A Special Day Off for all our Grabbers

It’s been an unprecedented two years for everyone. With constant adjustments to restrictions, adapting to new ways of living all while juggling the stresses of life and work, we recognised that a day of unwinding for our people was much needed. So aligned with Global Mental Health Awareness Day on 10 October, we implemented a Grab-wide day off on 8 October. We held off the work and the meetings. We switched off our work apps and devices. We unplugged and unwound, to refresh and recharge .

And relax we did. The activity on Slack, our main work communication channel, decreased by over 65%! Of course, being Southeast Asia’s leading superapp, our number one responsibility is to keep our platform up and running for the millions of users and partners who depend on us. This is why we had a core group of our Grabbers (what we call ourselves at work!) from Tech Support, GrabSupport, Technology Solutions, Operations, Public Affairs and Facilities who operated in split teams, with Team A taking 8 October off and Team B taking 11 October – both teams enjoying a long weekend!

After coming back rejuvenated, we caught up with Grabbers from all over the world on how they spent the long weekend recharging, and how they would summarise their Special Day Off in three words.

Kimberly’s nursery for her newborn

A Special Milestone

Kimberly Sarah Xavier, Regional Head of Safety and Quality; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

“The Grab Special Day Off officially marks Day 1 of my first-ever maternity leave! I headed to a doctor’s visit, before putting final touches to the nursery in anticipation of welcoming my little one into the world. We’re counting down the days as he’s due anytime over the next week.”

Londo and his daughter at home

Rejoice, Reward and Reflect

Londo Moore, Head, People Operations; Seattle, USA

“I run in the morning to clear my mind and help reduce stress, and I spend quality time with friends and family who fill me with love and laughter. On the Special Day Off, I started by addressing my physical well-being over a round of golf with friends. In the afternoon, I fired up the grill and enjoyed quality time at home with my kids and family.”

Sulin training her foster dog 

Do. Something. Silly.

Sulin Lau, Regional Country Marketing Head; Singapore

“I spent 8 October doing random mundane stuff with my current foster dogs, including trying to get them used to doggy toothbrushes and toothpaste. Both Winnie and Airby are rescued strays-in-training and still looking for adopters (follow their training diary on Instagram @airbylearns) On off days, i like to be busy doing something silly – like slogging through a mud  forest or trying to cook something unnecessarily complicated like a Hello Kitty-shaped panna cotta, My friends and I once did a 24-hour coast-to-coast walk across Singapore for laughs. Sweating through something thoroughly useless is absurdly joyful.”

Anurag recharging through music

Surprising. Rejuvenating. Grateful.

Anurag Saikia, Senior Software Engineer, Backend; Bangalore, India

“I spent the long weekend at my grandma’s. She is one of my favourite people on Earth so it’s always nice to spend time with her. Also, the food there is the best! All in all, it was three days well spent. I usually recharge by singing and playing the keyboard. When I’m in the zone, I find myself composing tunes of my own. Besides that, I love to play tennis, so I make sure to never miss my two-hour sessions on the court everyday.”

Grace’s son in a car ride on Grab Special Day Off

Joyful. Grateful. Special.

Grace Vera Cruz, Managing Director; Manila, Philippines

“I like to recharge by travelling to familiar places but since that’s not possible now, I take walks, watch shows, and drive around and eat takeout food in the car. This Special Day Off I spent time playing with my boys – we went to the park and the airport to watch the airplanes. Being silly with my kids is always fun and good for the soul.”

Kenneth and his daughter roasting marshmallows after dinner

Renewed. Reset. Recharged.

Kenneth Wong, Head Engineering, Deliveries; Beijing, China

“While my daughter and I spent the Grab Special Day Off, my wife was unfortunately still working. This meant I got to spend the day with my favourite lady in the whole wide world! We played video games (Monster Hunter Stories!) in the morning before going grocery shopping to make a great roast dinner. We ended off the day with toasted marshmallows on our bedroom balcony.”

Beata during her long-weekend road trip to the Brasov/Bran area

Happy and optimistic

Beata Tautan-Jancso, Software Engineering Manager; Geo, Cluj, Romania

I went on a road trip to the Brasov/Bran area with my husband on 8 October. We visited the Bran Castle, a national monument in Transylvania. We were lucky to arrive before the castle closed and there were only a few people in front of us visiting. I find the easiest way to disconnect from work is to run or read a good book. Running helps to reduce my stress levels and better focus on daily tasks. On the weekends, if the weather permits, I usually hike or go on a road trip with my husband. Hiking is the perfect way for me to explore a new place.

We’re inspired and motivated by every one of our unique Grabbers, in and out of work. If you share our same vision of driving Southeast Asia forward, check out our open roles at Grab.careers now.