Pro golf? The green jacket? Augusta? Maybe all of the above.
The Masters as we know it was recently redefined at JBL Companies.
On Monday, April 6th, JBL employees arrived at work and unexpectedly landed in the midst of a virtual golf course which had once been the company headquarters. My own personal tip off came as I was walking in, by a little green sign on the door that read something like “Carts must go to the right” with a picture of a guy on a golf cart. This was only the first clue as to what was to come.
This was the JBL Masters.
Employees were told to gather in the lobby for the rundown of the week’s festivities. It was apparent that the boss, Jeffrey B, thinks highly of this tournament and wanted to honor it by turning a place of work into a place of play by creating a 9-hole golf (obstacle) course. The entire office, basement and even an outdoor area was set up to mirror an actual golf course, including water (blue bags of salt), sand traps (bags of sand) as well as trees (plants). We would play in teams but keep score individually, playing one game each day, Monday-Thursday with the championship on Thursday, including a prize for the winner, therefore creating even more incentive to play well.
The course layout was changed each day and consistently became tougher as the week progressed. In some cases it was proven that even if you can golf in the real world, you weren’t necessarily going to excel at the JBL Masters!
Although golf may not be for everyone, I think most can agree this was a great way to continue building team morale. JBL employees enjoyed themselves and it was a great activity for employees to get to know colleagues on a completely different level.
A major part of any competition includes a winner but the JBL Masters was more than just a competition. It also demonstrated that working together as a team does generate positivity, determination and encouragement while building team spirit and unity. The winner of the JBL Masters may not have won the coveted green jacket and the million dollar prize but the company as a whole walked away with something even more important. Camaraderie.
Carissa B, Marketing
