Author: Tessa van Barneveld, Branding Committee
Young Rabo Singapore got off to a slow start in 2020, no thanks to the ‘volatility’ and ‘uncertainty’ brought about by the global pandemic which forced the bank to adapt to a new normal of ‘working from home’.
Starting in October 2019, we had good traction when we held a DISC personality workshop for participants to reflect on their own behavioral patterns and working style so as to improve their communication and contribution at the workplace. Building on that momentum, we also held networking sessions with the Digital Transformation Office (DTO) to find out more about what Rabobank is doing in terms of our digital & innovation strategy, and with our Asia CEO Diane Boogaard on the wider Asia strategy.
The Singapore committee had ambitious plans to grow the community, foster teambuilding, and organize more networking events with senior colleagues. Unfortunately, these have been put on hold indefinitely and we hope to start these once it is safe to do so.
Nevertheless, with disruption also comes opportunity! Thanks to modern technology, Young Rabo Singapore organized its inaugural online event on 23 July – Navigating a pandemic: How to upskill and grow with Rabobank. The event saw more than 55 participants from China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore and the Netherlands tuning in to hear Tessa de Haas from Global Learning & Development share about the 12 Rabobank skills, and 5 distinguished panelists (Harjan Kuiper, Karen Yu, Daniel Kong, Cedric Chaudron, Geraldine Lim) sharing their thoughts on negotiation, storytelling and emotional intelligence amid a pandemic. On a personal front, this was an extremely enriching experience where I honed my hosting and moderating skills, and felt that I was truly living out the Rabobank values!
While the current circumstances limit us on what events what we can organize, I believe this pandemic has also allowed the Young Rabo international community to come closer together, narrowing ‘social distance’ gaps while still remaining ‘safely distant’.
I am definitely excited for more of what’s to come and am looking forward to all the upcoming events. Stay safe & hope to see you all soon!
Cheers,
On behalf of Young Rabo Singapore
Cephas
