The bank encourages and fully supports all such events, and does whatever possible to ensure that everyone is included and feels part of the team.

'We have an internal committee which organises four kinds of activities - sports, staff recreation, learning and development, and charities and welfare,' said Blanche Lo, Standard Chartered head of HR for China.

Branches have a range of activities throughout the year, with an emphasis on bringing people together and building team spirit. Staff are encouraged to put forward their ideas for new events or activities.

'When an organisation grows very quickly, teamwork is crucial and it is important that staff learn to interact well,' Ms Lo said.

'The level of support and understanding has a major impact on our overall performance, so we build this into our performance management system and give staff feedback about their level of participation.'

The bank has a notable track record of community involvement, and this also has an impact on day-to-day aspects of work.

'We encourage staff to get involved in community work with local voluntary and care organisations,' Ms Lo said.

Since about 10 per cent of the bank's employees on the mainland are expatriates - many of them from Hong Kong - policies and programmes are in place to help them settle in quickly.

'We have special cultural briefings and a structured training programme to make sure expats are well looked after and any discomfort minimised. This includes training in Putonghua if necessary,' Ms Lo said.

Soon after joining the company, new recruits get involved in their branch's staff events, and find this is a great way to break down barriers. While the events undertaken by staff in China might be specific to the region, the concept of staff activities is a global one.

'In most respects, there is no difference between China and Hong Kong; the processes are the same in all the countries where we operate. Any differences are in the local market and the unique aspects associated with it,' she said.