In a remote role, what are the ways to keep yourself most engaged with your peers?

In person events, even if once or twice a year, and a culture of small group meetings starting with personal conversations or ice breaker questions from platforms like https://checkin.daresay.io/

I think it comes down to intentionality. When we gather, what are the goals? What personal and professional needs does the employee have and how are they being served by the interaction? Without intentionality, it's easy for activities to be confused for true connection. It's important to help employees understand how to reflect and identify their needs, and practical ways for integrating them into the day-to-day. Orgs and leaders should also consider how they are facilitating peer connections within their processes, conversations, and culture. It's not just on the employee to figure it out.  

Are frequent catchups really building strong relationships or just giving us the illusion of engagement? Is it time to ditch the cheap knock-off and invest in meaningful connections that truly drive results?