At 4 p.m. local time, wherever they were around the globe, Gallagher Bassett Services’ claims management staff received a link to a colleague’s 10-song, acoustic-guitar concert and an invitation to kick back with their families to enjoy some R&R. The virtual audience commented electronically while the concert was in progress.

“People loved it. It brought them together around a shared experience; those types of experiences matter, especially in an environment like this one,” said Mike Hessling, CEO, North America, at the third-party claims manager, noting his colleague’s performance was shared among 6,000 staff globally.

“It was probably the biggest concert he had ever played.”

The concert was part of an initiative to maintain engagement and connectivity among staff, which Gallagher Bassett ramped up when the pandemic emerged, to retain the camaraderie and corporate culture that might fade in a virtual environment.

The…