FLASHBACK: 2023 H.O.G Team Picnic Adventure

As the end of the year approaches, many member staff of HOG Marketplace look forward to celebrating a successful year with a relaxing and fun-filled outing. One popular option for such a celebration is organizing an end-of-the-year picnic at a beach. This provides an opportunity for everyone to unwind, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and bond with each other in a casual and laid-back setting.

A reflex thought on last year’s outing is gradually surging, and it’s bringing back the good memories, hence exuding the good feelings among teammates{funny enough even more than when the year started}. Smiles. One can never over-emphasize a great working environment like HOG Furniture.

A few months to December 2023, after a careful plan on budgeted needs from food, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses, the 16th of December 2023 was eventually fixed as the D-day, which saw all team members being chauffered from the mainland to the Island{this time around not for furniture deliveries to hotel managers}, but for an entire unwind exercise.

Interesting, right? Yes!

Exactly 7:30 am to 8: 00 am on the said date, the chauffeur was already on standby waiting for the staff members at the HOG Headquarters in Ogun State. After a few minutes, everybody was already inside the bus to begin the journey, and not after we had a short prayer session.

Zoommmmmmmm……….!. Off we went!

The journey from Otta City, the now Megacity in Ogun State, not due to its population alone, but for the infrastructural improvements over time, especially the smooth multiple road networks around our axis, made the inter-state movement seamless.

At exactly 9 am, we were able to find our way to the largest bridge in the country{The Third Mainland Bridge}. This indicated to us that we were a few minutes to the Island. The nomads {The logistics team who frequented this axis} wore a look of appreciation as they reminisced on the countless times their movement around this route, and now their first time of not having any business to do with handling the steering or navigating the traffic on the highway.

Oh, my bad! I still haven’t mentioned to you the beach we chose, right?

It took us a 45-minute drive before we got to Barracuda Beach at Ajah. Upon arriving at our location, we were greeted with a large population of young and old, as these individuals in their respective groups representing various establishments all came prepared to enjoy themselves.

Entering the beach gave us a special feel away from the everyday norm we were used to. The soothing sound of the waves, the warm sand beneath our feet, and the invigorating sea breeze all contributed to creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere for us.

After we found the right sitting position to make sure that we enjoyed the serenity that the beach offers, we never lost grip of the authentic and vibrating sounds from the speakers spanning different music genres being dished out by the disc jockey. This setting not only helped to de-stress, clear our minds, but also recharge our energy levels.

The food is another aspect of the journey one can never forget to mention. We had different Nigerian cuisines, from Jollof rice, roasted chicken, and other favorites to nourish our bodies. While this continued, we were open to beautiful conversations, hence strengthening relationships.

While moving away from the sedentary lifestyle we were all known for, for several months in the year, we needed to detour! We were found doing some physical exercises, from football and swimming, while others engaged in photoshoot sessions and some just sunbathed!

To us, apart from the social benefits of promoting a sense of camaraderie and teamwork among us, it promotes physical well-being as well.

We are all looking forward to a more enriching and memorable moment this year, in December!

In conclusion, an end-of-the-year picnic at a beach can provide a perfect opportunity for member staff to relax, socialize, and appreciate the beauty of nature. It also offers a chance to reflect on the year’s accomplishments, strengthen relationships, and recharge for the upcoming tasks. 

This article is part of the HOGDigest editorial series.
Originally written by [Olatunji Olasehane] and republished with permission.

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