Staff appreciation day

This year my company held its inaugural staff appreciation day. It was organized to show appreciation to all the staff who had been working hard for the school for the past year. Staff from both campuses assembled at the secondary school in Equine Park on the last day of the working year to get together, play some games and eat and relax.

The program starts with registration and lucky dip in front of the main hall. We all got shopping vouchers from some hypermarket or departmental store. We were divided into smaller teams within the four houses (Muir, Fleming, Scott & Fairfield) and sat on our tables in the hall. After breakfast, certificates and gifts were given out to employees who had been with the company for 10 years or more. There were over 2 dozens of them from both campuses. Then begin the first game, the post-it note challenge. Each team competes to paste as many post-it notes as possible on a person’s face (or head).

Next we played egg and spoon and balloon pass on the amphitheater next to the hall. The final house team game for the day was the classic tug of war. My team, Fleming (red) lost the first round but succeeded in the 3rd placing. Although the winners only receive chocolates and snacks, everybody took the game seriously albeit in a fun and sporting way. After a sumptuous lunch everybody was free to relax and unwind. You can choose from a range of activities on offer such as inflatables, badminton, table tennis and ice berg in the swimming pool.

Before we conclude the event, there was the lucky draw session. Usually I would just wish to go home right there and then because I never win anything anyway. This one is no different. I could just watch with envy as people walk away with their home appliances, iPads and Samsung smartphones. I understand it’s a lucky draw so not everybody get to win but still I wish they would do an Oprah and give out gifts to each and every one of us.

Was it fun? You bet. I don’t mind the free food and vouchers. I hate not winning anything in the lucky draw though. The house games were okay, I’m sure many folks enjoyed it. At least those who participated. Doubt we would know everybody better in that short 5 hours but it’s a start and something to build on. An ideal setting would be a 2 days (minimum) team-building/holiday and a resort somewhere but to be honest, that's asking too much on everyone. But who knows some day in the future, somebody will make it happen. In the end it was a good initiative by the school to get both teaching and non-teaching staff together. Let's face it, we hardly knew the staff from the other school outside of such events. I certainly look forward for another big get-together like this in the future.