It’s not often an employee engagement activity ends up in the record books, but the staff at builders merchant Jewson have managed it.
The team set a new Guinness World Records title for Most people wrapping presents simultaneously in 2016 and they now have a permanent memento of their achievement after being featured alongside all the real-life superheroes in the Guinness World Records 2018 Edition book.
Jewson’s successful world record attempt, one of Guinness World Records Engage portfolio of staff engagement solutions, took place at a two-day annual staff conference in December, which was attended by more than a thousand people. The presents wrapped by the heroic team were given to the local community as part of Jewson’s partnership with charity Barnardo’s.
It was the second successful Guinness World Records attempt for the talented team at Jewson, having broken the record for Largest gathering of people wearing Christmas jumpers during its staff conference back in 2015.
The present wrapping attempt was organised by agency A&I Group and Event Director Zara Gregory believes that the sense of fun, tension and achievement around the record attempt was key to its success.
Building a record-breaking team
For Jewson chief executive Mark Rayfield, uniting the team members was paramount, along with the need to energise people after a ‘gruelling’ two-day conference and to give them a challenge that would really test their skills.
Mark explains: “This world record attempt required great team work and co-ordination to ensure the presents were wrapped and judged by the Guinness World Records adjudicator as having met the standard required. The team had to come together to work as one seamless unit across each table. Knowing that the presents were to going to the local community gave the whole team an extra shot of energy and purpose.”
The event was full of memorable moments, but for Mark one stands out in particular.
“Holding up the certificate at the end of the event, with the whole team around us and everyone being full of Christmas spirit really made the event for me. And having it included in the 2018 book really is so exciting. I grew up with Guinness World Records and remember reading the book each year as a child. To have something that our team achieved being listed in the book is just brilliant.”
