All Associates' Day (1920s version)

Our chocolate factory was closed on the 26th February 2009. On this day when the sky was blue like any other days in Dubai, instead of following our usual route to work, we took a different road to Jumeirah Beach Hotel and gathered there for our All Associates' Day.

There were 2 parts of the whole day event. In the first part, we watched video shows and listened to presentations made by our senior managers. There was this calculative French man talking about money. An Italian man presenting our supply and stock in the pipelines. An Iraqi man presenting the latest statistics and strength of the army of our associates. A Pakistani man explaining about our sales engines ready to respond to any impulse. A Brazilian lady presenting our new innovative work and weapons of mass attraction. Then these senior managers and their team were at their respective booth to disclose the 5 must win battle in their functions. All other associates visited the booths were given the insight of the 2009 invasion plan of the market. Some of us challenged the plan. Others just listened. No doubt our company had moved on the opposite side of road, when some other companies were in a march towards hitting their bottom. Our strengths have been our readiness to be different from the beginning of our existence and our ability to maintain the difference. Yet we are aware that we are not recession-proof. We might get pinched soon as the result of the chain reaction. There was much talk about doing what is right, growing but feeling small, saving and becoming lean, having positive outlook amidst the gloomy setting. We are ready for any possibilities so long we stay strong together.

One of the many style of displays to illustrate the 5 must win battle in Talent Management

Our outdoor lunch

The second part of the event was the dinner. A week ago an email was sent with the following invitation. An invitation to get us back to the 1920s, the theme for the dinner.

On that night the guys dressed up, but with little effect to reflect the 1920s. The ladies were over the top to spice up the atmosphere. The food was great though served rather late. There was no professional entertainers' show, no diva singing . We cut unnecessary cost. Instead we can tell for sure Mars got talent and full of it. So we entertained ourselves with our own singing, dancing, acting, poem reciting and piano playing. In between the talent shows, we also had slides show of great photography showing images captured by associates in exotic places on earth. We had judges to award top 3 entertainers. At the end of all the shows, the tables and chairs were left cold and unoccupied as most of us transferred the heat to the dance floor. Some left early. Some danced shamelessly till midnight.

Mars opening dance

The Bedouin folks dance

The entertaining gypsies

The Bollywood singer

The Kenyan poet

The Russian ballerina

The Mars Masala Ensemble

The loud Arabs singing

The winning entertainer

The Malay and the Pinoys - same same but different

The dance floor warmers

The shy guys' parade to the dance floor

The crowded floor

"That's it....I'm out of here"