Concordance Traditions of Tricks and Treats

As autumn has settled in across the country, it’s created an especially beautiful scene throughout the Midwest. The air begins to chill and green leaves start their transformation to brilliant shades of orange, red and yellow. The crops slowly turn brown in the fields and farmers ready themselves for harvest. It’s a season of change, overflowing with color, campfires and creativity – spider webs are now used as decorations, pumpkins become jack-o-lanterns and imagination takes flight as children plan their Halloween costumes.

This season is embraced and celebrated throughout Concordance, with many of our locations observing Halloween by holding potlucks and costume days. We encourage our employees to decorate their work spaces, collaborate on group costumes, share their favorite dishes and spend a little extra time focusing energy on fun and creativity. These are days where mouthwatering scents waft through the building from the collection of crockpots in the break rooms and when laughter and surprise can be heard throughout the halls.

Tradition

For nearly three decades, our warehouse in Tiffin, Ohio, has celebrated Halloween with its annual Trick or Treat Day. They designate a few hours one afternoon in late October and invite the location’s 250+ employees to bring their children and grandchildren to the distribution center. Hundreds of kids pour through the doors, clad in costumes of every shape and size, to wander the halls in search of candy from over 100 offices.

They come in droves, as brightly colored princesses and creepy zombies, with excited voices and quick feet. The children arrive, full of energy, with empty bags and baskets and leave behind a sense of sweetness and childhood joy as they depart with bulging bags of treats.

But it’s not just about the candy, or the kids, it’s about the culture – a culture of fun, friendship and treating each other like family. It’s about seeing the same children, year after year, and watching them grow. It’s about connecting with a coworker over identical costumes and catching up on what each other’s families have been up to. It’s about spending a little extra time to bring laughter, joy and creativity to the workplace.

Tricks of the Trade
For weeks prior to the event, individuals dedicate their off-the-clock hours to decorating their departments and transforming hallways into spooky tunnels of fun. Co-workers collaborate on group costumes each year. Office personnel make certain they have bowls of goodies ready and waiting for when the kids arrive – if not, they may fall prey to a bit of mischief - returning to find an office covered in toilet paper or sticky notes.
Don’t believe us? Just ask our COO, Dave Myers, whose busy travel schedule one year interfered with the demands of treats and therefore left him victim to tricks. He graciously suffered the good-hearted retaliation, and upon his return spent some time cleaning up his office. It’s safe to say he learned his lesson, as he has never forgotten to stock his candy supply since.

Culture at Concordance

The weeks of preparation, followed by a few lively hours of candy and kids, could be viewed by some as unnecessary; however, here at Concordance, we’re not only focused on transforming healthcare and distribution, we’re also focused on transforming our employee experience.

Tiffin’s annual Halloween Trick or Treat Day is a tradition that has created connections among our employees. It’s a tradition that brings smiles to the sometimes-stressful work days. It keeps us grounded to what is truly important in this world and why we all work so hard – fun, family and of course, some sweet treats too!