Working in an office of 250 people means there’s always more co-workers to get to know. At PNI, there’s no shortage of events, socials and adventures to attend. From soccer at lunchtime to ski club in the winter, there’s always something going on to bring us together. Our most recent adventure (since speeding down snowy mountains isn’t an option yet) was our journey out to run… or walk… or crawl… up the Grouse Grind.
This being PNI’s fifth year of tackling the Vancouver staple, we were prepared. But there’s really nothing like standing at the base of the Grouse Grind, steadying and readying yourself to climb up nature’s very own StairMaster. Hanging around at the bottom of a 2,081-stair ascent isn’t something you want to do for too long: the Grind is more mind over matter.
At the end of the day, the Grind is no easy task, so some chose to head up solo at their own pace while others found support in a group. But we all found each other at the top. Sweaty but successful, with a well-earned beer in hand, spurring each other on for another Grind soon.
Happy at the top.
PNI OOO: WHY WE GET TOGETHER OUT OF OFFICE
1. Get to know Vancouver
As we recently learned, many of us in the PNI office are from outside of Canada, never mind Vancouver. But there’s no better way to get to know what’s on offer in this great city than by getting a group together and exploring. If there’s something you want to check out, an outdoor movie in summer, snowshoeing in winter or one of the many other events put on around the city, put it out to the group and you’ll find people happy to join.
2. Find a new interest
You don’t know if you like something till you try it, right? If you’ve never been into hiking, maybe the Grind won’t be the choice for you—but the promise of a premium view of Howe Sound from the top of the Chief might change your mind. And if you’re looking for a team sport, why not try softball?
3. Teambuilding
From Software & Development to Sales & Marketing, new hires to seasoned pros, we were a varied bunch but this is how the best connections are made. Conversations flowed to and from the mountain, and shared words turned to deep breaths during the climb. Especially if you’re new to the city this is a great way to meet like-minded people and forge better working relationships at the same time. After this shared experience and once we made it to the top, we felt a sense of camaraderie and knew there would be guaranteed friendly conversations in the office next day.