The summer is just about done and so are all of those usual summer fun activities. Aside from the sports tournaments, clinics and practices, company events are also a common sight, with companies staging sportsfests, family outings and/or family days. These are annual events for many companies with the goal of providing its employees a break (stress-reliever) and another way to bond with fellow employees and other families of colleagues. The summer and Christmas are two periods when company-wide events like these are staged. While it’s always a Christmas party in December, the summer brings in a variety of activities for different companies. There’s the sportsfest which is like an intramurals for company employees. A family day outing is also organized where the company treats its employees and families to a trip to the beach or to a one-day sportsfest/fiesta.
This bleacher bum had the opportunity to work with the sportsfest of Convergys, one of the biggest BPOs in the land. And I must admit, it was an impressive one that was more than just a sportsfest, and which I wish other companies would also do for its employees. When we had discussed the sportsfest in its planning stage, I thought it would be a simple inter-division tournament, with games played every weekend, nothing more. But then this is where I was wrong. The Convergys “Younified Hugyaw” was a total package which started out with bang, played on at a high level, and ended with a big fiesta. Practically the whole company was involved, with employees competing for their respective teams (or sites). The big kick-off was a fun run for all sites or branches of Convergys. The set up was just as impressive as those regular runs or marathons with thousands running, music blaring and a mini fiesta held at the Cebu Business Park (Ayala grounds). If you weren’t aware of what was happening, you would’ve thought it was one of those open road race/runs. The fun run served as the opening ceremony of the sportsfest that ran from April to last weekend. Seven teams participated, divided according to site: Cebu One, Cebu 2/i3, TGU, J Centre, Banawa, Cebu Five, and Cebu i2. Games played every weekend were basketball and volleyball. Futsal was also played on the last two weekends of the two-month sportsfest. Uniforms were provided for all. Coaches were tapped from outside the company. Special ground rules were applied for volleyball and futsal where ladies were required to be part of the line-up. A minimum of two ladies had to be on the court at all times for all teams, while the rest were men. Another special house rule was that members of the Convergys team that competes in inter-BPO tournaments were regulated. A maximum of only two per team were allowed to be on the floor at any given time. This was to balance the competition and to give others a chance to play.
Just when I thought it would be more of a fun games type of a tournament, I was wrong. They were taking this very seriously. Games were intense and competitive. Game faces were a common sight. Athletes were diving for the ball and willing to sacrifice their bodies just to get a win. Games were tight and at times too hot, with players blowing their cool. News and updates were posted online via the company intranet service. But this was all part of the territory. Cheering squads were both colorful and loud; and got bolder and louder during the semifinals and finals. And it was all a lot of fun. When employees get together in an atmosphere outside of work, the mood is light, jovial, fun, and most-importantly stress-free.
When the dust cleared, Cebu 2/i3 came out on top in basketball after defeating top seed Cebu i2. Cebu i2 won the volleyball event, winning over Cebu One in four sets. Cebu One won the futsal championship with a win over Cebu 2/i3. It was a fitting end with three sites winning the three championships (vs. one site dominating all events). All championship games coincided with a big fiesta end to the sportsfest: a whole-day family day/fiesta that started with a holy mass, a parade, the championship games and an Itchyworms concert in the evening. The USPF campus was turned into a big fiesta land for this special day.
Over-all management of the event was led by Brian Lapinid of Convergys. Maricor Grace Obguia of MSG Events and Productions was the event manager. This bleacher bum was the Executive Commissioner. For officiating, we brought together officials from the Samahang Basektbol ng Pilipinas, Cebu Football Association and LVPI through the Cebu Spikers Volleyball Club. Commissioners were Jonathan Saso (basketball), Antonio Trebol (futsal) and Jessie Yungco (volleyball). This was in line with making sure that officiating was top-level. With teams taking the games seriously, the officiating crew had to be on its toes, this bleacher bum included. The HR department of Convergys took care of player eligibility.
The Convergys Younified Hugyaw was truly more than just a sportsfest. All bases were covered to ensure that the event met its objectives. Now I realize why companies are willing to invest in such events. On paper, it may not make any sense to spend so much for sports and a fiesta. And I doubt if other companies are doing this at all. But this one was well worth every cent.
You thinking of a company sportsfest? No need to think about it. Just do it.