Team building | Rappi
INTRODUCCIÓN
Problema
When I joined the B2B design team at Rappi, I noticed a lack of connection and collaboration within the team. Designers rarely had meetings, barely knew one another, and had limited understanding of their peers’ skills. This isolation made it challenging to foster collaboration, share expertise, and support each other in day-to-day tasks. The fast-paced startup environment exacerbated the issue, leaving little room for building relationships or exchanging knowledge.
Objetivo
To address this disconnection and foster a stronger sense of community within the B2B design team, I proposed and implemented a Rappi Hour—a series of online team-building sessions designed to:
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Build personal and professional connections among team members.
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Facilitate skill-sharing to improve collaboration on tasks.
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Bridge cultural gaps, especially after the acquisition of Box Delivery, integrating the Brazilian and global design teams.
Resultados clave (OKR)
1.Team Engagement: Increase participation in team activities by 50% within the first three months.
2.Skill Awareness: Ensure 80% of team members can identify at least one peer to approach for help with specific design challenges.
3.Cultural Integration: Successfully integrate the Box Delivery and Rappi design teams by organizing at least one collaborative event with simultaneous translation support.
THE STORY
The Challenge
Rappi’s design team, spread across multiple countries, operated in silos. The Brazilian culture’s emphasis on connection and camaraderie was missing in the global team. This lack of interaction hindered collaboration, left team members feeling isolated, and made it difficult to leverage the collective expertise of the group.
The Initiative
To strengthen team connections, I initiated Rappi Hour, a remote, cost-free program featuring creative activities, storytelling, and knowledge-sharing. Purposeful icebreakers encouraged sharing personal and professional insights, fostering collaboration in a distributed team.
CREATING CONNECTIONS
During one pivotal Rappi Hour, I focused on integrating the Brazilian Box Delivery design team with the global Rappi team. The acquisition had led to collaboration between these groups, but many team members had never met. To bridge the language barrier, I partnered with our UX Writer, who provided simultaneous translations to facilitate seamless communication. Activities included:
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Introducing team members through storytelling and skill-sharing.
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Collaborative problem-solving exercises to spark creative thinking.
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Open discussions about cultural practices and design workflows.
One memorable Rappi Hour was the Halloween event, featuring a costume contest with prizes for the top three winners. Supported by HR, participants received low-cost Rappi credits to order food within a set budget. Voting categories included best, worst, and funniest costumes, adding fun and engagement while strengthening team bonds.
RESULTADOS
1.Enhanced Collaboration: Designers began reaching out to one another for feedback and assistance on projects, fostering a more collaborative environment.
2.Improved Team Morale: Surveys showed a 60% increase in team satisfaction related to interpersonal connections.
3.Cultural Integration: The integration of the Box Delivery and Rappi teams was a success, with participants expressing increased trust and familiarity.
4.Skill Awareness: By the end of the first quarter, 85% of team members reported knowing who to approach for specific design challenges.
Reflection
The Rappi Hour demonstrated that even small, cost-effective initiatives can have a significant impact on team dynamics and productivity. By addressing the root causes of isolation and fostering connection, the initiative strengthened the design team and laid the groundwork for continued success in a fast-paced environment.
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