“Next to excellence is the appreciation of it” – William Makepeace Thackeray

Excellence & Employee Motivation are two subjective terms, which are fueled by many different attributes. When an employee shows outstanding performance, it makes him feel accomplished, but when s/he earns some sort of appreciation on the same achievement, it pushes them to achieve a high level of employee satisfaction along with a sense of focus & determination to perform even better next time.

In order to acknowledge the achievements of Jazz & Warid teams for the last one year, the Telco Operations team at Lahore planned a 5-Day Adventure Tour to Hunza, Khunjerab Pass (China Border), Nagar & Naltar Valley. It was a company-sponsored recreational trip, comprising of 20 individuals, including Director Operations, Senior Manager & all the Asst. Managers along with the top three supervisors of their respective teams.

The journey began from Lahore around 10:00 PM on September 22, 2017. A coaster full of energy and enthusiasm left for its first destination that was Naran Valley. The team’s passion to explore the astounding valleys of Hunza made the journey even more exciting. Everyone was thrilled to be a part of this adventurous expedition, which was first of its kind at IBEX Global. During the journey from Naran to Hunza Valley, short stays were arranged at famous tourist points such as Babusar Top, Lulusar Lake, and viewpoint of the three mountain ranges & Nanga Parbat.

The team finally reached its Basecamp: A famous resort in Hunza. The resort exhibited a spectacular and breathtaking view from its lawn. Endless mountain sequences, greenery, tranquility and the pleasant weather, each aspect of this valley added colors to its beauty and to the travelers’ experience. At night, a BBQ party was organized for the whole team, where they enjoyed Yak meat & grilled chicken around a bonfire. Few male members of the team danced their hearts out along with some locals, whereas as females encouraged them by hooting and clapping while enjoying their performances. Soon after which the team enjoyed the comforts of a cozy room, most of the male team members spent the night camping in weather specific tents, which had several modern amenities such as lights and even power sockets for charging cell phones.

The next whole day was dedicated to the exploration and rock climbing activities. The day began with a stopover at an ancient site around 1100 years old, Altit Fort, which makes it the oldest monument in the Gilgit–Baltistan region. After visiting the fort, the team hiked at Hopper Glacier at Nagar Valley. On their way back, the team stopped for dinner at a restaurant at the famous Karimabad Bazar where they enjoyed the local food & did shopping. On the third day, the team left for Khunjerab Top (China Border) along with sightseeing at Hussaini Bridge also known as ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Bridge’, Passu Cones, Batura Glacier & Sost Border Village on the way. On the fourth day, the journey back from Hunza valley towards Baltit Fort & Naltar valley and the beautiful seven colors lake, also known as ‘Satrangi Lake’ began. After breakfast, the team was excited to see the ancient fort, which was founded in the eighth CE and about 700 years old. A short stopover for photography on the way at Rakaposhi View Point was organized. The amazing landscape at Rakaposhi Viewpoint proved to be a perfect selfie spot for all. Special Desi lunch was organized at a local restaurant on the way and everyone enjoyed the special traditional dish “Shobsoro” along with “Elaichi kewa”, which is considered as the trademark of this valley. On reaching the destination, everyone freshened up and went out to explore the beauty of Naltar Valley. A dinner was organized at the resort in Naltar, which is known for their famous chef and their recipes. Since it was the last day at the valley, the team decided not to sleep and spend the whole night next to a bonfire while enjoying a hot local coffee with some great music. Last day was spent in traveling and the journey ended early Thursday morning when the bus reached IBEX’s Lahore office.

A five days’ journey of dreams, hopes and aspirations may have come to an end but left an everlasting mark on the hearts of those, who were part of it. Those memories, team bonding moments, smiles, giggles, support, care & love will always remain there. In this way, it marked the end of IBEX first-ever Performance Appreciation trip.

Feedback from the Trip Enthusiasts:

• “Hunza was an extraordinary place with great people, great weather and packed with natural beauty. I loved to travel to Naltar. Thanks to IBEX for a great trip!” Ali Sarfraz – Supervisor Operations
• “Superb people, fantastic journey and fascinating sceneries! This trip was the most memorable trip of my life so far. I have no words to explain it.” Ghissan Fiaz Butt– Supervisor Operations
• “I was very Blissful when I heard that I had been selected to receive the Away day Reward” Nouman Anwer – Supervisor Operations
• “It’s my best achievement in life that I was selected for a beautiful trip.” Umer Arshad – Supervisor Operationsli>
• “Getting Selected for that marvelous trip was really an honor for me and has boosted the morale” Syed Zeeshan Haider – Supervisor Operation
• “Reward & recognition has been the crux of this tour. Twenty fully motivated employees and the Hunza Valley made the best combination which has provided us with some unforgettable memories ” Syed Ahmad Javaid – AM Operations
• “It was a spectacular and memorable experience, simply superb!” Mubashar Talal – AM Operations
• “The scenic views at Hunza and Naltar were very soothing and it was a nice break from the daily routine. Best part of the trip – No cell phone coverage! ” Tehreem Fatima – AM Operations

Contributed by:

Fatima Khawaja

HR Business Analyst

HRBP Team - PK