During the Connect Leadership Conference held from November 28-30 in Florida, USA, Watts colleagues from around the world came together to discuss business, form connections and create a positive impact.
At the end of the three-day event, Watts brought in Odyssey Teams, an organization that creates socially responsible team building activities, to facilitate a special "Build-a-Hand" session, in which employees worked together to assemble prosthetic limbs for those in need.
Often expensive and inaccessible, these constructed devices are donated to people with amputations who cannot afford the device on their own. To promote collaboration, empathy and understanding of what it is like to live with a physical disability, participants were instructed to cover one hand and work to assemble the pieces with the other.
Building Relationships in Person
"I've been with the company for about two years, but my connections with colleagues were mostly limited to online interactions," said Shashwat Nath, Sr. Product Manager. "I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to build relationships in person, and to contribute to something that directly helps people. To this day, every time I flex my hand, I think about how lucky I am to have my physical health, and how we need to be considerate toward others who may not."
Employees also decorated the cases, signing names, drawing positive symbols like hearts and rainbows and leaving messages of strength and hope for the recipients.
Check out the video below to witness the assembly process and the positive impact the event had on many people.