When people talk about what makes a workplace successful, the conversation often focuses on business results and innovation or operational performance.
Those are all important.
During our Bedford Employee Appreciation Day, I was reminded that all of those outcomes begin with people.
The goal for this year’s event was straightforward. We wanted employees to have an opportunity to step away from their daily responsibilities and enjoy being part of the broader Bedford community. While we collaborate every day, we don’t always have opportunities to get to know one another beyond projects and meetings.
Sometimes the most meaningful moments happen when work conversations are replaced by personal conversations.
As I moved through the event, I saw employees talking with colleagues they had never met before and teams laughing together over lunch. The atmosphere was relaxed and genuinely fun.
One moment that stood out was seeing supervisors and leaders serving food alongside everyone else. This included Sylvia Jarest, Sr. Director, Human Resources, Christine Socoby, Production Manager, Whitney DiGiovanni, Plant Manager, Alexis Villarroel, Sr. Operations Manager, Kevin Thomas, Production Supervisor, and Lou Capobianco, Manufacturing Engineering Technician. It was a simple gesture, but it reflected something important. Strong workplace cultures are built when people see themselves as part of a shared team, regardless of title or role.
The event also reflected the interests and ideas of employees themselves. Taylor Anepete, HR Generalist, who helped organize the day, shared that employees had been requesting pickleball equipment for months. What started as an activity for the event quickly turned into one of the most popular gathering spots of the day. Employees jumped into friendly matches, cheered each other on, and quickly turned the courts into a place where new relationships formed. The equipment will remain available to employees going forward, encouraging these interactions to continue long after the event itself ends.
Taylor also emphasized the importance of creating an experience where everyone felt included. From offering a variety of food options, including vegan selections, to creating opportunities for Employee Resource Groups to engage with employees, every detail was designed to help people feel welcome and connected.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the day was seeing those Employee Resource Groups in action. The Multicultural ERG and Women’s ERG were doing more than sharing information. They were creating meaningful conversations.
Marilou Gorospe, who leads the Multicultural ERG, shared that employees stopped by to discuss their cultural backgrounds and exchange ideas. Those conversations led to 15 new members joining the ERG during the event. For Marilou, the group’s impact helps foster understanding and respect across the site while bringing people together around shared experiences.
The Women’s ERG experienced similar engagement. Kim Chhay shared that employees were eager to learn more about the group’s future plans, reflect on activities from the past year, and discuss new ways to become involved. She noted that events like Employee Appreciation Day provide valuable opportunities for employees to connect with colleagues they may not regularly interact with, helping build stronger relationships across teams and departments.
Those conversations reinforced an important lesson: Culture isn’t built through policies or programs alone. Culture is created through human connection. It grows when people feel they belong and when they can learn from colleagues whose experiences may be different from their own.
Events like Employee Appreciation Day don’t happen on their own. They require creativity, planning, and a shared commitment to employee engagement. I’m incredibly grateful to Taylor Anepete, whose passion for employee engagement helped shape many aspects of the day, and to Steve Dion, whose behind-the-scenes support ensured everything came together seamlessly. From coordinating logistics and setting up the site to supporting activities throughout the event, their efforts made a difference.
More than 200 employees attended the event, which speaks volumes about the culture we’ve built in Bedford. Participation at that level doesn’t happen because people feel obligated. It happens because employees enjoy being part of something bigger than their individual roles.
That sense of connection is increasingly important in today’s workplace. Organizations accomplish their best work when people understand how they contribute to a larger purpose and have strong relationships with the colleagues around them.
To me, Employee Appreciation Day reflected the very best of One Novanta. Employees from different businesses and functions came together and strengthened the relationships that help us succeed every day.
At the end of the event, I walked away with the same thought I had when we first started planning it: Bedford is special because of its people.
The food, games, and activities brought everyone together, but the people made the day memorable.
That’s what Employee Appreciation Day was really about.
By Vinay Karunakaran, Vice President & General Manager, Precision Steering Business and Bedford Site Leader