Although most schools and colleges do host alum gatherings, not many companies do. Harbinger alums, however, continue to experience a community feeling that lasts way beyond their tenure in the company. This was quite evident at the 2018 edition of Harbinger Group Alum Networking event last week, when the evening party at YASHADA lawns in Pune drew a sizeable crowd.
As the host called a show of hands for people who became alumni in 2017, then 2016, then the year before, and so forth, the count had to go back all the way to 1998 to locate the earliest alum who was present at the meet. She won a round of applause and a prize too—a fidget spinner! The runner up lost her prize only by a couple of months. I hope she did not regret having stayed with the company a bit longer.
Our memories make us who we are. That evening I myself must have talked to about a hundred people. Without exception, every person was taking me back to the times when we worked together, had fun, and learned new things. Our collective memory makes such gatherings totally worthwhile.
In addition, it’s a great feeling when someone whom you knew as a trainee engineer tells you she is a senior architect in a tech company, someone who was a sales rep hands you a business card that says he is a company founder, or someone who was learning the ropes of marketing is now a strategy advisor. The learning, development, and success of alums means a lot to me.
And of course, the Alum Networking Event was a great opportunity for everyone to catch up on what is new and latest at Harbinger. We could share the stories of Harbinger’s rapid growth, new software innovations, the success of brand Harbinger, and most importantly, the difference we are making for our customers. Those were proud moments for me and my colleagues as we talked to past teammates.
I was trying to sum up the feelings I was experiencing as all these emotions shot through my mind. Finally, the one liner occurred to me in a flash. So here it is.
I was looking forward to a new year for a future-ready organization that cherishes its memories of past team members.
