Culture & Employee Engagement

The Challenge

When I launched the Company Culture Committee in 2023, 33 Realty employees were navigating a period of transition and uncertainty. Morale was low and many team members felt siloed. I saw an opportunity to bring people together—not with grand gestures or flashy perks, but through small, meaningful moments of connection that reminded us we were part of something bigger.

Group picture at our Volunteer Pick-Up Day outside of X Chicago
Playing a ping-pong cup-blowing game at our Lunar New Year Celebration
Since we hosted our tech drive last year, the company has continued to donate leftover corporate tech to Compudopt
Enjoying some arepas at the Hispanic Heritage Month lunch
Team members at our Halloween Happy Hour
Our Bake-Off winners!
Team members at our Holiday Happy Hour
Toy shopping at a local toy store for the ChiGivesBack Toy Drive!
Opening my secret santa present! One of my favorite events of the year!
Women’s History Month Brew & Bond
As you can see, “No Tricks, Just Treats” at the Bake-Off!
Assembling Easter baskets for the Irving Park Community Food Pantry

The Action

I founded and led the Company Culture Committee, creating five working groups—Morale, Philanthropy, DEI, Happy Hours, and Recreational Sports. I chaired every group, facilitated monthly brainstorming sessions, and encouraged employees to turn their own ideas into real initiatives.

My role was equal parts leader and facilitator: I guided strategy, provided marketing resources, and made sure events actually happened—but whenever possible, I empowered teammates to take ownership. Together, we launched a series of initiatives that touched every corner of company life:

  • Philanthropy & Giving Back: Organized a Compudopt Tech Drive, contributed 30 Easter baskets to the Irving Park Community Food Pantry’s 350-basket goal, collected and donated 150 toys for ChiGivesBack’s Annual Toy Drive and sent a small group of Company Culture Committee participants to their annual gala.
  • Celebrations & Belonging: Hosted monthly events such as a Lunar New Year celebration, a Hispanic Heritage Month lunch, and a Women’s History Month Brew & Bond where women shared advice, talked about the future, and took time to connect.
  • Community & Fun: Brought joy to the office with our “No Tricks, Just Treats” Bake-Off, a Thanksgiving Potluck, and our Secret Santa & Holiday Happy Hour.

Everyday Connection: Even if someone was just grabbing a cupcake at the bake-off or dropping by a happy hour for 20 minutes, I considered their participation a win. My goal was to cultivate an environment where team members had opportunities to smile, meet someone new, and feel seen.

The Impact

The results weren’t about headline-grabbing numbers—they were about belonging in a workplace that often felt heavy. Our employee satisfaction survey showed improvements in the culture and morale categories after the committee launched, even as other areas continued to struggle.

For me, the true impact was watching colleagues—sometimes stressed, sometimes quiet—laugh together at the bake-off, share personal stories at the Brew & Bond, or rally to donate toys and Easter baskets to kids in need. Those small acts of showing up added up to a stronger sense of community, even when the company itself was facing challenges.

Our beach volleyball team!
Hard at work at the Volunteer Pick-Up Day!
Team members at the “No Tricks, Just Treats” bake-off
Playing a chopstick game at the Lunar New Year celebration
Watching others open gifts might be more fun than receiving them!
Our kickball team on theme night! Our theme was “Rainy Day”
Team members at the ChiGivesBack Toy Drive Gala
Team members at the Hispanic Heritage Month lunch
Our team assembled 30 Easter baskets for Irving Park Community Food Pantry