SOAK Socials

Putting the stereotypes of departmental silos aside, designers, project managers and developers attract very different personalities. However, despite our differences (be it luck or judgement) we’ve managed to bring together a group of people who really enjoy spending time with each other, be it in a work capacity, or a social one.

While it’s been a busy year at SOAK Towers, we’ve made sure there’s plenty of room in our social calendar to get together, kick back and have some fun as we believe this is an important and often undervalued part of agency life. Studies reveal that socialising with co-workers outside of the office environment increases productivity, drives performance, brings new-hires up to speed and cultivates trust within teams. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good opportunity to share some pictures and experiences of some of the SOAK socials we’ve enjoyed together.

Last summer, we attended a life drawing class which was a fantastic opportunity for many of us to try something new. Even those of stick-figure inclination went home with their charcoal-covered hands clutching pieces of paper they were proud of.

Our 2015 Christmas party was another roaring success. Things kicked off with a few drinks and a light-hearted quiz which appealed to the more competitive team members here at SOAK. We enjoyed a delicious meal with plenty of wine, and the evening ended happily and hazily, as so many do.

Our second biggest event of the year is the annual SOAK summer party which was held last week in the gardens of the Georgian Townhouse. After a thought-provoking company update which detailed some of the positive changes within our agency, we were joined by our other halves and friends of the agency to indulge in some barbequed food, table tennis and plenty of tequila.

Located in Norwich, we make it our business to take advantage of the booming restaurant trade this fine city has to offer and even have a dedicated communications channel for #lunchplans (priorities, right?). We recently enjoyed Mexican food at Blue Agave, sampled a Brazillian rodizio at House of Tiago and regularly frequent our local watering holes such as The Rumsey for a pie / pint or Rev de Cuba for a mojito / burrito.

Of course these are just the structured social gatherings we’ve had this year, and doesn’t include the numerous informal shenanigans arranged off the cuff.

It’s a simple fact that these occasions wouldn’t happen if we didn’t have a group of individuals who can all appreciate and enjoy each other’s company. And that makes for a pretty awesome working environment.