Behind the Scenes: Learnings from Planning TROOP’s 2024 All-Hands

Takeaways for Meeting Planners on Handling Last-Minute Changes, Finding Reliable Partners, and More.

Each year, our global, 100% remote team gathers in person for TROOP Sync, our annual all-hands meeting. This year, 70 TROOPERs from 30 different cities met outside Paris for a full week of coworking, connecting, and workshops.

Planning such an event was no small feat. The team members who organized TROOP Sync understand the intricate balance of logistics, communication, and inspiration required to make these meetings impactful—the details that executive assistants (EAs) handle regularly.

Today, we share our team’s key learnings and actionable tips for each part of the meeting planning process, from finding the ideal destination, agenda creation, managing travel logistics for 70 people, and more.

Finding the Ideal Destination

Some meetings have a predetermined destination: an industry conference, client or partner onsite, or one of your company’s offices. But with today’s dispersed workforce, it’s not always obvious where to meet. Many companies are fully or partially remote, and team members are located across the country or even abroad.

Spencer Brace, Head of Partnerships at TROOP, was tasked with identifying the best destination for TROOP Sync. He used the TROOP platform to analyze and recommend potential destinations. He needed to find a destination that was convenient for all travelers and cost-effective, yet exciting to visit.

TROOP provided a list of options based on this criteria in minutes. The planning team narrowed in on one location in particular–a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit and work from a country with amazing history, breathtaking scenery, and a vibrant entrepreneurial community. They planned a formal company announcement for the end of September. TROOP Sync ‘24 would be in Jordan. Everyone met the news with excitement and started planning the details. 

Unfortunately, just a week later, the Israel-Hamas war began. It quickly became clear that a new destination was necessary due to the proximity to conflict.

Brace went back to his analysis to find a new location. Within minutes, Paris emerged as an ideal destination, and the team immediately began diving into the logistics around venues, flights, and more.

"With Paris, we were able to get the lowest CO2 emissions, it was very cost effective, and no attendees had excessive flight times. It was a location that the team really looked forward to for bleisure (business & leisure). It made us very proud to be living by our company values” says Brace.

Takeaways:

• Tip 1: Use Data-Driven Tools: Seek out the right tools to help you find a destination that is convenient, cost-effective, and meets your company’s travel policies. Integrating such a platform into your planning process can save hours of research time.
• Tip 2: Prepare for the Unexpected: When unexpected events arise, stay positive and go back to your initial research to quickly re-analyze and create a shortlist of alternatives. Always have a contingency plan ready to adapt to unforeseen changes. 
• Tip 3: Prioritize Attendee Experience: Ensure your destination provides the right environment to meet the meeting’s objectives and is a draw for attendees. Consider destinations that offer unique and engaging environments to keep attendees excited and motivated, while always taking safety and security into account.

Orchestrating Travel Logistics

Logistics can be the most stressful part of meeting planning. Liz Hernández Rodriguez, Operations Support Specialist, was the lucky TROOP team member tasked with ensuring that all 70 attendees had travel, lodging, transportation, meals, and more. 

Once Paris was chosen, Hernández was off to the races in prioritizing visa and travel documentation needed per employee. It’s a good thing she did. Government-related tasks can often take the most time and can even limit a participant’s ability to attend a meeting altogether.

Next, she worked diligently to find the right accommodation for the team. She conducted thorough research to find venues that could hold large corporate meetings that balance collaboration with fun. The final choice was a chateau in France with two castles and grounds to explore. The new venue also was a great fit for the meeting’s objectives of team connection and deep strategic coworking. 

Throughout her planning process, Hernández had to regularly communicate with team members so they knew what to expect. This proved difficult when she was balancing multiple time zones. Due to this, she created a brief to keep everyone abreast of their individual arrangements. This was used as a live and working document so that everyone had one source of truth for the most up-to-date information.

Then came flights and travel logistics. As if planning travel for 70 people wasn’t enough, as anyone who has organized group travel before knows, the work doesn’t always end when you book the flight. Many meeting planners are familiar with the dread that comes when a flight is canceled or delayed. To prevent last-minute travel changes from derailing all her hard work, Hernández chose transportation vendors from the airport very carefully. This proved to be crucial to making things run smoothly. “The transportation company was tracking flight numbers and watching for delays often without me needing to mention them. I learned firsthand what a difference good vendors make.”

Takeaways:

• Tip 1: Start Early with Critical Tasks: Address time-sensitive tasks as soon as possible to avoid last-minute complications and ensure smooth execution. If any meeting participants are traveling internationally, you will often face travel requirements such as renewing passports or applying for travel visas. Handle these tasks first and foremost. 
• Tip 2: Use Clear Communication: Use clear and consistent communication to keep everyone informed and organized. Provide a shared brief or resource so that attendees can track any updates as the source of truth for the meeting details. 
• Tip 3: Do Your Research for Reliable Partners: Finding the right vendors is crucial for not only the meeting planner but also the attendees involved. Reliable vendors mitigate risks and ensure a seamless experience for all.

Crafting the Meeting Agenda

Any meeting planner will tell you that the agenda can make or break a meeting. When creating the agenda for TROOP Sync, Heather Singh, VP of Product at TROOP, faced the challenge that many meeting planners face: balancing a laundry list of goals for the meeting. She wanted to include workshops, brainstorming sessions, and team-building activities while still allowing for plenty of breaks.

To tackle the agenda creation, Singh was selective about the number of objectives tied to the meeting. She worked to identify the highest priority outcomes and narrowed the focus to a few key, high-level goals. This made it easier to pair breakout groups and encourage cross-collaboration. Once she prioritized those sessions first, she remained flexible for the other sessions.

Singh emphasized the importance of a flexible mindset. “Things change. There’s often a disconnect between your plan and what actually happens when you bring people together. Sometimes that spontaneity is for the better. Make sure you leave room in the schedule for the unexpected.” Being flexible allowed the team to capitalize on moments of inspiration that occurred throughout the week together. 

Takeaways:

• Tip 1: Focus on High-Priority Outcomes: Always prioritize the most critical items to achieve your meeting’s main goals and plan those first. Then consider lower priority sessions while not overwhelming attendees. 
• Tip 2: Allow for Flexibility: Leave room in your schedule for unexpected but valuable interactions. Being too rigid about your agenda can make you miss out on the moments of inspiration that happen spontaneously. 
• Tip 3: Balance Work and Breaks: Schedule breaks throughout the day and provide attendees with ample downtime—especially in that space between the end of afternoon sessions and the start of dinner. This will ensure all attendees have time to digest information and allow optimal productivity when in session.
  

Fostering Engagement

As Head of People at TROOP, Cizanne de Lange is always thinking about how to best support employees both at home and when in person at TROOP Sync. She was in charge of group activities during the meeting.

With large blocks of unscheduled time baked into the agenda, de Lange wondered how she could make the most of this downtime to ensure all attendees had time to reset, rest, and have fun.

 She recommends that meeting planners take time to tailor meeting activities to their specific team’s needs. “You need to look at your team, and the diversity there, and cater to those at the table.”

Collecting feedback from your team and using that to influence the team-building exercises is the best way to tailor your meeting to your team. All activities should be optional for attendees to choose whether to participate.

Building connection and culture within a remote team was a major priority of TROOP Sync 2024. If planners allow for space for organic moments of connection to happen, then your team will work hard, move the needle, and have fun.

Takeaways:

• Tip 1: Incorporate Downtime: Moments of free time help build trust and facilitate better conversations. Schedule regular breaks to allow for informal interactions and networking. 
• Tip 2: Tailor Activities to Your Team: Collect feedback from your team and use it to influence choices around activities and team-building exercises. Ensure there is a balance of options so that team members are excited to participate.
  

Conclusion

Meeting and travel management, whether for 7 or 70 attendees, is a major undertaking. Each year that we gather for TROOP Sync, we learn more about the challenges of meeting planning and use that knowledge to fuel our mission of transforming the way companies bring people together.

As you embark on your journey to craft memorable and effective meetings, remember that our team at TROOP is here to support you every step of the way.

Discover how TROOP can help you organize your next in-person meeting today.