The normal work week is focused on accomplishing the most important action items. At the end of the day there needs to be something employees can look back on as a memory that stands out from the normal day. At Ball Systems we use the Sparky Award as one way to provide a fun memorable experience to employees.

The Sparky Award is an award presented to the Ball Systems employee(s) who most recently blew something up. The most recent sparky award was presented to Drew and Jeremy in June of this year while working on the fluid delivery test system.

Jeremy recalled, "I never knew, until we sent 70 amps through a 24 gauge wire, the joy of destruction. It's something I think every engineer deserves to experience."

When reflecting on the experience Drew noted how it was a learning moment, “It was very frustrating in the moment, because of course it had to happen just a few days before the customer was scheduled to come see the test system run, but in the end, it was a good learning experience. Plus, it was pretty cool to see wire weld itself together.”

One way the Sparky Award reflects our values is through teamwork. Not only were Drew and Jeremy working together to serve our customers, the Sparky Award also brought together the entire team to take a moment and laugh and learn from the experience. The Sparky Award also relates to the company’s no flat tire value. Having a light-hearted award brings balance to the everyday hard-working environment employees work in by giving employees the chance to laugh at their mistakes and learn from the unexpected instead of being hard on themselves for failing.

Overall, the Sparky Award has provided the light-hearted moments that help balance our everyday work environment and to bring our team together.

Read more about how we work together everyday for our customers.