Minneapolis-based digital consultancy and app maker Livefront has no daily or weekly office attendance requirements for its 90-person workforce, some of whom live in other states. But CEO Mike Bollinger says he maintains a sense of “connection and camaraderie” through a series of 10-12 in-person gatherings each year. Not every employee is required at every event, but, at minimum, all workers gather for an annual retreat. As with countless other businesses, flexibility is the name of the game for Livefront, which has created digital products for big-name clients like Samsung, Medtronic, and the Minnesota Twins. Bollinger shares his tips on maintaining company culture in a hybrid world.  

• Schedule one-on-ones for new employees. Over the course of an employee’s first few weeks, they’ll participate in 15-minute meetings or video calls with more than a dozen other Livefront workers. “From the get-go, we’re being really intentional about the connection with other individuals on the team.” 
• Respect employees’ working preferences. Some Livefront employees choose to report to the office daily; others come in just once or twice a week or not at all. As long as the work gets done and clients are happy, Bollinger says hybrid works: “We’re grateful for our highly adaptive team members.” 
• It’s OK to have fun. Livefront typically hosts a summer “field day” party each year.
• Embrace creative office uses. Bollinger says employees often organize game nights at the company’s Uptown office: “Those sorts of unofficial gatherings are encouraged.”