HGS has always made it a point to be a fun and exciting place to work in. If you’ve seen what goes on into the planning and presentation of our monthly huddles, HGS works and plays hard. The efforts that HGS put into their daily tasks is matched by their enthusiasm and creativity outside of the office.
As the company continues to grow, then so must the scale of its events. Last April 28th, employees across all our sites were determined to make this year’s HGS summer outing a very memorable event. One could even say that they were ready to make a huge Splash this summer season.
A Grand Entrance
From the moment HGS employees arrived at the venue, the festivities were already in full swing. The 20 piece school band burst into life as they greeted first group of HGS staff arrived at the Whiterock Beach Resort in Subic Bay. The sun was out, the weather was hot and a gentle offshore breeze was helping to keep conditions comfortable. Indeed, HGS was ready to make a Splash as their annual beach outing had commenced!
This year’s event was held at a beautiful protected natural bay approximately 150 klms Northwest of Manila. Once known as the home for the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet, this idealistic location is now one of the destinations of choice for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of busy Manila life. Whiterock itself had different facilities on offer, including two wave pools, an indoor bowling avenue, zip lines, climbing walls and a floating inflatable ocean adventure park.
Once the staff had arrived it quickly became obvious how much our numbers had swelled. Since the last beach outing, there were now nearly 300 people attending the event. After the formal welcome, everyone was separated into teams based on the offices where the staff were located: RSC (Makati), BGC and Cyber Sigma.
Leading the Battlecry
To get the ball rolling, all teams were asked to get the crowd going with their own version of a battlecry. True to HGS form, the participating groups were not just satisfied with putting together their own war cries and dances. Teams went above and beyond as they dressed in costumes, made use of elaborate props and did their best to demonstrate what they believed the essence of a Hakka to be. The dances and music were rehearsed and well thought through, with all of the teams putting on very impressive and motivational performances. This helped to excite and prepare the onlooking crowd for what was to come next.
Race for your life!
Up next was the Amazing Race. Much like the TV show, teams competed to complete a series of 10 tasks spread across the resorts facilities. These tasks ranged from solving puzzles, withstanding the waters of a giant wave pool and walking around blindfolded just to name a few.
HGS’s Amazing Race tested teams physically, mentally and skillfully.
The games and chosen tasks had a twofold purpose. With 10 different stations scattered across the resort, it gave teams the chance to explore the entire resort and enjoy its many attractions. In addition, it also allowed the team members to get to know each other in a different environment allowing them to strengthen their bonds of camaraderie. They solved problems as a team and overcame their challenges, whilst all the while having fun in the process. Sure, people were exhausted by the time they reached the 10th station, but the energy and atmosphere of the afternoon gave everyone that final push to complete their objectives.
Enjoying the HGS Summer Outing
For the rest of the afternoon, HGS employees had time to leisurely enjoy Whiterock at their own pace. Those who participated in The Amazing Race went back to revisit some of their favourite activities while others explored new parts of the resort. Some ate, some drank but everyone enjoyed the company of their fellow employees throughout the day.
It wouldn’t be a HGS summer outing without making a Splash.
Our summer outings have always been one of the high points of any HGS employee’s year. Even if they were tired on the trip back, many could not stop talking about what had transpired during the day. The following day back in the office, conversations continued around the fun that had been had and how everyone performed during the day’s events. Many were even generous enough to share the photos they had taken during the event!
Summer outings like Splash are a favourite in HGS, not just because they mean a day off at the beach but more because they are an opportunity for the staff to develop new friendships and build on existing relationships in an exciting new environment away from the office. Our teams also get to see first-hand the effort and enthusiasm the HGS management team puts into these events to ensure they are fun, exciting and different to years prior. This all helps continue to build our excellent culture and ensure that staff feel like they belong to a company that genuinely appreciates and values their efforts.
HGS believes in the simple philosophy of putting its people first and events like Splash make this very tangible to the staff.
