WINDHOEK – Nine Ohlthaver & List (O&L) 2014 Value Stars employees recently returned from a well-deserved educational and yet entertaining trip to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in South Africa. The trip was a gesture of appreciation for the hard work, commitment and passion of the employees.
“A success story works both ways and employer and employee are inter-dependent on each other. As the Best Company To Work For, we are adamant to recruit and retain only the best, the most passionate people who take immense pride in making a contribution wherever they are and whatever they undertake. For us it is vitally important to reward employees when they have performed well and take the Edutain as a learning and inspiration back to their workspace to live our purpose ‘Creating a future, enhancing life’,” said Sonja Thieme, O&L Group Manager for Employee Engagement.
Sonja says the trip was amazing in learning about the diversity of the beautiful KZN area – specifically the St Lucia Estuary and the Jozini Dam with its surrounding opportunities and culture. However, for Faustinos Penodino, who works at Kraatz Steel in Tsumeb, the most exciting part of the trip was the plane ride since he had never flown before.
“We would never be able to experience something like this on our own and I loved getting to know my colleagues and communicating with them. I also enjoyed learning about KwaZulu-Natal. It was great,” he said.
Josef Ipinge, better known as Oupa Frans of Namibia Dairies who works at the Mariental Superfarm said that the trip had been the best experience of his life. “I flew in a plane, which I never dreamt will happen to me. I went on a ship on the ocean, I stayed in a fancy hotel and even slept better than at home. Everything was wonderful, and so beautiful,” said Ipinge.
“This has been one of the greatest opportunities for me to lead such a wonderful group of people who really deserved to be rewarded with the Edutain trip. It was an honour for myself to be able to share in some memories that will enhance my colleagues’ lives, by guiding them into a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience. This experience has made me realize that everything is possible – each and every employee of the O&L Group can live their dream by working hard and being rewarded with an all-expenses paid trip such as the Edutain – it does not matter at which level you are within our O&L Group of Companies,” said Thieme.