Fortune: Deepening connections across a growing network

Despite rapid expansion, Wurl has maintained a connected and collaborative workforce.

Though it’s a major challenge in today’s hybrid work environment, keeping employees connected to company culture is critical. A 2022 Gartner study found that 76% of employees say culture is very or extremely important for them to be effective at their jobs, and companies that successfully foster that strong connection can increase employee retention by up to 36%.

Streaming advertising tech firm Wurl has seen the benefits of a connected workforce firsthand. With more than 150 employees, the company more than tripled in size since 2021 and it’s continuing to scale up as quickly as it can. With such accelerated growth, the organization has stayed focused on growing the collaborative and communicative culture that has enabled its success thus far.

“Maintaining our collaborative culture supports the ideas and energy that come from employees and their abilities to funnel that energy into creativity and execution,” says CEO and co-founder Sean Doherty.

Founded in 2011, Wurl’s video content distribution and advertising services deliver billions of targeted advertisements reaching more than 300 million connected televisions across the globe. While the company is in the business of making connections between content providers and streaming services, it focuses also on forging connections among its employees.

To facilitate those connections, Wurl has developed a series of tools. Monthly Zoom-based all-hands meetings allow the company’s entire employee base to stay updated on new customers, products, and services growth. The always remote-first company also leverages a popular messaging app and created channels not only for work-related communications but also to virtually facilitate the “water-cooler” connections previously made in person. An employee favorite is #whatareyouwatching channel, where employees showcase their favorite movies, shows, and other viral content. At Wurl, watching television becomes part of your job. While employees appreciate the ability to work from anywhere in the world, Wurl also recognizes how essential face-to-face conversations are to making meaningful connections and hosts periodic in-person meetings the company facilitates to help build relationships.

“We really look for employees that want to work in an environment where they feel like they are contributing. Working remotely while staying connected allows our employees to avoid commute time—providing more time for the best work/family balance,” Doherty says.

Because employees often “cross-pollinate,” helping with projects or initiatives in other departments, moving from one role to another in a different area is common. This allows employees to build on diverse experiences as their careers progress, Doherty says, and to further strengthen the company as it continues to expand in a growing industry.

“Wurl is the most collaborative company I’ve ever experienced,” he says. “Teams in different locations and different disciplines work as closely as if they were side-by-side—not just because of the tools we provide, but because of our cooperative, team-based culture.”