Clay Winter Sports: Behind the scenes with Office Manager Wilma
In the first quarter of the year, the Bricks escaped the Amsterdam winter. Where do we go? To the ultimate winter experience, of course— the Austrian Alps, complete with skiing, snowboarding, and most extreme of all, sledding (trust us). We’re talking about the Clay Winter Sports, an annual weekend of fun-filled adventure where our team makes memories to last a lifetime.
While this holiday lasts four days, the planning takes up most of the year and is spearheaded by our Office Manager, Wilma Georgeson, the multi-tasking organizer-in-chief and force behind it all. Wilma has planned and curated the Clay Winter Sports for two years (March 2020 and February 2023).
In our latest blog post, we walk you through what it takes to plan a Winter Sports team holiday and show you some highlights of ours!
Read our interview with Wilma for a behind-the-scenes look at her planning and a recap of what went down on the slopes 😉
What is your role at Clay, and how long have you been a Brick?
I have been a Brick for four years this month! It was eighteen people when I started; now it’s nearly sixty!
What is your favourite part of being Office Manager?
It’s a cliché to say every day is different, but it’s true! My role is incredibly varied. I am also one of the only positions who has contact with everyone at the office. I am the first person every Brick meets during the onboarding process and I get to spend time with everyone at some point, in some capacity. I have the biggest team in the office!
How would you describe Clay’s events culture?
Clay’s culture is what makes it special, we work hard and it’s not always easy. We aim high, which means not always agreeing on everything. But at the end of the day we can always come together, have a beer, a game of pool and laugh together.
In your own words, can you please describe what is the ‘Clay Winter Sports’ and tell us its significance in the company?
Winter Sports is a whirlwind of Bricks, Snow and Austrian Beers! It really is the perfect opportunity for everyone to check out from being a grown up and have some fun in the mountains. It’s also an opportunity to mix up the dynamic a bit. To share a room with someone you may not have much contact with on a day to day basis, learn about their families, passions, pet hates and their favourite cocktail! That’s an awesome thing.
How many months of planning does it take leading up to the trip?
I usually give myself a break for one month (to recover) and then start my research immediately after for the following year. It’s a bit of a mental gymnastics as you never know how many Bricks will attend. But usually I have a hotel and resort defined ten months before we set off!
Can you please briefly describe the stages of planning?
Planning a Winter Sports trip is a science! First you need a resort that offers something for everyone. We have a few people that don’t ski, so it’s nice to make sure they also have some lovely activities to do.
Then comes the logistics of the travel, in my experience. Keep it simple, one flight to a major airport so if there is disruption we always have backup options.
Once you have this, you’ll want some sweet accommodation close to the ski lifts. Anyone who has carried their ski boots, ski, hat, gloves, goggles, helmet (I could go on) knows, the closer the better.
Then come the smaller details: coaches, equipment hire, passes and the most important of all, the Après-ski venues!
How do you settle on an itinerary that appeals to everyone? What does this itinerary look like?
Variety is the key. We always book sledding for the group which is a non-skiing but amazingly fun winter sport. And again, a good resort with shops and restaurants is key!
What is the biggest challenge involved with planning a trip on this scale?
Our Bricks are the best coders in town and on a daily basis they organise and deploy some of the most complex tasks. But when it comes to travel, it can be like herding cats. For some people this could be their first time skiing or, even out of the Netherlands. Good communication including live Q&A sessions is very important to make sure everyone is ready to rumble!
What is the most rewarding part of the Winter Sports weekend?
The lead-up to Winter Sports is always crazy busy, but the moment after we’ve landed and the ski passes are handed out, I can relax and enjoy the show! Some of my favourite moments are when we are sitting in an Après-ski bar up the mountain and enjoying the incredible scenery. Bricks arrive and leave from all directions, fresh-faced and full of stories from the mountains or the night before. It really is awesome!
In what way do you think the Winter Sports strengthens the team spirit and solidifies Clay’s company culture?
Sometimes work is tough; that’s the reality. We spend many hours a week together, looking at problems and trying to find solutions.
“Winter Sports is a vacation and well earned brain break that shows people in a different light. It’s important to remember that we’re not just co-workers but also friends.”
- Wilma Georgeson, Office Manager at Clay Solutions
BETTER TOGETHER is our core value and this is a classic use case for this!
What advice would you give to someone planning a similar trip or event?
If you are planning a team (Winter Sports) trip, really spend the time doing the initial research. Look at lots of options and you’ll know when you’ve hit the jackpot! Secondly, always have a Plan B. What if someone cancels at the last minute? What if the weather is bad and you can’t ski? So be ready for this. And finally, never assume anything, double-check all your bookings more than once! Call the venues, read the small print, and save everything!
There is always a personal touch and ways in which you go the extra mile to make the weekend special and memorable. Can you please share some of these with us?
I like to really kill it when it comes to a good venue. This time I found a place with live music which I knew our Bricks would love. Even small details such as the music on the coach ride and the purchase of a disco ball for 14,99 which went down a storm! 🪩
Thank you Wilma, for sharing the science behind planning the Clay Winter Sports and most importantly, for giving us this incredible experience. We are already looking forward to more snow, sun, and schnitzel in 2024!
Clay Solutions - A SALTO Group company is the daughter company of SALTO Systems. A lock hardware manufacturer based in Oiartzun, Spain. While Clay builds the cloud-based software that allows users to tap their locks open with their phone, SALTO provides the hardware and the locks that are enabled to communicate with the software. This website functions as a platform to showcase our company culture in our office in Amsterdam, the way we build our software, and why and who the Bricks are.
Feel free to browse around, head over to SALTO to find more about the hardware, or apply if you see a job you think you are just perfect for.