In the bustling world of marketing and corporate activities at Epsilon, one group stands out for its unique approach to fostering unity, camaraderie and success: EPIC.
EPIC is a community centered around our people showing the unique culture at Epsilon. This group focuses on three significant pillars — social, outreach and wellness — which is all about getting out from behind the computer and connecting in-person.
With offices spread out around the world, EPIC Leads for each Epsilon location are given the chance to find activities reflective of the people that work there.
In Chicago, that means sports.
The Chicago EPIC team is dominating the sports world. Between bowling, volleyball and kickball, Epsilon employees are developing stronger connections and improving teamwork by participating in social leagues for various sports. One team, the Chicago kickball team, even managed to clinch the league championship.
“I feel like we really formed a community,” said Stephanie Luce, associate marketing manager. “It’s a place where you aren’t nervous if you’re going to mess up or if someone is going to judge you. It’s a place to have fun and meet people.”
Triumph on and off the field
Chicago isn’t just known for its deep-dish pizza. They are very well known for the competitive kickball tournament that takes place every summer. Epsilon’s team dominated and won the popular kickball tournament this June. For the past several years, EPIC Chicago has sponsored several sports teams comprised of Epsilon employees. This year, though, interest continued to rise and the teams turned out: Winning the kickball tournament and placing in the softball tournament.
Leagues are city-wide and open to both corporate and private teams. With a tough regular season, the team pulled through for the most important game of the year with the help of built connection.
EPIC events include a diverse offering of events such as wellness leagues like indoor volleyball and kickball, outreach opportunities to serve others in our communities, and social events to bring us all together. Employee participation in EPIC events has seen incredible growth over the past year, with 400% more employee attendance this year across the board.
Jeff Fryer, director of human resources at Epsilon, said sports have resonated with the Chicago office in a really impressive way. These teams are a great example of what embodies the things that EPIC strives to promote, and he said it’s been especially important in a post-COVID world.
“It’s mixing work and fun to create a space for meaningful interactions,” Fryer said. “Especially in an era where social relationships can be challenging.”
Whether it’s meeting each week for a game or going out with the team, it is a free, inclusive activity for employees to do after work to decompress. And while Epsilon’s teams are at the top of their game, Fryer says employees don’t need to be pros to join in.
“There’s no screening process to say ‘Hey, are you a good athlete?’” He said. “It’s that great inclusion aspect that shows it doesn’t matter if you’re the best. Everyone under the sun can join.”
Chicago Kickball Team right after their championship victory!
A dedicated player on the championship-winning kickball team, Stephanie Luce said while winning the title was great, the best part has been the people she’s met. A recent college graduate, she said she wanted to find community and connections both in and outside of work. Being part of the team has allowed her to meet people across the company.
“I’ve met people through this in departments I didn’t know much about,” she said. “It’s so cool to get those connections in a more casual and friendly level.”
EPIC’s importance in the corporate world
Beyond the scope of their jobs, EPIC empowers people. Employees are craving connection and EPIC aims to figure out what that looks like for each office, including fully remote workers. The kickball league is a small example of the many events that are happening within the company, and Fryer says that this is a great example of the impact EPIC can have.
“The Chicago team has so much fun together,” he said. “It makes me happy to know that I work for a company that invests in these types of connections with people. It sends a strong message that we care about people—they’re more than just a metric.”
EPIC cultivates a culture of camaraderie that advances the business world while simultaneously encouraging team victories on the field.
Interested in hearing more or becoming part of the Epsilon team? Check out our open positions on our Careers page.