowed us to embrace the solitude and autonomy reminiscent of the past, it also brings along its own set of complexities. The virtual nature of remote work can create a barrier, making it challenging to feel the immediate feedback and witness the tangible impact that was once inherent in our daily tasks. As a result, employees often find themselves grappling with a sense of disconnection from the larger purpose of the organization. This disconnection can also lead to a loss of motivation and decreased engagement.

In his book, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, Alain De Botton [Swiss-born British author and philosopher] explores the topic of what makes our work meaningful and our working lives fulfilled. Why do we get up everyday, get out of our beds and go out of our way to work? While in many cases, our primary drive might be to maximize income, how often do we come across employees who aren’t satisfied with well-paying jobs? That’s because we look for meaning in our jobs. We want to feel like we’re contributing to the larger society and helping make our corners of the world a better place to live in.

“Whether it’s removing a squeak in the door or reuniting somebody with their lost luggage, a feeling by the end of the working day, that you’ve somehow left people better off than they were at the beginning.” – Alain De Botton

A 2021 research by McKinsey reflects that nearly 70 percent of employees find that their personal sense of purpose is defined by their work. In line with this finding, Gallup’s 2023 report reveals that 59% of employees are experiencing what is known as ‘quiet quitting.’ They’re simply counting down the hours to when they can wrap up their work day, all the while longing for a more meaningful and fulfilling experience from their work.

In a day where we spend eight out of sixteen waking hours (on an average) dedicating our time to work, it’s only natural that our work life becomes a significant subset of our personal lives. It’s time for us as organizations to help make this blend a harmonious one for our people, where work is not just a means to an end, but a source of fulfillment and purpose.

By recognizing the importance of bridging this gap between remote work and a sense of purpose, organizations can explore innovative approaches to reignite that connection. One such approach that we have adopted here at Glow Worm is the Thinkathon—an immersive and collaborative event designed to foster creative problem-solving and enable future-readiness within our remote-first organization.

Think of it as a non-tech version of a hackathon, but with a broader focus on ideation, innovation, and building connections. Thinkathon goes beyond the traditional approaches used by organizations to foster collaboration and innovation. It breaks down the barriers of physical distance and promotes a collective mindset that values diverse perspectives and cross-functional collaboration. By participating in Thinkathon, employees not only enhance their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, but they also develop a deeper understanding of the organization’s purpose and how their individual efforts align with its overarching goals.

Here, at Glow Worm, we look at it as a pause from our work today, to create the work we seek tomorrow. Thinkathons are an investment in our (collective) future.

During the three-day Thinkathon, we take a break from our day-to-day work tasks and immerse ourselves completely in either tackling a challenge our organization is facing or exploring new avenues of organizational learning. We are encouraged to think outside the box, explore new perspectives, and leverage our diverse expertise to generate creative solutions. We work asynchronously from across time-zones, with zero person-dependence (anyone can pick up where someone else has left off, without any unnecessary updates/calls required), to research and build depth in areas we haven’t entirely explored before.

In these fifty-four hours we meaningfully and intentionally create a dedicated space that reinforces our identity as a workplace where ideas flow freely, collaboration thrives, and the traditional hierarchy takes a back seat, allowing everyone’s voice to be heard.

Unlike Hackathons that many of us might be more familiar with, Thinkathon goes beyond technology-focused projects and taps into the power of collective intelligence to tackle broader organizational challenges such as:

Rediscovering Purpose Amidst Disconnection:

Thinkathon presents itself as a unique opportunity for individuals to reconnect with the larger purpose of the organization, especially in a remote work setting. Through collaborative discussions, brainstorming sessions, and creative exercises, individuals can explore and redefine their sense of purpose within their roles. When everyone is actively involved in problem-solving and decision-making processes, they get to see, in-action, why their organization does the work it does, and as a consequence,help them better understand why they do the work they do.

Going back to what Alain De Botton said, who doesn’t want to see their contributions make a larger difference?

Unlocking the Power of Diversity and Inclusion:

Organizations have long struggled with diversity and inclusion beyond representation in hiring. While remote work provides a unique opportunity to embrace diversity across time zones, geographies, and cultures, true diversity and inclusion extend far beyond that.

The power of diversity lies in its ability to challenge the status quo and break free from conventional thinking. By embracing diverse perspectives, Thinkathon opens up new avenues of thought and encourages participants to step outside their comfort zones and consider viewpoints different from their own.

At Glow Worm, for instance, our team comprises individuals from diverse fields such as technology, psychology, media, science, and economics. So, while some of us might help bring a logical and analytical mindset to the table, others help us look at human behavior and communication beyond rational cause and effect. At the end of the day, what each of us brings to the table then becomes a beautiful potpourri of what we have to offer as an organization.

Breaking Down Silos for Collaborative Success:

In a remote-work setting with limited in-person interactions, effective communication becomes paramount. At Glow Worm, we understand the challenges that arise when highly specialized departments and functions are geographically dispersed. Without intentional efforts, it’s easy for teams to become siloed, isolated, and disconnected from the broader organizational goals. However, during the Thinkathon, we actively break down these silos and foster a culture of collaboration.

The Thinkathon facilitates a get-together of our colleagues from Growth and Excellence, Culture and Future, and Innovation and Scale teams. This deliberate gathering paves the way for cross-functional collaboration, allowing team members to step out of their individual roles  and work together towards a common goal.

What’s better is that a team member who (owing to their specific role) might not be directly involved in the day-to-day functioning of the organization as a business, can gain an in-depth understanding of what it means to adopt a different business model! After all, human behavior draws from a melting pot of disciplines and sciences – how impactful is any opportunity that allows us to leverage that?

Addressing Productivity and Work-Life Balance:

While work is a significant subset of our personal lives, it should never consume us. Balancing productivity and practicing healthy work-life integration can be a significant challenge in remote work settings. Thinkathon not only allows organizations to get things done now by diving into discussions around optimizing productivity, but also does it in a manner that ensures personal well-being.

By exploring innovative approaches to task management, time allocation, and work-life integration, teams can collectively devise strategies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in remote work environments.

For instance, during our Thinkathons at Glow Worm, we work asynchronously across different time zones. Without unnecessary meetings and calls, we encourage individuals to work at their own pace and dive into intensive research at hours during which they feel they can absorb and synthesize information the best. While some of us like to do our creative thinking in the mornings and data-driven research at night, for the rest of us it often works the other way around.

Once a thing of the past, remote work has now made a resounding comeback into our worlds ever since the global pandemic. With its prevalence in today’s work landscape, it has become evident that remote work is not just a temporary solution but a fundamental shift in how we operate. It is up to us to embrace the future that lies ahead and tap into its full potential.

To quote Adam Grant, “Showing up is not a sign of commitment or contribution. It’s an act of compliance. What matters is the value people create, not the place they inhabit.”

By actively engaging our teams in an immersive and collaborative process such as the Thinkathon, we at Glow Worm, empower them to make meaningful contributions, discover new possibilities, and forge deeper connections with their work and their organization.