Here at Kaufland e-commerce, teamwork is the heart and soul of our success. But with a rapidly changing work environment and team structures, it can be difficult to build real connections with your colleagues. That’s where our first Area Day came in—a day full of learning, laughing, and, most of all, connection.
The idea dawns
It all started with an initiative brought to our HR team by Jochen (Head of Product) and Nikodem (Head of Product Engineering). They heard that we offer internal workshops and wanted to offer their teams in the Explore & Discover area the chance to connect, coming up with the name “Area Day”.
A lot has changed in our department. We’ve restructured the teams and a lot of us, including me, are new to our roles. That’s why it was important for us to get to know each other better and explain our area goals, as well as the reasons we have them,
is how Nikodem explains the motivation behind the idea.
Our People Development team loved it! After explaining the framework, it was time to start planning. With a group of 40 people, they decided on an external location: Studio A, just five minutes away from our Cologne office, was the perfect choice for this special day.
A day packed with highlights
The Area Day was a successful mix of professional input and team-building activities:
The perfect kickoff: Puzzle Piece Connection
09:30 – HR Energizer: Puzzle Challenge
The day began with a creative icebreaker called the Puzzle Challenge. It motivated the participants to let go of their negative mindsets and share their expectations and views for the workshop. This activity promoted a cooperative exchange and encouraged everyone to share their thoughts about the day openly.
Professional input and strategic clarity
10:00-12:00 – Explore & Discover Session with Jochen and Nikodem
Jochen and Nikodem shared crucial insights into the area’s goals, as well as the restructuring of Explore & Discover. This open communication between the teams created clarity and understanding for the strategic alignment.
13:00-14:00 – SEO Presentation
Professional input from the SEO team, who shared valuable knowledge for everyday work with the team.
Team building on a new level
14:00-17:00 – Team building: “Grab my Challenge & Kill the Area”
The afternoon was devoted to team building. The “Grab My Challenge” activity required creativity, communication and teamwork. For this one, teams completed different challenges together and learned how different perspectives can lead to better solutions.
The “Kill the Area” challenge was a playful, interactive activity designed to spark reflection, discussion and debate. The participants took a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the area, found potential spots for optimisation and even discovered a few innovative ideas, fully in line with our #ShootForTheMoon principle. These activities gave the participants a chance for intensive discussion, which also increased the team’s connection.
And what was the overall goal? To make Explore & Discover more successful – both in the challenges and in everyday work. Over the course of the day, and especially during the “Kill the Area” challenge, participants spoke openly about the area’s strengths and weaknesses. This honest communication helped to dismantle barriers and increase team members’ understanding for each other. No longer could someone use the excuse “I didn’t know that”; everyone would be able to take responsibility for specific topics.
The Area Day gave us the chance to bring people together who normally work in different teams, which often leads to people holding back, says Nikodem.
To wind up: Team Event
The day wound down with a combined team event – the perfect ending to a day full of new connections.
Success through teamwork
It wouldn’t have been possible without the teamwork of the area, People Development, and Event Management. Jochen reflects on the success:
Though we had the idea for the day, the support from People Development was fantastic. Without it, it wouldn’t have gone nearly as well. In the end, it was better than I expected, even though I already had positive expectations.
Nikodem adds:
All we did was provide some framework. They supported us, organised the day and made it a roaring success.
The result: Real connections
The Area Day was packed with laughs, movement, valuable insights and most of all, connection! The different activities – from the creative puzzle icebreaker to the collaborative challenges – made it possible for individuals and teams to get to know each other on a more personal level.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The open communication resulted in teams of this area coming closer together. The Area Day created a valuable space for real connections.
Here are a few comments from the participants:
“What I liked best about the Area Day were the various games, from the quiz over the cards to the attack/swat/judge game.”
“I liked literally everything about the Area Day, it’s hard to choose the best part.”
“I liked the most that I got to know all the people in the area in person and that I clearly understood, what our area needs.”
“I liked getting to meet my coworkers in person! The event gave us plenty of opportunities to chat and put faces to names/profile pictures. It helped me to find peers I can relate to and to give my thanks to the people that have helped me 😊”
Our summary
The first Area Day at Kaufland e-commerce proves it: When teams come together, it results not only in better work relationships but also in increased understanding of common goals. It was a day that proved that investing in interpersonal connections is always worth it, for the employees and for the company.
We’re already looking forward to other initiatives that bring our teams closer together!