How about bringing together 240 people from all over the world for one week to collaborate and share valuable experiences? That’s not the boring conference you may imagine; that’s Gurtam’s Georgian Week, a major team-building session for the Gurtam people, filled with different activities to educate, inspire, and build connections.
Gurtam is all about passionate, creative, and ambitious people who team up to share their perspectives and valuable experiences. As a global software developer headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania, Gurtam operates with remote teams that communicate via Slack, Google Meet, and emails.
For a team with numerous locations and time zones, investing efforts into team bonding and connection becomes crucial. Events like this are believed to be a tool that connects people, which leads to faster and more effective cooperation on mutual projects.
To strengthen connections, Gurtam started a tradition of annual get-togethers. In 2023, the big gathering took place in Vilnius, Lithuania, and in 2024, the office in Georgia hosted the event.
My goal was to meet in person with the people I've been teaching online. Seeing someone face-to-face and having a real conversation changes something inside, making future interactions with that colleague smoother and more genuine. It's a completely different level of connection.
Oleg Zharkovsky,
Deputy Head of Quality Control and Training
Teamwork during Georgian Week
Georgian Week in numbers and facts
Gurtam’s Georgian Week, which took place from June 17th to June 21st, 2024, was a noteworthy event. Let's look at the numbers!
The week was packed with internal working sessions, roundtable discussions, and presentations to share valuable knowledge. Various teams reviewed the first six months of 2024, planned for the next six months, and brainstormed over challenging topics.
Our schedule was packed with meetings throughout the week, including several major sessions and presentations for the entire Customer Service department. We had a team meeting focused on the Project of the Year competition and held separate sessions with the Product team and the Quality Control and Training team to collaborate on departmental processes. Overall, it was a highly productive week.
Valery Lobatsevich,
Senior Project Implementation Manager
You get to know your colleagues better, as you can see people in person and it's totally different from working remotely. I can reach people faster; I can talk to my boss in a second if I have an issue. For me, it's important to see the difference between cultures, and for me, Gurtam's office here in Tbilisi gave me this opportunity.
Ezequiel Alberto Barrios,
Technical Growth Manager
Wialon Customer service presentation
On Friday, the Gurtam team moved from conference rooms to celebration mode with a corporate party to celebrate all the hard work and great moments shared throughout the week in Georgia.
Friday mood Gurtam team
Let's wrap up
Gurtam is a big and diverse company that attracts people who share a passion for technology and collaboration. The company supports community building around its products and applies the same approach to its teams. The main goals of these team gatherings are to connect with colleagues from around the world, work in teams, and enjoy each other's company.
Activities like this are invaluable for team bonding. At Gurtam, creating an open and transparent atmosphere where employees can connect and integrate into our company culture is essential. With multiple permanent and remote locations within our company, establishing a shared space for personal connections is a significant endeavor for our HR team that yields long-lasting benefits. We are convinced that this option is good for any company with several distanced locations for operation and is an effective tool for enhancing corporate culture.
Teona Daushvili,
HR Director
Gurtam is a software developer of telematics and IoT solutions focusing on fleet management. With 20+ years of market expertise and a global network of partners from 150+ countries, the company’s products are used worldwide.
The company appreciates traditions and develops new ones, aiming to be a leader and a responsible provider of values. These values include being an excellent partner and expert, investing in the team and community, and developing better products.
By bringing together people from all over the world, Gurtam continues to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, ensuring that every member feels connected and valued.