As a healthcare company, Novartis employees are no strangers to helping others. However, their recent team building event in Hanover, NJ helped them discover new ways to put their servitude to good use.

Putting Heart into Helping

Novartis is focused on cardiovascular health, which might be why each of the 65 team members had such big hearts in this event. Comprised of high energy leaders engaged in a full morning of company meetings, I was pleasantly surprised that their enthusiasm carried over from lunch heading into the team building event.

They recently had the pleasure of adding some new people to their team and decided to use a charity team building event to welcome each one. As a result, newcomers were able to get an early glimpse at what Novartis does best – provide a better quality of life to others through caring, dedication, and compassion.

Novartis Offers Hope to Hurricane Victims

The group leaders chose Mission: Hurricane Relief for the foundation of their team building activity. Being in Hanover, New Jersey, most of the participants had never experienced hurricane conditions and did not know first-hand the hardships Houston victims were enduring weeks after Harvey had dissipated. They realized they were fortunate in never having had to leave their homes or experience the level of loss that has left many victims still suffering.

Every member’s eyes lit up when they saw the piles of items available for placing into the care packages. The group divided into smaller teams that would compete in mini-games for a chance to earn items to put in the care package. The finished packages would be donated to The Arc of Greater Houston, a nonprofit serving the needs of those with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

The teams had fun during this friendly fire, but realized that in the end there were only winners.

A Rewarding Day in Hanover, NJ

Before we closed, we regrouped and talked about the event’s purpose and what it meant for Novartis leaders. Some leaders shared what they learned, not just about each other, but what it truly means to be a team. They realized that teamwork isn’t just something that happens inside a company, but can also be used to serve the greater good in times of need.