As we embrace our collaborative culture at Oswald and hold the quest for inclusion near our hearts, I encourage us all to consider it just might be our ‘Commitment to Community’ that effectively demonstrates our mission of inclusion.
Whether you have been an employee-owner for one year or many, it is understood Oswald Companies is built upon our core values. Our Commitment to Community is to be embraced by all employee-owners, regardless of age, seniority or pay grade. Each employee-owner is encouraged to roll up their sleeves and come together for our community. In doing so, employee-owners find common ground. Anyone who has volunteered for an Oswald Day of Caring, or another corporate, volunteer event, will know what I am referring to; while working hard alongside your coworkers, differences become irrelevant and all that matters is who has worked hard that day. Just as volunteering brings awareness to the community, the act of giving back brings awareness to each other.
In one of our many days of giving back, this summer, many employee-owners participated in VeloSano’s Bike for a Cure, which raises money for local cancer research. What was painfully obvious at the kick-off party was cancer is most inclusive and knows no boundaries, affecting every background, culture, and age group. Kindergarteners to widows, all colors, shapes, and sizes, were in attendance to show their support for the search for a cure of cancer. VeloSano is a “movement with the goal of bringing an entire community together to help one another.”
A cancer survivor himself, our very own Chairman Emeritus, Marc Byrnes, noted, “Oswald is proud to be a part of and contribute to VeloSano. VeloSano allows us to live our mission by supporting a very special event that is most inclusive; enabling our employee-owners, our clients and the entire community to RIDE TOGETHER to collectively find the cure for cancer.”
While embracing Oswald’s collaborative culture, I encourage every employee-owner in their quest for inclusion to look towards commitment to community. When we come together to fight, we become one. Our commitment doesn’t draw attention to who is in the room…only who is raising their hand.
Four Fun Tips for Days of Caring Inclusion:
- Be engaged. Act as a role model before and during the event. Be energetic, feel enthusiastic.
- Talk to someone new. Upon arrival, challenge yourself to introduce yourself to three new people. You never know who you will become friends with until you meet them.
- Change up your environment. Volunteer for something out of your comfort zone (if you’re comfortable with office organizing, try something like yard work or painting). Trying something new always leads to the most fun!
- Be kind. Shake hands and look people in the eye. Smile, especially at the workers, children or patients you see at the organization. A smile can change a day!
View more from the Women’s Leadership Blog Series.
This article was updated on February 27, 2020.
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