"Here, I can fill my work life with laughter"- Thinh Nguyen | Human of KMS

"For me, the “Great” in Great Place to Work is short for “Great Companionship.” That explains why Kobiton, with my beloved colleagues, has been and will be my sweet spot.?

It has only been one and a half years since I joined KMS, but the before-and-after difference is already significant. The old me during my college years would do everything by myself and hardly ever talk to others. I managed to isolate myself from all forms of “human contact.” Yet, when I joined Kobiton, “extra-extrovert” suddenly became my middle name.?

In my team, Ms. Nguyet from HRBP is usually the social butterfly who reaches out to all members individually, while we engineers mostly gather in small circles. But that was just before I showed up (chuckles). Just kidding, I was a lamb when I joined the team as an intern. KMS is my first company, so the initial shyness was inevitable. However, maybe because everyone was amiable and we were on the same wavelength, we got on like a house on fire. After a while, I took the chance and made myself chi Nguyet’s “little brother”. With that comes another title – I am the “mingler” who befriends everyone in Kobiton.

In Tech language, my user experience has always been great, with a lot of fun-filled new features and not a single bug to be reported!

One of the key features I can recall from the last 17 months is the Morning Runners Alliance. From jogging alone, I now have a group of companions whom I can learn a lot and chat with, adding more colors of joy to every training. We share the same goal of completing the upcoming KMS Pocari Sweat Run. The senior runners set their goal at 21 or 42 kilometers, but I only have a “modest” aim of completing 10 kilometers! Some days we jog early in the morning at about 5:30 AM; some days we gather after work for a “stroll” at Gia Dinh Park nearby. Oh, technically saying, we participate in two forms of exercises, but we mostly do the other one in the afternoon. However, ironically, it is quite a “competitor” to running because while running burns calories, this sport actually accumulates them (if you know what I mean).

The 2021 Year End Party imprinted on my mind as a precious core memory. I was having such a blast when the MC announced that I was chosen for the Rookie of the Year award. Everyone voted on their phone for the winner, and I won. I could not think of any specific reason, so I guess that must have been a stroke of luck! It was such a one-of-the-kind and unexpected moment that I thought I was winning an Oscar (chuckles). It was the first time I had experienced the feeling of being a celebrity, less a real one than a micro-celebrity, yet I felt amazing.

In hindsight, there are other daily updates of fun-filled features that fill my work life with laughter.

Whenever I hit the rocks in my job, I can always rely on the companionship of my teammates. Looking back on fond memories, I specifically remember when I was a first-gen member of the “Quaranteam”. As there were no vaccines at the time, everyone on the team kept checking on me daily, sending me good care from afar and great love. Even in moments that seemed far-fetched, they were always there, ready to lend a helping hand. A clear example would be our team-building trip to Tu Lan last year. Easy as it sounds, we basically joined a decathlon with sailing, swimming through the stream, trailing, mountain hiking for 8 kilometers… I have quite a bulky build, so this trip was like an arduous training camp. But everyone’s support energized me to make it to the top of the mountain. A trip I once thought would be full of blood, sweat, and tears was actually filled with laughter and joy. If I got a chance, I would vote “Yes” to be a part of such a wonderful adventure again.

That feeling of finding companionship at work is unparalleled because, like the light of your life, your co-workers become both the friends and family you desire. My teammates are also the reason why I stay put at the office despite hybrid working being a perfectly fine choice.?

I hope that each and every one of you can find like-minded companions for a laughter-filled office life like mine. In case Kobiton is your dream place, I’ll be the dream teammate waiting for you!

Toodle-loo for now; see you at the upcoming Pocari Sweat Run."

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Here, at KMS, we believe everyone has an unrevealed side or unexplored depth. And Humans of KMS is the project dedicated to letting their untold stories be told.?

Read, be inspired & feel the culture of KMS!

View the full album here:?https://tinyurl.com/HumanofKMS

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When work gets serious, and life gets busy, we become transactional…?

However, we believe that a workplace should not be where we have to work like a machine; it must be a place that enables us to be the best of ourselves, enjoy meaningful human connections, and make great memories, together.

Meaningful memories with colleagues are important because they make us laugh. And as long as we’re laughing, things always get better!

Do you share this thought with us? Let us know in the comments below!?