Together Day
Every two years, SMRT devotes an entire business day to professional growth and skill development. Together Day, as we call it, is an internal conference held in Andover, Massachusetts, focused on connectedness, collaboration, and skills development that celebrates SMRT’s culture and commitment to being a learning organization. It provides an opportunity to elevate our practice.
Together Day is special because the day’s sessions are created for SMRTers by SMRTers. To present at Together Day, staff submit creative abstracts which are distributed and voted on by all employees. An opportunity to share innovations, design trends, passion projects, and client success stories—the day is full of topics that get to the heart of our work.
Opportunities for junior staff to learn from senior staff, and for senior staff to learn from junior staff, Together Day inspires us and makes us better.
Joined by a client this year, our morning started with an introduction and ice breaker, followed by a client presentation about their project’s origin and how SMRT will be able to help them along the design journey. Breakout sessions ranged from Color Theory in Design Choices and Beneficial Electrification to AI and Resilience in the Built Environment; topics that span interests and experience levels.
The questions and conversations that followed these presentations engaged every discipline and department in the kind of dialogue that exemplifies why we do what we do. As professionals in the business of finding balance between form and function through beautiful, practical design solutions for our clients, Together Day reminds us that everyone has different strengths and talents, and knowing this makes us stronger together.
Culminating at a local winery in Haverhill, Massachusetts, we closed Together Day over food, drink, and a friendly cornhole competition. An event like this cements connections, builds trust, and further establishes internal relationships that are critical to collaboration. As we celebrate our 140th anniversary this year, I’m proud to have the privilege of shepherding this tradition into the future.
