The Aramark team at Pikeville University in Kentucky wanted to give employees something to look forward to while working during the pandemic—all while honing their custodial skills and having fun. The Pikeville housekeeping Custodeo was born.
Competing in events such as Trash Can Shootout, Toilet Paper Race, Buffer Pad Toss, Trash Can Relay, and Timed Broom Sweeping Obstacle Course, five teams of six employees each faced off in early 2022 to have fun, get bragging rights, win a trophy—and get a chance to smash pies in their supervisors’ faces.
“As essential workers, our crew members at Pikeville have been on campus to provide cleaning services throughout the pandemic,” said Misty Hall, Custodial Manager, Aramark Higher Education Facilities. “Our number one priority is taking care of the students and staff on campus to provide them with a safe, clean space to live, work and learn.”
To qualify for the Custodeo, Pikeville custodians worked over the course of eight weeks, earning points for spot checks, attendance and timecard punch accuracy.
“Employees were watching the scoreboard,” said Oliver “Lee” Upchurch, Custodial Associate Manager. “They were even calling each other before shifts to make sure the whole team was coming to work on time so they could get points.”
Teams were formed to keep competition even, with different ages, different amounts of experience, and employees from different shifts on the same team. Safety was top-of-mind with all activities.
The inaugural Pikeville Custodeo took place in summer 2021 and was such a hit the team brought it back for 2022. The whole staff is already looking forward to the next round of games—even Hall and Upchurch, who receive pies in their faces as a prize for the winners.
“The games bring an unbelievable opportunity for our team members to come together and participate in some friendly competition,” explained Upchurch.
Want more of this story? Watch the Pikeville Custodeo video below.
