Our Houston team had a tough year in 2017, from flooding, devastation and personal challenges related to Hurricane Harvey, an industry decline that affected their community, and workforce reductions within our own company. Inevitably, morale took a dent. To re-energize and refocus the local workforce, they started the ECHO program: Enhancing Culture and Heightening Opportunities. It started with wellness.

ECHO channels self-improvement and learning initiatives, volunteering opportunities, and social networking. With no extra dollars available, it’s almost all based on volunteers making the most of the funds at their disposal for health improvement and social activities. Packaging this under the ECHO umbrella maximizes the empowerment of the volunteers who organize the activities, and the boosts the motivational benefit to employees.

Some of the initiatives launched or in the pipeline: ECHO wellness fair, Christmas party planning, discount cards promoting and supporting local businesses, family day. There are plenty of other ideas too.

This engages and enhances our employees’ self-development by involving them in volunteering programs/local charities and supporting local businesses.