Bringing a Remote Team Together: Bell & Holmes in Sicily

At Bell & Holmes, our team works across countries, time zones and continents. While technology allows us to collaborate seamlessly every day, nothing fully replaces spending time together in person. That is why each year we bring the team together for a company retreat. It is an opportunity to strengthen relationships, celebrate achievements and thank the people who make our work possible.

This year, we gathered on the south-west coast of Sicily, near Sciacca, for four days of great food, friendly competition and time spent together away from screens and video calls.

A Sicilian Welcome

The retreat began on Friday as team members arrived from around the world. As the sun set behind the rolling hills and the Mediterranean stretched out below, everyone came together for welcome drinks and a long dinner featuring Sicilian and Italian specialties.

For many colleagues, it was the first time seeing each other in person since the previous retreat - or the first time ever. Conversations that normally happen through Slack, Teams or Zoom continued late into the evening around the dinner table.

Wine, Music and Sicilian Hospitality

On Saturday, we travelled to the nearby Cantine Di Gregorio estate for a day of wine tasting, local food and live music.

The setting could not have been more Sicilian. Long tables under the olive trees, local wines, relaxed conversation and plenty of time to simply enjoy being together. As the afternoon progressed, the music became livelier and the dance floor gradually filled.

The celebrations continued in the evening at a private villa overlooking the Sicilian countryside. A large barbecue, a DJ and a beautiful setting made for a memorable night and one of the highlights of the weekend.

Competition, Community and House Pride

Sunday began at a gentler pace with a chess brunch for members of the Bell & Holmes chess club.

Attention then turned to the annual Bell & Holmes Sports Tournament, where colleagues competed in volleyball and a penalty shootout competition. Team members represented their respective "Houses", smaller groups within Bell & Holmes that bring together colleagues from different functions and locations.

As always, the competition was fierce but fair. After a series of closely contested matches, the House of Athens emerged victorious, narrowly defeating the House of Bali in the final to claim this year's trophy.

The retreat concluded with a final dinner overlooking the marina in Sciacca, with another spectacular Sicilian sunset providing the backdrop for the evening.

Why We Invest in Time Together

Remote-first work offers many advantages, but strong relationships do not happen by accident.

Events like these help build trust, strengthen collaboration and create connections that carry over into everyday work. They give colleagues the opportunity to get to know one another beyond projects, deadlines and meetings. We consistently see the positive impact after each retreat.

Team engagement increases, collaboration becomes easier and people return with renewed energy and motivation. Most importantly, these gatherings are our way of saying thank you.

Bell & Holmes is built by its people, and our annual retreat is an opportunity to recognise their contribution and celebrate what we achieve together.

We are already looking forward to the next one.