GK Employee Appreciation Week 2022 under way

Happy employees make successful companies.

This was the perspective shared by Don Wehby, CEO of GraceKennedy (GK) Group, during the company’s ‘Devotion with a Difference’, which kicked off GK’s Employee Appreciation Week (EAW) activities on Monday (May 16).

The special 100th anniversary (GK100) inter-faith edition of GK’s groupwide devotion was streamed live on GK’s YouTube channel to an online audience of more than 400 GK team members from around the world.

Wehby was effusive in his praise of the GK team during the event, who, he exclaimed, are “simply the best!” 

Said Wehby: “GK’s employees are our greatest assets. We cannot count how many things we have to be grateful for at GraceKennedy, but today, as in fact every day, I give special thanks for each of you – our GK team.”

Speaking to the significance of the GK team’s role in company’s success, Wehby shared a quote from Japanese poet, Ryonosuke Sataro – “Individually, we are one drop.  Together, we are an ocean.”

He also expressed his happiness at GK’s many accomplishments over the past century and pledged to continue efforts to make GK “the happiest place in the world to work”.

The GK100 ‘Devotion with a Difference’ featured an inspiring vocal performance by a praise and worship quintet, comprised of GK team members.

The event also incorporated messages, religious readings and prayers from GK team members from representing Christian, Muslim and Hindu faiths.

Reverend Dr Stevenson Samuels, guest speaker at the devotion, delivered an energetic and motivational message, encouraging the GK team to “mark great moments, meditate on great miracles, make great mentions, in order to move into great mastery”.

‘AN HONOUR TO LEAD THIS TEAM’

Jamaican gospel artiste Jermaine Edwards then brought the curtains down on the proceedings, performing several of his popular hits, accompanied by the Island Worship Band.

GraceKennedy began celebrating its annual Employee Appreciation Week in 2014. Throughout the week, GK’s subsidiaries around the world, supported by their respective human resources teams, host special activities for GK team members to demonstrate the company’s gratitude for their dedication and commitment.

In his final comments to the virtual audience, Wehby addressed the GK team directly, saying: “It is such an honour to lead this team of exceptional individuals in this, our 100th year. As we approach the next century and our 2030 vision, your work will help write the chapters of GraceKennedy in the future. Our story is your story. The best is yet to come.”