An event with a surprise activity. How did your colleagues react?
Franziska: We were very excited about our colleagues’ reaction to the mysterious evening event. Everyone signed up for this activity without knowing what to expect, showing a great deal of trust in our five-member organization team. We were also a bit nervous about how our colleagues would like this part and eagerly anticipated their reactions.
An evening full of surprises. How did it go?
Franziska: At the end of the first workshop day, we divided the colleagues into different cars and drove them to a kitchen studio. There, a fully functional kitchen awaited them with a delicious meal. But they had to prepare it themselves first. Our team of 48 people then quickly split up into different food preparation islands, where they were guided and supported by the cooking team booked for the event.
After chopping, stirring, and kneading together, we enjoyed a delicious three-course meal: truffle mascarpone ravioli made from homemade dough and filled with homemade pumpkin tandoori broth, beef Wellington with parsley roots, wild broccoli and parsley mash, spicy chocolate parfait with plums, rosemary, and almond tart. All dishes also had vegetarian alternatives.
Sounds delicious. What was the atmosphere like?
Franziska: One of our colleagues DJed and ensured a great atmosphere while cooking. We had a lot of fun with the choice of music. Of course, there were also appetizers and delicious drinks before and during cooking. But the fun didn’t stop with the cooking event—other workshop activities, like the improv theater on handling challenges in our cooperatively managed company, also brought lots of laughs.
What other activities were planned?
Franziska: Many of our colleagues identified well with the improv theater and immediately had a wealth of topics and ideas that they used in the subsequent group work sessions. Now, we are following up on these results.
We started the day with the so-called "State of the Nation." Here, we heard from different perspectives about the topics that currently concern our colleagues the most, where we stand regarding teamwork, and what we have achieved together.
The second day continued with the topic “The Art of Feedback.” Some of our colleagues have already attended training sessions conducted by our HR colleague Felicitas Stollfuß. Being able to give feedback appreciatively is very important for our cooperative organization, so we revisited this topic in the workshop and refreshed it with speed feedback rounds.
Afterward, Felicitas took us on a journey through the MapsTell map. This map offers a great visualization of behavioral styles. As most of our colleagues had already participated in a workshop on this topic, we took the opportunity to refresh our knowledge and position ourselves on the map together.
Traditionally, our second-year trainees specializing in application development also participate in our team events. They give year-end presentations on their personal and professional development during the first phase of their training. This year, the stage belonged to Paul-Luca and Emil. We were very impressed by their half-hour performances and their presentation content. Side Fact: Paul-Luca loves statistics. Emil has been fascinated by programming from an early age. During the subsequent feedback session, it was great to see how our colleagues applied their communication skills from the training.
Did you achieve your goals – what’s your conclusion?
Franziska: The feedback on this event was very positive and we identified areas for improvement that we will now address. Colleagues from Mannheim, Butzbach, Bielefeld, Chemnitz, Berlin, and our offices in Austria attended. Since holding regular team events, the team spirit has strengthened significantly, benefitting us both personally and professionally in our teamwork – something we see reflected in our successfully completed projects and the packed house at this surprise event.
