Success Story: Team Challenge

Initial Situation

Sonova is a globally leading provider of hearing solutions with a clear mission: to help people hear better and thus enjoy life in all its richness. At the Berlin office, around 70 international colleagues work across departments such as Marketing, Tech, HR, General Management, Product and Data – mostly in function-specific teams and often within hybrid work models. For this year’s offsite event, the Berlin team was intentionally looking for an opportunity to foster cross-departmental collaboration beyond day-to-day operations, strengthen interpersonal connections and celebrate team spirit in a relaxed, playful way. Even beforehand, the working atmosphere and collaboration were described as harmonious – so the focus was less on a specific change process and more on the desire to reconnect after months of predominantly virtual interaction. The goal: to encourage informal exchange across team boundaries and create a shared experience that was fun and inspiring. The team’s international composition, the wide range of professional backgrounds, and the deliberately open approach to the event quickly made it clear that the format needed to be inclusive, English-speaking and capable of bringing everyone together atmospherically. The choice fell on the teamgeist Team Challenge. The team event was embedded in a strategic workshop day with sessions focused on goals and future direction. After the activity, time was set aside for relaxation – before the day concluded with a joint evening celebration.

Implementation

For the international team at Sonova’s Berlin office, teamgeist designed a lively and interactive outdoor team challenge that provided the perfect setting to strengthen teamwork, communication and cross-departmental collaboration. The entire event was moderated in English – a fitting choice for the diverse group of around 70 participants from a wide range of departments. After a warm welcome from the teamgeist guides and a brief introduction to the team challenge, participants were divided into six mixed groups of seven to eight people. While some groups began with the archery station, others kicked off with the “Floating Islands” and “Pipeline” challenges at the second task station. The focus throughout was on collaboration, playful competition and mutual trust – without performance pressure, but with lots of energy and enthusiasm.

Station 1: Archery

This station required precision, concentration, and team support. During a 45-minute rotation, each group had the chance to try their hand at archery, cheer each other on and improve together. To ensure that everyone was actively involved at the same time, teamgeist set up multiple archery lanes – one for each team. This allowed the participants to shoot in parallel, keeping the momentum high and energy shared across the field. The calm, focused atmosphere offered a refreshing contrast to the more dynamic tasks – and fostered a strong sense of connection. Particularly valuable: even those with no prior experience were guided safely by experienced instructors and were soon celebrating their first successful shots – small wins that significantly boosted team morale.

Station 2: Floating Islands & Pipeline

This combined station challenged teams to apply coordination, strategic thinking and creativity. The “Floating Islands” exercise – inspired by the game “the floor is lava” – required participants to cross an area without touching the (imaginary) ground. Using small platforms (planks), the entire group had to make their way safely to the other side. In two rounds, teams developed clever solutions, refined their strategies and motivated each other with visibly growing enthusiasm. This station quickly became one of the highlights of the day.
Immediately afterwards, the challenge continued with the “Pipeline”: in three progressive rounds, the teams first had to transport a small ball, then a larger one through a pipeline structure – all without dropping it. In the final round, water had to be passed through the same construction, without losing any along the way. This required calm hands, precise coordination, and real team spirit – a challenge that was met with plenty of laughter, excitement, and teamwork.

The event concluded with a shared awards ceremony, celebrating not just the achievements, but the experience, the connections, and the joy of working and playing together.

Impact

The response to the event was overwhelmingly positive – not only on the day itself, but also in the weeks that followed. Thanks to the professional facilitation by teamgeist, smooth organisation and varied programme, all participants felt included and engaged – regardless of language, role or previous experience. What surprised many was how quickly barriers dissolved. Colleagues who had barely interacted before were suddenly working side by side, developing strategies together and cheering one another on. Especially during the more active challenges, it became clear: building real connections doesn’t require much – just a safe environment, a shared goal, and the joy of collaboration.

One moment that stood out to teamgeist event leader Michael Göde was the mutual support shown during the “Floating Islands” and “Pipeline” challenges – precisely where the tasks became physically more demanding. In these moments, the team visibly grew closer, irrespective of job title or department. For many, this was the most valuable realisation: just how much can be achieved when we come together beyond our everyday work roles, simply as people. The goals set for the event were not only met – they were exceeded. The experience triggered exactly the kind of energy, openness and team spirit that the organising team at Sonova had hoped for. It was also a particularly rewarding experience for the teamgeist team.