For business process outsourcing (BPO) employees, Saturday mornings are usually spent sleeping – rightfully so after a night shift. But for Rowena, sleep could wait on August 28 as she stayed up late to join a virtual event that engaged her and the rest of her family.
“It was a spectacular and amazing experience,” said Rowena. “I can confidently say Afni threw the best virtual party for my family and me!”
Rowena talked about the Afni Family Day – a staple event that U.S.-based BPO company Afni has held annually since 2014. Afni started with just a handful of agents when it first expanded in the Philippines in 2012, and as its workforce grew to thousands, so do its engagement events.
A celebration of the ‘Afni family’
“Our first Family Day was in 2014, and we did that in the office basement,” recalled Vice President for Philippine Operations Khalid Khursheed during his opening remarks. “We couldn’t organize one last year due to the pandemic, but this year, it shouldn’t stop us anymore from doing this event for you.”
Afni Philippines, Inc. President Doug Jones thanked the over 14,000 viewers for joining the event, which he said acknowledged their work.
“It’s been a difficult 17 months but thank you for your support and for working with us,” said Doug. “It’s been a tough time, but please know that the Afni leadership is all in to support you and your family.”
But the Afni Family Day is more than just rewarding the employees’ work. It’s a celebration of what matters most to Afni – the “Afni family,” according to Vice President for Global Human Resources Cindy Blackburn.
“Each one of you is an amazing employee. This is the day that we celebrate all you’ve done for Afni and our clients,” said Cindy. “We also celebrate your families. Your families are integral in what you do, and they contribute to your success, and ultimately to the success of Afni.”
‘Afnimazing’ entertainment, fun, and lots and lots of prizes
The company spent over PHP1.8 million in prizes given away before and during the Afni Family Day event.
The prizes were mainly e-vouchers worth PHP5,000 to PHP10,000 and gadgets such as smartphones, laptops, and even electric scooters. But the cherry on top were the appliance showcases; entertainment showcases, which included a 50” smart TV, a soundbar, and a PlayStation 5; and the grand prize – a brand new Honda Click 150i for two lucky employees.
“This is it! Thank you, Afni,” posted Afni employee Jayrhamae on social media after winning an iPad Pro 11 during the virtual event.
“I honestly didn’t expect to win,” said Danesa, who won a Honda Click 150i. “It surprised me that I was also qualified to join because I’m a new employee, but I’m glad Afni is inclusive. The Family Day was an Afnimazing experience indeed!”
Aside from big prizes, the event was also big on entertainment. Organizers secured exclusive performances from today’s most sought-after artists, including The Itchyworms, Gigi de Lana, and Asia’s Phoenix Morisette.
Meanwhile, Magnifico and Ruther and Titoy performed magic tricks and puppet shows, respectively, arranged especially for children of employees watching from home.
“I feel so blessed that I belong in a company that advocates for a culture of #FamilyMatters,” said another winning employee Cathy. “Afni has been helping us employees in this time of the pandemic, and yet it was still able to organize an amazing virtual activity like this. It shows how family-centered we are here.”
More to come
Senior Director for Human Resources Melanie Lara assured employees that “more engagement activities of this kind are in the pipeline, especially now that Afni continues to grow rapidly.”
“We still have the rest of the year to look forward to with our upcoming employee engagement activities,” said Mel. “We have the Customer Service Week, HallowScream, and the Snowflake Tree. We also have our upcoming town halls where you can share your thoughts on how we can better improve our engagement activities.”
Afni is expected to open a new site at SM City Fairview next year and is already looking for a new location outside of Metro Manila. Hiring, meanwhile, has been non-stop with a new and improved recruitment hub now operational in Quezon City.
