POWER’s version of an employee appreciation event, is anything but typical. Every December, nearly 3,000 employees arrive in Cancun, Mexico for “Quest” — a three-day music festival and wellness retreat that transports attendees into a sonic and euphoric paradise. It’s the ultimate ‘thank you’ to our employees and a recognition of their hard work.
In its fifth year, we dubbed the 2024 theme as “Best of Quest” — a culmination of all the best things that Quest has to offer. We brought back some of the best musical performers and the best wellness activities and art installations, mixed with some new and exciting surprises, curating an experience of a lifetime.
Our in-house People Experience and Brand teams curate a bigger and better Quest year after year with a new theme, branding, and unexpected surprises to show our appreciation for our most valuable asset — our people.
Post Malone and Sublime were just a few of the big names that graced the Quest stage. A basketball tournament with NBA pros, interactive art installations, custom swag, and daily workouts were all a part of the Quest journey. Room, board, food, and admission to what was one of the most exclusive festivals of the year are all included in this unique workplace perk. Bonus: POWER employees are also able to bring a guest.
Our goal was to architect an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience that truly enriches our employees’ lives, connecting them to new people, or introducing them to new art, music and wellness practices.
Part of what makes Quest so unique is that it’s created for POWER employees, by POWER employees. Our in-house event and creative teams intentionally construct every element — from conception to execution. Each year is completely reinvented with a new theme and an entire experience built around it. This year’s “Best of Quest” theme represented a tribute to our past, a signature of today, and a signal of tomorrow. It included all of the best elements of the unique experience, combined with moments that surprised and delighted attendees.
To maximize the experience of Quest, it was not only important to keep our employees informed, but build hype and excitement leading up to the event to drive attendance. We released the artist lineup with a drop-culture approach on company-wide Town Halls, curated a Spotify playlist to enjoy the music of the Quest acts before touching down in Mexico, and built an immersive custom website for a holistic experience.
A challenge the teams faced was creating a “best of” event that would still feel fresh, new and unexpected for attendees. Here are just a few of the ways we leveled up to make Best of Quest, well, the best.
-We brought in fun and interactive installations like a three-story Trust Fall and an Astral Planetarium experience so employees could choose their own adventure.
-We hosted a basketball tournament on the beach, where POWER employees teamed up with former NBA players and battle for the winning title. Those players included Eddy Curry, Mario Chalmers, Roger Mason, Rashard Lewis, Carlos Boozer, and Keith Bogans.
-Daily workout classes, 5ks around the beautiful grounds of the resort, yoga, and guided meditations were also available to Quest goers to prioritize wellness and balance.
-POWER partnered with streetwear brand, Standard Issue, to create a limited-edition capsule collection of Quest festival merch. Designed by POWERs’s Brand team in collaboration with Standard Issue Co-Founder and former pro skateboarder, Jimmy Gorecki, the capsule was exclusively available to employees and their guests who attended the event.
-A star-studded festival lineup that included some of Grammy-winning, Billboard chart-topping acts with buzzy up and coming artists. But the unexpected moment that really surprised attendees was a reunion performance of Post Malone and Sublime to play the band’s hit song, “What I Got” — a moment that garnered a lot of attention across social media and press.
-With all of the excitement of Quest, it’s also important for us to create an environment that is inclusive and accommodating of everyone. Designed with the spirit of inclusivity and personal growth in mind, our program called S.W.A.Y. (Sober Ways to Advance Yourself) is dedicated not only to those committed to a sober lifestyle, but also to anyone who values or supports sober living. S.W.A.Y. includes signature mocktails, dedicated lounge areas, activities, and games throughout the resort for those that want a relaxing escape from the big event. New this year, we partnered with Recovery Unplugged — an organization that combines music with mental well-being treatment methods.
With Best of Quest, POWER sought to create an experience that would make employees feel happy and valued, foster deeper connections, and ultimately provide a more fulfilling place to work.
And we did just that.
We boosted employee sentiment about POWER as a best place to work. An employee survey found:
Our social media amplification also sparked hype and attention:
We also secured media coverage of the event and the collab between Post Malone and Sublime:
