This week has been pretty fantastic - maybe even more so than the previous ones!

My data analysis project really progressed this week after the long awaited meeting with finance. My team leader and I were able to sit down, discuss our intentions and ideas with Kent who then confirmed my analysis was valid which was a great thing to hear! This project will result in increased levels of efficiency between the HR departments across APAC as it enables them to cut out a few unnecessary steps in the long and arduous process of collating a whole lot of country analysis data in to one brief scorecard summary! It will also save them a lot of time which could be spent on more pressing matters in the compensation and benefit team and to be able to say I have helped in this a great deal is a real privilege!

I have made a lot of great friends in the office and Bhupinder - HR Business Partner - was even kind enough to bake me her infamous and delicious chocolate chip and coconut homemade cupcakes this week! We had spoke over lunch about our passions and hers turned out to be cooking which then led on to her offering to bake some for me but I never thought that a person as busy as Bhupinder would ever have the time or the energy after a day in the Regional Office HR team! They turned out to be amazing and I really think she is in the wrong profession with those cooking skills hidden away!

Another really kind gesture was that of Flora who is in the HR team (not sure of her proper role title) and was sent to Hong Kong for the week to help the team there. She arrived back today with some beautiful gifts for us all and had bought me the most gorgeous pinky pashmina shawl ever to wear!

It was so kind of Flora and Bhupinder to give me gifts like that so this has made it even more difficult to think about saying goodbye to the team!

After completing the task of finalising the monthly HR scorecard I was met by the Vice President of HR for APAC (Julie) and she instantly asked who was it who completed the scorecard this month. All of a sudden I felt like I was about to hear some dreadful error I had made and surprisingly she said it was a really good job and even added that it was much better than my team leaders hehe I highly doubt she was serious though but it’s really nice to hear that I am having a positive impact on the company and team during my time here.

So skipping back to the discussed meeting with finance; we have now arranged a conference call with all the countries in APAC including their HR and finance guys who deal with the data we are altering. For the call, there has to be a PowerPoint summary which they can have a look at to follow our train of thought on the process and also to give them something to see before the call to prepare them for the conversation. After being told this, my team leader put me in charge of said PowerPoint and at first I thought great I love PowerPoint’s! Then I thought oh crap, it’s very important people all over Asia criticising my work! Then I thought great bring it on! With my enthusiasm I started playing about with a few slides on my own computer when I got home that evening and put together the bare bones of what I hoped it would look like. I went in to work today feeling confident and prepared and showed it to Duc who helped me make a few minor tweaks here and there and finally it was complete. I must say it’s one of my best pieces of work so I hope Asia likes it too! The call will be happening early next week so the PowerPoint has now been sent to the allotted people involved along with my analysis spreadsheets and work I have done - scary!

I am absolutely loving the opportunities I have been allowed access to along this internship and I agree with one of the other intern’s views that this internship is really what you make of it. If I didn't agree to come to all the 'unnecessary' conference calls my mentor suggested then I wouldn’t have been exposed to new areas of HR or have learnt new processes or procedures. It really has been fantastic to be a part of!

Tomorrow I am coaching it to Kuala Lumpur for the weekend which I am really excited about! I am travelling alone in one of my new found epic adventures that I enjoy planning and have arranged to tour the city plus have some pampering time slots in there as well! My friends Iris and Maryanne want me to be in constant contact when passing through the borders and customs just to make sure I am safe and should it be needed - they have the British Commonwealth Office number lol yes I am that prepared!

So to sum up; this week has been a great intellectual and self affirming adventure and there are only two more to go!!! I have invaded the office calendars and have hijacked everyone I have met and spoken to for a big group photo on one of my final days in 1 and a half weeks. It will be in front of our huge fountain outside with the two twin knife like towers at our sides - it’s going to be great! Everyone accepted the invite which was really kind of them - well they had no choice really as I had already entered it in their calendar but they were nice enough to confirm! :) Julie unfortunately cannot make it as she is away on her holidays but she has allowed me to plan whatever I want for my leaving night with the HR team and she will be there along with all the rest - I have a budget and everything so I am definitely going to plan something good!

Until next week....