Indian Expo

Recently, I blogged about how managers love any excuse to go to India to visit our office over there. Then they write a blog on their experience, stating how important it is for face-to-face collaboration in an office environment… before returning to the UK and telling us how working remotely from home is the modern way of working, and has no impact on efficiency.

They actually spend most of their blog writing about the local cuisine and the landmarks they saw; so it’s definitely a holiday and not a work trip at all.

I also wrote about The Expo, which is where the entire UK side of the company travelled to one location to watch many in-person presentations (which we could have just watched remotely like we normally do). Then when it is “business as usual“, managers are telling us to find ways to save money, and how we want to become a carbon-neutral business.

So after dumping loads of money into travel costs, hotel expenses, venue hire and catering for the Expo in the UK, they decide it would only be fair to host a similar thing in India… which means getting all the directors and senior managers to fly over there to do the presentations.

Obviously they used the opportunity to post a blog about the importance of face-to-face collaboration, Indian landmarks and cuisine.

Key phrases from their blog are as follows:

The India Office

• “I am amazed at how much we were able to accomplish”
• “India greeted us with its vibrant energy and diverse cultural heritage”
• “The workspace was a fantastic environment, promoting team collaboration and productivity”
• “Witnessing the teams working closely together was inspiring, and the entire place was abuzz with creativity and a real growth mindset”
• “The office boasted excellent facilities, including communal work areas, private group session rooms, a gym, nap rooms, massage chairs, a food court, and garden”.

Expo Day:

“The Expo day itself was an exhilarating experience, with a buzzing atmosphere and a large number of attendees”

“Representing the team on the stands was a humbling experience, as engagement levels were high and the audience had a deep understanding of our work, asking probing questions around aspects of safety, governance and our products.”

Cultural Experiences:

• Visiting the UNESCO heritage site at Mahabalipuram allowed us to witness the interplay between Hindu, Chinese, and Roman architectural styles in this historic trade centre.
• Learning about the story of Draupadi and understanding the long history of international collaboration.
• Our visit to DakshinaChitra cultural heritage site, highlighted the vastness of South India and its rich diversity.
• Meeting the skilled craftsmen and hearing them describe their trades first-hand provided a deeper appreciation for the diversity of people and their skills across the country.
• We learned about different rice and cooking methods for Biryani, and the amazing flavoursome vegetarian dish suggestions.