If schools give away loyalty awards to students during graduation rites, our office on the other hand has this so-called Palit Lanyard tradition. Each year, the company provides each employee a new one of a different color corresponding their years of service. I don't know for sure, but wearing a color-coded lanyard seemed to be a status symbol separating "newbies" from the "veterans" especially to those who had been with the company for years.
I just had a rundown of my things a few weekends ago and as of now, I have four of those lanyards in my possession. The gray one as a new hire, gold during my first year and blue for being in the company for two years. Instead of giving them away, I make sure that I keep them in a box together with my other things. I also have a separate document folder which contains all the documents issued to me by the company.
This one came as a surprise more than two weeks ago while I was on the phone with a client. We normally wait six months after our anniversary before receiving a new lanyard but mine arrived after my anniversary last March 5. I have been working for one company for three straight years thus the orange color code.
Four color codes, a couple of thousand case files, one excellence award and few scheduled vacation leaves later and here I still am. During a meeting with one of our operations officers, I was asked, "what made you decide to stay?" I don't have to seek for answers. Despite the physical pains of getting old, the fact that I can see that I am able to help people every day, I have a kind boss and I still am happy with what I am doing those are more than enough reasons for me to want to stay and stick to the job.
Now, the funny part was when a colleague inquired, "paano yan pag inabot tayo ng 10 years in service? Eh di ba seven lang ang kulay ng rainbow?" (what if we reached 10 years? The rainbow only has 7 colors?) That's a question but then, I'd rather stick to the plan for now. :-)
