Tommy Bahama is an apparel and lifestyle company with about 500 employees in the Puget Sound area whose declared mission is to inspire you to relax. When our employees are asked, they rank culture among their favorite things about working at Tommy Bahama. We’re grateful for the tremendous growth we’ve experienced over the years but it comes at a cost.
Our culture is often under assault by growth’s intent on dividing us into silos and attempting to distract us from the priorities of a healthy culture. As our various teams grow in size to address the demands and realities of business it becomes increasingly difficult for teams and divisions to engage with each other. We sometimes need to look outside of our work environment to preserve our culture. Through the ups and downs of business it’s our culture that we lean on to keep us connected and inspired.
The Cause
I was introduced to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society by a friend who had recently been diagnosed with MS and was battling its often debilitating symptoms. My friend, whom I had worked with at Tommy Bahama, suggested that I form a Tommy Bahama Company bike team to raise money through the Society’s annual Bike MS ride, which funds research, programs and services for people affected by MS. I accepted the challenge but worried we would have difficulty recruiting enough riders and that raising money would be time consuming.
What I didn’t know was:
1. The ride is designed for all skill levels from beginner to expert with various versions of the same course. “I’m not a cyclist” was not a barrier to entry. With the help of some fantastic team captains we were able to put a great cross section of employees from every corner of the company together.
2. The program is completely turnkey. The Society dispatched experts to our offices for a series of kickoff meetings and assistance setting up the program. They provided templates and platforms for everything from outreach and fundraising letters to best practices in getting your team ready for the ride.
3. The reputation of the Society in the community did most of the fundraising on its own. Very few had not heard of their great work or knew someone who had been affected by MS. Donations came in from all directions – from friends, family and colleagues.
A little fund raising, some fresh air and some time with colleagues should be fun, right? It was all of those things, but it was so much more than that. It helped our culture and changed my perspective of my colleagues in ways I did not expect.
The Payback
The truth is I thought I knew my colleagues better than I really did. I realized that smiling at someone in the elevator and saying hello over the course of several years doesn’t qualify as a friendship. I discovered that I really only knew a small nucleus of employees that I work closely with on a daily basis. Bike MS gave me an entirely different perspective of my colleagues in IT, Analytics and Finance who I got to know on a very personal level. We held short, casual weekly training rides where the priority quickly became getting to know each other. Spending regular time training with my partners on a bike seat through the summer and then hanging out with the entire team for the ride weekend cycling, eating and laughing is the perfect prescription for acquaintances becoming friends.
In our first year as a team we assembled 35 spirited riders in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and raised nearly $20,000 toward achieving the Society’s vision of a world free of MS. The team came back from the ride determined to double the size of our team, with complete confidence that anyone that joins is in for a great time and the irreplaceable feeling of doing something good for someone in need. The stories of riding our bikes across the Deception Pass Bridge, the “Best Jersey” competition (which is actually a dance off, not a design contest) and cycling through arguably the most beautiful terrain in the country linger in our memories as we prepare for this year’s ride.
From a company perspective, we reaped the benefits of active employees engaging with each other. Recruiting and marketing liked the idea of our bright orange jerseys riding amongst 2,000 other riders from the Puget Sound’s best companies. Little did we know we were signing up for a wellness, team and brand building activity that contributes to the community… all disguised as a fun bike ride!
Check out photos from last year’s ride and learn more here. We hope to see you there on Sept. 10-11!