How Getting Some Fresh Air Can Renew Your Workforce

Here at OnShift, we spend most of our time working with long-term care and senior living providers to help them manage their workforces. But sometimes, we also like to get out and give back to the community to honor an industry that’s all about helping others. Whether it’s participating in a local hospice organization’s fundraising event or sprucing up the community, the OnShift Cares team is all about giving back. Let’s just say we don’t mind getting our hands dirty from time to time :)

This spring, the OnShift Cares team had a lot of fun and success with our recent volunteer event at the Cleveland Metroparks’ Garfield Reservation. We had members from all over the company band together to beautify Cleveland, spending two days weeding and spreading mulch. In writing this this post I was trying to reflect back on how this would be applicable to the services we provide to employees in long-term care and senior living. After pondering for some time I started to piece together a few key ideas that came from volunteering our time together:

1. Volunteering boosts employee morale - This is the biggest takeaway I have from the whole experience. It was amazing to see that just getting people out the door to go help others produced a renewed vigor in my co-workers. Even after doing hard labor everyone was noticeably more vibrant.   
2. Giving back promotes a strong community culture in the workplace - Culture is huge for employers and retaining top talent. As an employee I can say being part of a great community makes a huge difference, especially a culture where people from all over the company can come together and do some meaningful work (and have fun at the same time). Knowing that so many of my co-workers care as much about the community as I do really hits home and makes work an enjoyable place!
3. Spending time together helps develop relationships - Stepping out of the day-to-day responsibilities and collaborating with co-workers you don’t always interact with helps build a larger community at your workplace. It’s a great way to make new friends, get to know each other, and enjoy the fresh air!

Whether it’s volunteering at a local park, baking together for a bake sale or just getting out for charity event, I highly suggest gathering your co-workers to give back to the community. I think you will see it not only helps your community but also strengthens your workforce. Our most recent OnShift Cares initiative was participating in Hospice of the Western Reserve’s Walk to Remember, so stay tuned for more on that event.