Finding time to step away from your desk to connect with co-workers isn’t always easy. The Professional Development Committee (PDC) at Barron Collier Companies (BCC) understands how challenging it can be to coordinate calendars but made it a priority to make it possible for team members at the recent company retreat held at Grey Oaks Country Club.
All departments were invited to get competitive at The Ace Race, a team-building mini-golf activity facilitated by
The Leaders Institute®. This event brought energy and a healthy dose of competition to the retreat. Employees were divided into teams and worked together to build mini golf holes using nonperishable food products such as cans of soup and boxes of macaroni and cheese. Constructing the holes to challenge rival teams was just the beginning. Each group then raced to be the first to complete a shot at each hole built by the other teams. The first to complete the entire course emerged victoriously: with bragging rights as their prize. The activity brought out friendly competition and enthusiasm amongst employees.
“We want our employees to feel engaged and part of the bigger picture,” said Jaime Thompson, BCC Director of Human Resources and member of the PDC. “Getting away from their desks and interacting with co-workers from other departments — people they may not know or get to see often — helps build a community and gives employees a fun break from their day-to-day responsibilities.”
At the end of the competition, the boxed food items — roughly 500 pounds — were donated to the food pantry at Grace Place for Children and Families. Lära Fisher, CEO of Grace Place, spoke to
the group at the end of the activity, “Each year we distribute roughly 700,000 pounds of food to 350 families weekly. Right now, with inflation, food budgets aren’t going anywhere near as far as they need to, so with the help of Barron Collier Companies, we’re going to be able to feed more and more people.”
BCC has grown significantly over the last two years. Many participants had never attended a company retreat and were pleasantly surprised at how much fun they had. Bronwyn Tait, Investment Analyst, II shared, “As a newer employee at BCC, the retreat was such a valuable experience in both networking and collaboration. It allowed me to step outside of my usual workday and connect with colleagues from across the organization – many of whom I wouldn’t normally have the chance to work with. Collaborating in a different setting helped build new relationships and really highlighted the supportive culture that makes BCC such a unique place to work at!”
The Ace Race encouraged camaraderie and creativity while reinforcing the organization’s commitment to community impact and employee well-being. Combining team building with philanthropy gave employees a refreshing opportunity to connect beyond their daily roles while supporting a meaningful cause. BCC’s Professional Development Committee remains committed to creating engaging future employee experiences which foster connection, purpose and a positive workplace culture.
