The Inner Rhythm of Corporate Drumming

Recreational music making and facilitated drum circles are leading in a shift of traditional notions about team building with many Fortune 500 companies. Drum circles are being used by many companies on a weekly basis to set an example of commitment to team building and strengthening employee relationships within many of these companies. Recent cutting edge research has shown a remarkable impact of group drumming on the physical well-being of employees. With little or no musical training a group of employees can begin to work as a single unit in a drum circle. Drum circles have proven to be a cost effective way to create happy employees and happy employees are productive employees. Corporate employees at a long term care facility participated in a 12 week program of drum circles resulting in an 18.3% reduction in employee turnover. Total annual savings for that industry for such a decrease in turnover is projected to be more than $1.46 billion. (Bittman, et AL., 2003)

New and surprising challenges surface in facilitated drum circles. Unlike other team building activities involving sports or breakout groups, drumming asks people to take a risk with their creativity, connecting on a human level with non verbal expression. Less focus is placed on the individual challenges while more focus is directed to the whole team. The result of each person's input is the creation of a collective beat. Each voice is equally important and heard, resulting in a sense of empowerment and an increase in self esteem. Furthermore it inspires more openness by asking employees to adopt a new level of communication they are not accustomed to. Inviting them to take a risk in a safe environment can have the outcome of decreasing levels of work related depression and promote wellbeing for all who participate.

Cost effective

A Pennsylvania corporation estimated saving $89,100.00 in costs associated with training new hires by using drumming to improve morale. The return on investment was $60.57 saved for every dollar invested (Bittman, Bruhn, Stevens, Westengard, Umbach, 2003, Advances in Mind-Body Wellness, Vol. 19 No. 3/4).

Stress

Corporate employees participating in a drumming research study reported a 20.7% reduction in stress. Medical scientists have shown that drumming alleviates the body's response to stress and increases the disease fighting activity of circulating white blood cells called Natural Killer Cells. (Bittman, Berk, Felten, Westengard, Simonton, Pappas, Ninehouser, 2001, Alternative Therapies, Vol. 7 No. 1).

Teamwork

 
Toyota's Associate Development Manager, Ron "R.J." Johnson uses drumming as a strong metaphor for high-performance team building and shaping teams to perform a peak levels. Recently Toyota spent $20,000 to outfit a drumming room on the top floor of its training center in Torrance, CA. Toyota's training center has drum circles twice a week and has had over 3,000 associates who have participated in drum circles. ("Corporate Drumming", American Music Making Conference, 2003)

Productivity

A 17.1% decrease in fatigue, a 6.3% increase in productivity and a 6.4% increase in vigor/activity was displayed after participating in six one-hour drum sessions with co-workers. (Bittmam ,et. AL., 2003).

Long Term Morale

Co-workers at the Westbury United Methodist Retirement Community experienced nearly a 50% improvement in mood after participating in drumming, including a reduction in feelings of depersonalization, dejection, and hostility. Six weeks later the same employees showed more than a 62% improvement in mood. (Bittman, et. AL., 2003)

Some of the many benefits can be:

• Fun cost effective way to reduce stress

• Excellent team building

• Effective conference opener

• Improve company morale

• Improve communications

• Reduce employee absenteeism

• Build self esteem

• Promote better relationships between the company and its employees

• Enhance cooperation and communications between departments

Drum circles can be used at:

• Team retreats

• Corporate celebrations

• Sales meetings

• Staff trainings

• Production launches

• Trade shows

• Weekend retreats

• Conventions

• Conference openings

• Grand openings

• Campaign launches

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