Our business is all about forging connections with our clients and each other. As our client base grows and our employee numbers swell, we need to make a special effort to maintain and strengthen these connections. Sometimes this is as easy as a quick Zoom call. Sometimes it means a great big summer party!
Our Daemon Days have become a fixture of the Daemon calendar. We hold two a year, giving everyone the chance to meet up, share ideas, and celebrate recent successes. Last month’s Daemon Day was extra special. As well as being the first of 2024, it was the 30th since the business was founded.
Our June Daemon Day is always followed by our annual summer party that evening. Daemonites new and old are joined by past and present clients for an unforgettable evening of food, drink and music. Here’s a look at some of the highlights from this year, and why these events are an essential part of our company culture.
A warm welcome
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As is tradition, we kick off Daemon Days by asking all our new Daemonites to stand up and introduce themselves. There were 35 new faces this year and it felt amazing to officially welcome so many into the fold.
Things only got better from there. This year’s theme was sustainable growth and there were a number of fascinating workshops on this topic. Guest speaker Rich Mulholland gave an invigorating speech on the importance of staying relevant in a changing world, while other sessions focused on the myths of selling and tips for creating your own elevator pitch. Our COO Jane Lockwood was impressed by what she saw:
“The atmosphere was buzzing! The energy levels were high, there was lots of laughing and socialising all around. There was a tangible air of informative fun right across the day.”
A record breaking year
As evening approached, the summer party got into full swing. As well as being a chance to let our hair down, this was an opportunity to look back at our achievements during the first half of the year. From record breaking growth to industry awards, there was plenty to celebrate this time around:
- We’ve experienced the fastest growth in Daemon history, smashing our own records on a monthly basis
- We’ve grown our existing clients so that no single client now accounts for more than 30% of our revenue
- We’ve been named one of the Best Places to Work by the Sunday Times, and one of the Most Loved Workplaces globally by Newsweek!
We’re especially proud of this last achievement as it shows that we’re not only succeeding as a business, but also as an employer. Jane explains why this matters so much:
“We have achieved some great placings in external awards this year. From achieving a place in the The Sunday Times Top 100 placings to winning our first global award that recognises us as being one of the Most Loved Workplaces. This award is extra special as it is the first one we have won with both our UK and SA people together.“
More than just a party
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A summer shindig is always welcome, but company events are about more than just relaxing. Commitment to our people and to our culture is enshrined in the Daemon philosophy through our North Star Ambitions. These are the metrics by which we measure our success, and they include being the employer of choice in our industry and being an amazing place to work in general.
If we’re going to achieve these goals we need to check in regularly with our people, and Daemon Days are an important part of this process. Only by getting together in the same space can we create the sense of unity needed to bring these visions to life. Jane sums this up nicely:
“The days allow us to meet people face to face, socialise and have fun. It allows us to build on existing friendships and make new ones. It gives everyone a really good insight into what is going on in the business, and what is and what remains important to all of us.”
Read more: How Daemon Days bring our North Star visions to life
We take this aspect of our Daemon Days seriously, which is why we always ask employees to fill in a survey afterwards. This year’s feedback was overwhelmingly positive, suggesting that team spirit is stronger than ever at Daemon HQ:
“I absolutely loved it. I think it is so important to see colleagues (where possible) in person. That's when you really foster collaboration.”
“It was great! I love having the opportunity to talk to other Daemonites.”
“Great event and opportunity to meet in person or introduce yourself to colleagues, or even see again face to face friendly individuals who you haven't interacted with for a long time. In the end it's all about people and relationships between them!”
We value our company culture because it helps us to attract the best talent from around the world. If you think you’d be a good fit for Daemon, take a look at our careers page. Maybe we’ll see you at the next summer party!