Engaged employees are productive employees. Companies in Columbus and Cincinnati are taking to the outside world to encourage staff to collaborate in team building events, but it often has little to do with business or profits. The idea is for colleagues to interact on a personal level, and share in the company’s efforts to give back to Ohio’s community.
According to Forbes Magazine, employee engagement is the emotional commitment an employee has to the organization and its goals, resulting in the use of discretionary effort.
Photo: Courtesy VENTURE UP Team Building, Columbus
Research shows overwhelmingly that when companies are involved in community service, employee engagement increases and the corporate culture improves. Some companies seek outside resources to build staff relationships in Columbus, while others, such as Kroger’s in Cincinnati, have long term in-house programs focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) that spans nationwide.
Scioto Mile Amazing Race
Scioto Mile Amazing Race is about competition with a cause. Venture Up, a company devoted to building relationships for a strong corporate culture, designed the race with philanthropy in mind. Columbus firms enroll their teams in the race to compete for money -- not for corporate profits, but to support community services in Ohio. Beginning at the Arena District, the 2-hour race sets teams out on separate paths through the park system, a 145-acre spread by the river. Successful teams must rely on each other and the community members they meet en route as they try to solve puzzles, accomplish tasks, and discover clues that lead them to the finish line near the Whittier Peninsula. Teams work in groups of 12 or less, and the first three teams to finish win a check for the Ohio social service agency of their choice.
Contact: VENTURE UP Team Building, 888-305-1065, info@VentureUp.com
Climb for a Cause
While climbing a 26-foot wall is difficult enough, solving clues along the way can be even more challenging. Venture Up designed this CSR program for executives in good physical condition, with a supportive team below. But there’s more to the wall than simply the ascent. Depending on the route they choose, climbers will find envelopes attached to the wall, each representing cash to support a non-profit group in Columbus, Cincinnati or Cleveland. Each envelope has a problem to solve, so the climber can toss the envelope down for his team to handle as he continues ascending and grabbing more envelopes. Climbers who reach the top of the wall can ring the bell to get an added bonus to support their group in need. Companies who prefer straight climbing may rent a wall in Columbus at the McKnight Outdoor Education & Recreation Center, or choose a portable wall for off-site events.
Contact: McKnight Outdoor Education & Recreation Center, 614-202-5197
Kroger’s Philanthropy
Cincinnati-based Kroger began in 1883 and is the largest grocer in the nation, comprising a family of brands, including Ralph’s, Fred Meyer, Smith’s, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Fry’s, Dillon’s and City Market. Kroger has been involved in CSR long before it became the recognized way to lift communities and strengthen corporate culture. Kroger has helped feed American families for more than 30 years with its Bringing Hope to the Table ® program. Kroger and its family of employees list thousands of volunteer hours annually, and many serve on local boards for food banks across the nation.
Kroger founded the Feeding America network of foodbanks, dedicated to securing and providing food for familiies in need. It operates programs for self-sufficiency, educates the public about hunger, and advocates for legislation to protect people from going hungry.
Contact: Kroger Community Pantry, 614-277- 3663,
Corporate Communications, 513-762-1304, keith.dailey@kroger.com
According to Forbes Magazine, employee engagement is the emotional commitment an employee has to the organization and its goals, resulting in the use of discretionary effort.
Photo: Courtesy VENTURE UP Team Building, Columbus
Research shows overwhelmingly that when companies are involved in community service, employee engagement increases and the corporate culture improves. Some companies seek outside resources to build staff relationships in Columbus, while others, such as Kroger’s in Cincinnati, have long term in-house programs focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) that spans nationwide.
Scioto Mile Amazing Race
Scioto Mile Amazing Race is about competition with a cause. Venture Up, a company devoted to building relationships for a strong corporate culture, designed the race with philanthropy in mind. Columbus firms enroll their teams in the race to compete for money -- not for corporate profits, but to support community services in Ohio. Beginning at the Arena District, the 2-hour race sets teams out on separate paths through the park system, a 145-acre spread by the river. Successful teams must rely on each other and the community members they meet en route as they try to solve puzzles, accomplish tasks, and discover clues that lead them to the finish line near the Whittier Peninsula. Teams work in groups of 12 or less, and the first three teams to finish win a check for the Ohio social service agency of their choice.
Contact: VENTURE UP Team Building, 888-305-1065, info@VentureUp.com
Climb for a Cause
While climbing a 26-foot wall is difficult enough, solving clues along the way can be even more challenging. Venture Up designed this CSR program for executives in good physical condition, with a supportive team below. But there’s more to the wall than simply the ascent. Depending on the route they choose, climbers will find envelopes attached to the wall, each representing cash to support a non-profit group in Columbus, Cincinnati or Cleveland. Each envelope has a problem to solve, so the climber can toss the envelope down for his team to handle as he continues ascending and grabbing more envelopes. Climbers who reach the top of the wall can ring the bell to get an added bonus to support their group in need. Companies who prefer straight climbing may rent a wall in Columbus at the McKnight Outdoor Education & Recreation Center, or choose a portable wall for off-site events.
Contact: McKnight Outdoor Education & Recreation Center, 614-202-5197
VIDEO: Corporate staff engage in Fun Food Team Building with Venture Up.
Kroger’s Philanthropy
Cincinnati-based Kroger began in 1883 and is the largest grocer in the nation, comprising a family of brands, including Ralph’s, Fred Meyer, Smith’s, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Fry’s, Dillon’s and City Market. Kroger has been involved in CSR long before it became the recognized way to lift communities and strengthen corporate culture. Kroger has helped feed American families for more than 30 years with its Bringing Hope to the Table ® program. Kroger and its family of employees list thousands of volunteer hours annually, and many serve on local boards for food banks across the nation.
Kroger founded the Feeding America network of foodbanks, dedicated to securing and providing food for familiies in need. It operates programs for self-sufficiency, educates the public about hunger, and advocates for legislation to protect people from going hungry.
Contact: Kroger Community Pantry, 614-277- 3663,
Corporate Communications, 513-762-1304, keith.dailey@kroger.com
