Teambuilding in a Remote Company with GeoGuessr

Written by: Gabor Kovacs, Vice President of Delivery

We are a company that values the well-being and happiness of our employees. I can hardly be a good ambassador for making people focus on work-life balance since I’m not a good example, but this also means that I need to focus much more on my mental health and well-being.

One way I – and now also we – do this is by hosting weekly games of GeoGuessr, a popular online game that challenges players to use their knowledge of geography and landmarks to figure out their location on a map after being dropped into a random location on a map. The game uses Google Street View images to provide a realistic depiction of the location, and players can navigate around the area to gather clues about their location.

Playing GeoGuessr requires a different mindset than what we’re used to as developers and engineers. We’re accustomed to working on structured, well-defined problems with clear goals and objectives. But in GeoGuessr, we’re thrown into an unfamiliar location with only our wits and knowledge to guide us. This promotes skills like general knowledge, languages, and geography as well, but also just watching movies can help you identify places better… if they were filmed in the appropriate locations.

This shift in mindset can be challenging, but it’s also extremely rewarding. It allows us to tap into our creativity and problem-solving skills in a different way and helps us to see things from a new perspective.

Plus, it’s just plain fun!

One of the things we love about GeoGuessr at Transcend is that we have employees at a lot of locations, and this adds an extra layer of excitement and diversity to the game. Playing with people from all around the world can bring a range of benefits and enrichments to the game and help broaden your horizons and expose you to new and unfamiliar locations that you might not have known about otherwise. This can be especially interesting if you’re a fan of geography or just enjoy learning about new places.

Another benefit of playing GeoGuessr with people from different parts of the world is the opportunity to practice collaboration and teamwork. As you all work together to figure out the locations and share ideas, you can develop your skills in working with others and coming up with creative solutions. In addition to teamwork, playing GeoGuessr can also be a good opportunity to practice communication skills, as you discuss and debate different ideas with your teammates. This can be especially valuable if you’re looking to improve your ability to articulate your thoughts and ideas effectively.

Ultimately, playing GeoGuessr with people from all around the world can be a lot of fun, as you explore new places and learn about different cultures and perspectives. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, there’s always something new to discover and enjoy in this exciting and challenging game.

As a bonus, here are five tricks to help you get started with GeoGuessr:

• Always check which side of the road people drive. It can help you eliminate a lot of countries.
• Look out for signs, especially shops. Even if you don’t speak the language or read its alphabet, there is a high chance you will see a website, and the top-level domain can give you a good hint as to where you are.
• One very special thing you can look for are the “km stones”, especially in Brazil. They usually say which road you’re on, which km, and which direction, and that is sometimes all you need to find your location.
• If it looks like the US, tastes like the US, and feels like the US, and you see a sign saying “km”… that is probably Canada.
• As a European, identifying some of the alphabets can be hard. One thing I can share with you is that if the alphabet looks very curvy, sort of like a lot of elephants from the back… that will likely be Sri Lanka (Sinhala script).

GeoGuessr is a great fit for relaxation and team building at Transcend. It’s a fun and enjoyable way to take a break from our work, while also stretching our minds and expanding our knowledge. Give it a try and see how it can help you to relax and recharge, too!