We met with Janssen’s research and development team on a beautiful fall day. Their Raritan, NJ office was the perfect place for a charity team building workshop; there was plenty of room for everyone to work comfortably. This WheelCharity™ workshop, like all R&D projects, included a small element of surprise. Thankfully, this team worked well together, and rolled with the unexpected.

Janssen’s WheelCharity™ Event Rolls Out Without a Hitch

Our WheelCharity™ program with Janssen focused on general team building skills. Goals included helping people manage conflict while appreciating the differences that various personality types bring to group work. We had about 40 participants. Meeting with everyone on-site was great because everyone was already at the office, so we started on time. The group divided into three teams, and each team was challenged to build two wheelchairs. During the process, we called out several challenges to the groups. Friendly competition helped the “winning” team with more supplies. It also motivated folks to really pull together and push themselves to try and finish first.

Surprise!

All of us were unprepared for the sudden fire drill! While the interruption was a half-hour long, the group spent some quality time talking about the activities at hand, as well as the charity that was going to benefit from the wheelchairs, Pluckemin Presbyterian Church Medical Equipment Ministry. This ministry collected items and loaned them out as needed. Janssen’s teams still managed to complete all nine wheelchairs on schedule. It was a pretty intense afternoon. However, it was a testament to this group that they maintained their momentum for the project despite a pretty severe interruption.

Janssen Supports Pluckemin Presbyterian Church’s Medical Equipment Ministry

We wrapped up with an opportunity for participants to decorate the wheelchairs, including the attachment of encouraging notes for the folks who’d be using them. John Runyon, a representative of the ministry, arrived at the end of the workshop. He kindly took the time to share a few stories about the folks who receive wheelchairs from the ministry. It really helped the community to know they had a place to turn to for temporary assistance in maintaining mobility.

The debriefing session we held for the Janssen team revealed a lot of spirited enthusiasm for the WheelCharity™ project. People loved doing something concrete to help others. They appreciated picking up practical skills and tips that lent themselves to better workplaces. And they also enjoyed a little fun, and the chance to see their coworkers in a new light.