Tapirs, Trainings, and Team Dinners: My First Kentik Meetup
Summary
Gavin joined Kentik’s People Ops team less than a year ago, so when April brought his first team offsite and his first HR conference in San Diego, it was a lot of firsts at once. He writes about meeting his colleagues face to face for the first time, what he took away from HRA 26, and his new appreciation for tapirs.
San Diego calling
This April, I was invited to join my People Operations team colleagues in San Diego for a meet-up and to attend my first professional HR conference, HRA 26, hosted by our benefits broker, Bennie. Being newer to both my HR career and Kentik, it was an especially meaningful invitation. Kentik is a fully remote company, and this was a welcome opportunity to step away from my desk and into a wonderful world of face-to-face interaction, fun, and professional progress.
Wild beginnings
Half the team arrived early Monday and were ready to explore the city. San Diego is internationally recognized for its zoo, widely considered the best, so it was a no-brainer to start our trip there. Most zoos feel chaotic and claustrophobic, as if the goal is just to jam as many animals (and visitors) as possible into a small space (boo). This was completely different: ginormous, bright, and full of plants marked by vibrant colors and other-worldly textures, all brought together by fresh, open air. My favorite discovery was the tapir, like a mix of an anteater, a capybara, and a baby elephant.
After a full day on our feet, we headed back to our hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter. We were hungry and ready to meet the rest of the team for dinner on the rooftop. From the moment we all sat down together, the group was warm and welcoming, and this meant the world to me. I am at the start of my professional HR career, and I literally and figuratively had a seat at the table. To my People team colleagues, thank you!
Boardroom to Bali Hai
From strategy sessions to a stunning waterfront restaurant, the next two days and evenings each had something special in store. By day, we discussed goals, upcoming projects, and accomplishments. By night, we made the most of everything San Diego had to offer.
Our first evening took us to Bali Hai, a gorgeous two-story Polynesian restaurant on the water, overlooking downtown San Diego. As night fell, the city lights gleamed in the distance. It was breathtaking. The second evening took us to San Diego’s Japanese Friendship Garden, a serene experience guided by cascading water and koi-filled ponds. From there, it was a quick walk to the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden. I never knew there were such a wide variety of roses! My favorite, “Maurice Utrillo,” is pictured in the carousel below.
HRA 26: Where it all started
This was the initial reason for the trip, and it more than delivered! Every year, our wonderful benefits broker, Bennie, hosts a conference geared toward its HR Advisory community: no admission fee, multiple breakout sessions, speakers, and roundtables. I walked away with some meaningful takeaways, two of which I’ve summed up below.
The first came from a breakout session on transforming workflows with AI. However, I found that the most interesting point was not AI-specific. Rather, it was the following: “Most HR chaos is a workflow problem, not a people problem. Fix the system, not the person holding it together.” I liked this viewpoint because it was unfamiliar to me and easy to understand.
The second came from a roundtable where I learned about surveys. The main takeaway, communicated by the presenter and echoed by fellow attendees, was that surveys are often launched without any intent to act on results. This can be particularly true if survey results are mostly negative. When HR teams conduct surveys, they must be prepared and willing to act on both positive and negative results. Employees must also be able to see how the team is acting on those results.
For a first conference, the bar has been set pretty high! I look forward to attending many more — Bennie and beyond.
Until next time
I came to San Diego for a conference. I left with a deep sense that I had found my people. From that first rooftop dinner to the final session at Bennie, I never once felt like the new person in the room. I felt like a colleague and a contributor. Since joining the team this past year, I have been welcomed with open arms, and the trip to San Diego further confirmed that this is where I belong.
