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Distributing lai see, extra time off – here are some ways The Aberdeen Marina Club, DHL Express, ZA International, CBRE, and McDonald’s spend joyful time with their employees, as Tracy Chan finds out.
Kung Hei Fat Choy everyone!
We believe you have had some quality time celebrating with your family and loved ones during the Chinese New Year (CNY) days. As most of us are returning to the office after the holiday, let’s not stop the festival vibes and continue the celebrations in the office!
This is a perfect time for us to share our blessings with our colleagues, express our gratitude for their efforts and contributions, and celebrate the shared success in the coming years.
HRO's Tracy Chan is delighted to talk to The Aberdeen Marina Club, DHL Express Hong Kong, ZA International, CBRE Hong Kong and McDonald’s Hong Kong to see how these companies celebrate togetherness and camaraderie with their employees during this joyful festival.
The Aberdeen Marina Club
The membership-based private club has prepared a wide range of activities to celebrate the festival with its employees, such activities include:
- Gathering colleagues to write ‘Fai Chun’, also known as ‘New Year Couplets’, and exchanging blessings and well wishes.
- Writing personalised handwritten ‘thank-you’ notes expressing gratitude for colleagues’ hard work and contributions.
- Giving a red envelope filled with a token of appreciation which symbolises good luck and prosperity to each colleague.
- Placing a collection box for the used red envelopes, which will be sent to Greeners Actions for recycling, to protect the environment and encourage colleagues to give back to create a sense of fulfilment.
- Organising a sumptuous meal to celebrate Chinese New Year in its employee restaurant, providing an opportunity for everyone to gather and enjoy delicious food and immerse themselves in the festive spirit.
- Releasing employees early from work allows them to spend quality time with their families and celebrate the festivities.
- Having a Lion Dance performance together with the God of Fortune typically on the second day of CNY, as both will usher around the club and offices to give blessings to the club members and colleagues.
“As we celebrate Chinese New Year, let us take a moment to reflect on the wonderful journey we have embarked upon together,” shares Ellie Chan, Director of Human Resources, The Aberdeen Marina Club, with her colleagues.
“May the Year of the Dragon bring you and your loved ones an abundance of happiness, good health, and prosperity.”
DHL Express Hong Kong
The logistics company places significant emphasis on employee engagement, particularly during festive occasions. Here's how DHL celebrates CNY:
- Hosting a CNY decorations workshop where employees shared tips on folding Chinese paper fans using red pockets.
- Early release on the eve of Chinese New Year – a half-day of work, allowing employees to prepare for the reunion dinner with their families.
- Distributing red pockets for employees returning to work after the CNY holiday, as a gesture of luck and festive joy.
- Holding a traditional roast pig cutting ceremony in its head office and service centers to usher in the year of the Dragon.
“DHL deeply values our employees' wellbeing and work-life balance. The Chinese New Year is an especially important occasion for all of us. It marks the start of the new year where we welcome opportunities and wish one another good luck. On the eve of Chinese New Year, we grant our employees an early release for them to spend quality time with their loved ones. We have also planned various activities to celebrate the festive season," says Connie Chan, Vice President, Human Resources, DHL Express Hong Kong.
"We hope our employees can take this time to rest, recharge, and enjoy this joyous period. We believe only happy, well-rested employees are primed to deliver the top-notch service DHL is known for.”
ZA International
The digital insurer has rolled out a series of employee benefits for its subsidiaries (ZA Bank, ZA Insure and ZA Tech) to celebrate the Chinese New Year, as well as to encourage its team to save money for a prosperous year ahead. The benefits include:
- Drawing one lucky employee for an HK$10,000 prize for his/her personal “Savings Pot” at ZA Bank, echoing the traditional concept of “keeping the piggy bank full” at the beginning of the new year.
- Distributing an HK$1,000 red packet from the management team to each employee through the e-Lai See feature of the ZA Bank App. Staff members can also use the in-app function to send New Year’s greetings to the management, relatives and friends.
- With Valentine’s Day falling on the fifth day of the Year of the Dragon, all Hong Kong staff members can enjoy an extra holiday with their loved ones and return to work the next day, which is deemed an auspicious day for starting work this year.
"We would like to express our sincere gratitude for our colleagues' unwavering dedication. While we constantly strive to elevate user experiences, we also place great importance on the wellbeing of our valued team members, as we strongly believe that happy employees lead to satisfied customers,” affirms Wayne Xu, ZA International President.
“That’s why we are delighted to announce an extra Valentine's Day holiday, an internal lucky draw to foster a good saving habit with the latest savings product 'Savings Pot', as well as the fourth consecutive year of distributing HK$1,000 red packets, symbolising prosperity and goodwill. We wish everyone a fantastic Year of the Dragon, filled with good fortune, health and success!”
CBRE Hong Kong
The commercial real estate services and investments firm has different initiatives to create a workplace where people can thrive in the new year of the Dragon, which include:
- Having vibrant celebrations in the offices, including Lion Dance, red packets and roasted pig cutting, to invite good fortune and prosperity.
- Encouraging colleagues to set goals at the beginning of the year to make the year count.
- Undergoing a remarkable office transformation to curate an environment where creativity thrives, collaboration blooms, and inspiration dances through for colleagues.
- Hosting an exclusive mental health session featuring the Olympic swimmer Camille Cheng, who shared her journey on navigating uncertainties, conquering setbacks, and emerging to be stronger, as well as her top tips for building mental resilience.
"At CBRE, people are the backbone of our organisation," Tina Cheung, Head of People, CBRE Hong Kong, tells HRO.
"As we step into the Year of the Dragon, we’re committed to fostering employee engagement, nurturing career growth, and safeguarding wellbeing."
McDonald’s Hong Kong
The fast-food restaurant chain has been striving to create a positive and friendly working environment for employees, and has expressed its gratitude for the dedication and commitment of the McFamily in the past year through the following ways:
- Distributing HK$500 red packets to 10,000 McFamily members (continuous contract staff) before Lunar New Year.
- Hosting an employee annual dinner in February at the AsiaWorld-Expo for three consecutive nights, showing appreciation to nearly 8,000 employees.
“We extend our gratitude to our dedicated McFamily members for creating countless joyous moments for the customers. As the Year of the Dragon approaches, we express our appreciation by offering McFamily with auspicious red packets to uplift their spirits and celebrate the Lunar New Year together," says Randy Lai, CEO of McDonald’s Hong Kong.
"We aim to build on last year’s success, striving for excellence while upholding our brand mission to create happy moments and positive values to our customers and the community.”
Lead image / 123RF
Photos / Provided
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