Why sharing my culture at work matters

Vicinity team members can take up to two days of cultural leave each year, giving them time to celebrate the moments that matter most with family and community. It’s one of the ways we champion diversity and create an environment where the unique backgrounds and experiences of our people are valued, celebrated and actively embraced.

Many of our team members recently used cultural leave to celebrate Lunar New Year with loved ones, including our Health & Wellbeing Manager, Felix Cheng.

Felix, who generously shared his heritage with team members through an exciting lion dance performance at our National Office for Lunar New Year, reflects on what the festivities mean to him and why sharing his culture at work matters.

Felix's reflections

Celebrating Lunar New Year brings up a mix of feelings for me. I have such wonderful memories from my childhood in Malaysia, large family gatherings filled with laughter, delicious food, getting up to mischief with my cousins, and of course, fireworks.

Now that I'm living farther away, the celebrations feel quieter, with fewer family members around to share in the fun. This time of year really makes me think of those who are no longer with us and reminds me to be grateful for the loved ones I still have.

I make an effort to take my family, especially my young son, to Lunar New Year events in the city and our local area so that he can experience the joy of the celebrations and connect with our heritage. Being able to utilise cultural leave helps our family prepare and celebrate.

I am also fortunate to be a member of the Hung Gar Yau Shu Martial Arts Club, which performs at Crown and in Chinatown every year. The opportunity to see the joy from the crowds, from kids to grandparents, is why we volunteer our time for performances during Lunar New Year. The drums, lions and dragon dances evoke the same feelings of excitement and energy that I experienced as a child. I love observing how older generations interact with the lions and dragons; it’s not just entertainment but a symbol of positivity, hope, and strength, deeply rooted in their beliefs and traditions.

It is both a privilege and a responsibility to share this culture with the next generation, to spark nostalgia for the older generation and to introduce something new to those who are unfamiliar with it.

This is the second year I’ve been invited to perform for team members as part of Vicinity’s Lunar New Year celebrations, and it’s an honour. Not just to come together with others who have grown up celebrating LNY, but to share the traditions with all team members and see how open people are to getting involved and learning about other cultures.

To learn more about our inclusive culture, visit our Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging page.