Here’s how the Vero team unwinds and enjoys a well-deserved break away from our work desks!
Work hard, play harder – well, at least when the work is done. Agency life is no joke – the high demand for creativity, tight deadlines, and back-and-forth revisions, to name a few stressors.
At Vero, we’re all about delivering top-notch service to our clients, but this doesn’t mean our team members come second. From implementing our unlimited leave benefit to our work-where-you-thrive approach, we recognize that fostering employee happiness and relaxation empowers them to carry out their finest work.
But it’s not all that we offer! Our offsite teambuilding activities are always one for the books. We take teams to places far from their work desks – where they can soak in the sunlight, enjoy the outdoor breeze, and indulge in carefree fun and friendly competitions, rekindling spirits and forging deeper bonds.
This year, the island of Bali in Indonesia, Ho Tram town in Vietnam, Antipolo in the Philippines, and Bangkok in Thailand played host to our memorable and fun-filled team bonding moments.
The big smiles, delectable feasts, and some competitive faces are just a few of what makes these activities rewarding and unforgettable.
Vietnam Squad at The Grand Ho Tram Strip
About a three-hour bus ride from Saigon, the coastal town of Ho Tram is one of Vietnam’s most idyllic beach destinations.
The Vietnam squad enjoyed every moment of their stay at The Grand Ho Tram Strip – from the beach-facing rooms, a buffet breakfast that’s worth waking up early to, to the fine sand and refreshing waters, the team spent three days recharging from the hectic work on the first half of the year.
Despite the unpredictable weather, the team had a blast with games that strengthened teamwork, camaraderie, and a healthy sense of competition.
And what better way to spend the last night in Ho Tram than a sumptuous buffet dinner with an entertaining lotto game with Saigon Tan Thoi!
Philippines Squad tests teamwork in Antipolo
The Philippine team is Vero’s youngest – but they are one of our strongest! Their July teambuilding activity proved their physical and mental strength and team solidarity at Phillip’s Sanctuary in Antipolo.
The team of ten balanced on logs and ropes, crawled through the mud, jumped through tires, and did a centipede race – all under the rain. The two-day activity, while physically tiring, provided profound lessons about listening and strategizing, concentration, collaboration, and humility.
It was a trip to remember. The things they’ve learned and the bond they’ve made will surely gear Vero Philippines toward more success!
Indonesia Squad’s Bali Escapade
There’s no doubt Bali is a tourist favorite, but even our Vero Squad in Indonesia finds the “island of the gods” the perfect venue to eat, laugh, and bond!
Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort, one of the island’s top luxury resorts, welcomed the team for a three-day retreat. With activities ranging from refreshing morning yoga to snorkeling adventures and a serene beachside picnic, the squad emerged not only rejuvenated but also tightly united.
However short, the trip to Bali was a much-needed break from deadlines and the agency life pressure (although everyone still had to respond to client emails 😊). The trip also allowed the team to talk about things other than work and get to know each other beyond their roles.
Thailand Squad Sports Day in Bangkok
Vero’s Bangkok office has the most members, so it’s sometimes hard to see and talk with everyone. The ‘Vero Play’ event was a perfect day to bond through team sports, where everyone not only connected but also unleashed their inner competitive spirit.
The squad was split into four different teams for a whole day of badminton tournament at The Racquet Club in the beautiful city of Bangkok. With rackets in hand, shuttlecocks flying, and loud cheers from the sidelines, each team displayed remarkable skills and incredible teamwork.
And of course, nothing beats indulging in an al fresco moo krata after an adrenaline-filled day!
Before the pandemic forced workplaces to practice flexibility in how and where employees work, companies practicing hybrid work were often called “forward-thinkers,” though their policies were met with more skepticism than enthusiasm.
But with the unprecedented and persistent global disruptions that continue to unfold – the pandemic, the worsening climate crisis, the emergence of generative AI, and ongoing economic and geopolitical instabilities – those forward-thinking policies have become the playbook for survival.
The way we work is undergoing a profound revolution, and there is no stopping it – we must embrace and adapt to it or fall behind. From shifting to a hybrid work setup to fostering productivity through advanced technologies to taking collective responsibility for more sustainable practices, it is evident that what was recently considered “the future of work” is already with us.
The future of work was at the center of discussion at the Singapore Business Federation Forum in Hanoi, Vietnam, in July. Vero’s VP for Culture Vu Quan Nguyen-Masse, joined the panel discussion to provide insights into how the marketing and communications industry can better prepare for what is ahead and invest more in reskilling their workforce for resilience.
Here are some of the key takeaways from Vu Quan’s talk.
As the workplace evolves, the workforce adapts
A report by the World Economic Forum has predicted that AI adoption will create 69 million new jobs by 2027 while simultaneously causing the displacement of 87 million jobs. The changing landscape of jobs is testing industries around the world. But there is good news: businesses investing in supporting the shift to the jobs of the future through education, reskilling, and fostering environments that encourage analytical thinking and creativity will demonstrate resilience.
As we at Vero adapt to these shifts, we are learning to develop new dedicated specializations to innovate new products. For example, the role of knowledge managers in facilitating the exchange of ideas is becoming more prominent. We are also seeing culture and governance leaders who are critical in coordinating change and reinventing policies for a positive and future-proof work culture.
We have also pushed forward a cultural agenda to create the conditions for curiosity and entrepreneurship to happen at any level of the company. By breaking down information silos, we created cross-boundary forums and facilitated knowledge-sharing, leading to organic initiatives being taken even in our smaller, more junior teams. We overcame limitations in skills and capacities by encouraging peer-to-peer mentoring and building task forces across departments and borders. The result is an increase in the effective creation of new tools and methodologies.
Agility and cohesion can coexist – and they should
The growing emphasis on genuine sustainability communications and the integration of generative AI are seen as threats by traditionalists. But businesses that recognize these trends as inevitable forces of workplace revolution will see in them opportunities for growth.
To do so, they must enable agility and cohesion to coexist, which is more challenging than it may sound, as too much of one can lead to the undoing of the other. It is especially important to manage the pace of disruptions, such as AI and sustainability, by formalizing a culture practice as an expansion of Operations rather than HR.
Operations must be agile, but we should be careful not to stretch the organization apart in ways that hurt productivity and morale. By aligning policies, infrastructure, and programs with the organization’s unique needs and objectives, leaders can ensure that agility serves as a strategic advantage rather than a source of disarray. This approach empowers employees to navigate change effectively, enhances overall performance, and strengthens the organization’s ability to stay competitive and collaborative in dynamic environments.
Make work make sense
Workplace culture can be extraordinarily complex and diverse, and companies have the responsibility to make sure they hear from all the different employee profiles – what motivates them, what makes them anxious, and how the company can help foster an environment that inspires them to thrive.
In a world of remote work and other new business practices, it is vital to communicate about culture and values during the hiring process to see if the employer and prospective employee share the same aspirations. This responsibility has shifted to leadership, wherein the role of the leaders is no longer centered on control of employee performance but rather on providing employees with context and purpose.
As new generations join the workforce, they will bring with them new sets of skills, mindsets, and work values. For high skills, high performance, and entrepreneurship to translate into success, it is fundamental to “make work make sense” to every talent in the organization. Acknowledge complexity, aim for simplicity and clarity, and offer kindness and perspective, and the talents of tomorrow will fill your ranks.