Page 8 - The MIL Connection: Winter 2022

MIL, bringing people together

By: Liza Reed
How important is socializing with your coworkers – does it have an impact on your everyday work life? Water cooler chit-
chat, small talk before meetings, and lunch breaks can be used to socialize with your coworkers. Socializing with your work
colleagues, on both a professional and personal level, can have a positive impact on your perception of the workplace, office
morale, and overall productivity.
I always thought making friends at work was a given; building those bonds and cultivating those friendships are important to
me. I began my career with MIL over 11 years ago, and I knew one person, however they worked in a completely different area
and I rarely if ever interacted with them. I began making work friends, but I only knew the MIL employees in my area. Then
I attended a 3K race that MIL sponsored, and viola, I met so many more MIL employees that I may never have met during a
normal workday.
That race was the catalyst that made me interested in joining the MIL Social Committee. The Charleston Area Social Committee
is responsible for organizing employee engagement events. We organize social events such as employee happy hours, charity
sponsorship/donations, tickets to local sporting events, award dinners, and family events, all of which allow employees to
interact with their coworkers on a completely different level.

Our goals and what we hope to accomplish through these events include:
Charitable Activities: By supporting local charities, MIL provides an opportunity for the staff
to support charities that are near and dear to their heart and to contribute to their community.
Staff Engagement and Morale: Engaged employees are happy employees. By organizing
social activities for both the staff and their families, we hope it will reinforce the message that
MIL is interested in enhancing their quality of life outside of normal work hours as well. It is
also a way to celebrate and thank our employees for everything they do that makes MIL the
best place to work.
Enhance Interdepartmental Communication: We can mingle with our own team members
but it can be difficult to interact with fellow employees on other teams. Different areas are not
able to communicate on both a social and professional level on a regular basis. And with the
current hybrid work model, there is even less in-person interaction, even with our own team.
Making it easier for the staff from different departments to meet and network benefits MIL
through increased interdepartmental communications that extends beyond typical work-related
conversation.
Empowerment of staff to direct activities: We consistently ask for feedback, send surveys
before and after events, and ask for suggestions from the staff. We want to make informed
decisions on the types of activities we organize by selecting charities that have meaning for our
staff and choosing events that will align with the interests of the staff. From tickets to the local
sporting events, museum memberships, charity walks, employee happy hours, we want the
staff to feel empowered and engaged, and have a voice in the activities we organize.

Henry Ford said, “Coming together is beginning, staying together is progress, and working
together is success.” And, to quote my fellow committee member Frank Coulson, “MIL is a
great place to work not only for the people but also the culture they actively create.” We want
to live the motto of People Making the Difference, and continuously uphold all the reasons that
MIL is the best place to work.
To submit suggestions for activities and events, or if you want to be part of the magic and join
our committee, please contact any of the following Charleston Social Committee members:
» Rebecca Helms » Preston Leeke » Danielle Dillahey
» Frank Coulson » Ryon Creech » Liza Reed
» Sarah Kelly

8 | the MIL connection | winter 2022