It was all hands-on deck at Oakland International as staff from across the business joined departments on the front line in the packing warehouse to help prepare ‘Blue Monday’ food boxes for every employee.
Office staff left their desks, accountants left their computers, and managers paused their usual duties to join in the fun on the packing line at the Redditch-based company which provides multi-temperature retail, home delivery and food service supply chain solutions.
The food boxes, fully funded by Oakland International, are being made ready to be presented to every single team member next week on the day dubbed Blue Monday because it is said to be the most depressing day of the year when people are most likely to be struggling financially after Christmas and yet still may have a week or more to wait for their January pay cheque.
During the next two days over 1,000 boxes will be prepared with lots of cupboard-fillers and pantry items from soups and pasta, coffee and rice, chocolate biscuits and a few healthy snacks which will be available for employees to share with their families.
Shaun Foley, Group CEO said: “Traditionally we used to give the boxes out at Christmas as a treat for all the staff for their hard work but then we came across this plan to help them when they perhaps need it most on what is said to be the toughest day of the year for many.
“We are a family business; our people and their loved ones are effectively part of our extended family – this is just one of a wider range of initiatives to show we care.”