All Hands are company-level meetings where leadership shares high-level updates across all the areas of Buffer. It is also the avenue where Joel shares the overall vision and direction for Buffer.
These meetings occur every other month. You'll receive a Google Calendar invite well in advance for these with a few time options. Attendance is generally expected unless the time is inconvenient for your time zone (Please don't feel like you have to sign on at 2 am for All Hands!)
<aside> 💡 You can check out recordings of previous All Hands events here.
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In 2020, we have adopted a 'half-sync' All Hands watch party format. With this new format, the main presentations are pre-recorded. During the scheduled event, attendees will watch the recording together then participate in some breakout sessions around the themes surfaced during the All Hands.
If you'll be speaking as part of All Hands, you'll know well ahead of time so you can prepare. We'll also take a team photo and sometimes do meditation or stretching exercises.
Syncs are chats with a colleague in Buffer. They may be recurring or ad-hoc, and may be work-focused or social in nature. (It is advisable to mention the purpose of a sync if you're putting an ad-hoc event on someone's calendar.)
1:1s are regular meetings with your manager/direct report. Depending on your department's structure, you may also have skip level 1:1s where you meet with your manager's manager, too.
1:1s are the avenue for you to work with your manager or direct report to address challenges, celebrate accomplishments and discuss feedback/advice.
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Pair Calls are random weekly social pairings with someone in Buffer.
To participate in pair calls, simply join the people-pairs channel in Slack. The slackbot will automatically pair you with a pair call buddy each week.
Either one of you can schedule a chat by checking each other’s calendars or Calendly (if you have one).