Yesterday, the entire company took a lunchtime excursion to a local bowling alley for a little fun and a whole lot of team building. The Equinox Bowling Tournament was not my first experience with team building at this company. Earlier in the year, the entire company participated in a real-life escape game, where teams had to find their way out of a locked room in 60 minutes using only their wits and skills.
While these two events were wildly different from each other, they were both very successful. Both underscored how much I liked working at a close-knit company where everyone collaborates, has fun, and encourages each other.
The tournament divided employees into randomly assigned teams of four, with all departments and senior management interspersed throughout. Teams bowled two games while competing for coveted awards. Through laughter, food, and observing various bowling outcomes, we had a blast — because we were doing what is truly important to Equinox: building and fostering long-term relationships.
Highlights from the day included a birthday surprise for Senior Software Developer Ronnie Gibbs, multiple turkey bowls (three strikes in a row), competitive spirit across all teams, and the CEO's comedy routine. Remote workers were dialed in to share in the fun, lunch was provided, and everyone agreed rental bowling shoes are part of the charm.
Events like this are a reminder that the culture we build internally is reflected in the quality of care we extend to our customers. A team that genuinely enjoys working together brings that energy to every customer interaction — and that's not something you can manufacture. You have to build it, one bowling tournament at a time.
About the Author — Amy Oldham is in Corporate Communications at Equinox Information Systems. To learn more about Equinox, visit equinoxis.com or call (615) 612-1200.