It is fair to say that the pandemic doesn’t provide many opportunities for realizing one’s potential in group activities at the moment. However, it wasn’t always this way. In “normal times”, events of all kinds were organized at Kiwi.com – from quiz nights and football tournaments to Christmas stalls and flea markets. Events like these certainly promote stronger cross-team collaboration within the company. Hanging out with colleagues outside of working hours is different. The atmosphere can be more relaxed. It can be a chin-wag over a hot cup of punch or an animated discussion about the correct answers to the quiz night. It’s all good.
The markets
Our Christmas market and flea market offer a wide range of home-made products and secondhand goods. Kiwis can sell, swap or donate things to give them a ‘second life’. Radka Štůralová, our Workforce Specialist, is a big fan –
“It makes our daily work routines more pleasant and it’s a great chance to meet old friends but to meet new people too. It’s all in support of a good cause.” She remembers people selling their own paintings, handmade brooches and organic soaps. Radka loves the creativity aspect, every market gives her ideas for new hobbies. She doesn’t only do window shopping! “I purchased some home-made honey and a pair of earrings”.
Kristyna Matoušková — the manager of one of our GDS teams — attends the markets to sell her home-made, organic and waste-free soaps, shampoos and fresh teas. She got inspired by her visit to Japan where she saw bottled unsweetened teas being sold in vending machines.
“I didn’t like the fact that if I wanted to buy a sugar-free drink, the only option was water”, she says. It turns out that people loved her product and she sold every bottle! Kristyna has high praise for the organisation of the event. “Everything was very effectively organized. The community was really nice. I learned a lot from others, for example, how important it is to promote myself via a website or a well-run Instagram account.” That’s great to hear and we wish her all the best with her business venture.
Team spirit through football
We all know about the positive effects sport can have on our bodies and minds. Football tournaments are an excellent opportunity for sporty people to get together and have fun. Bohdan Inhliziian, a developer from the Transactional Messaging team, attended the last friendly Kiwi football tournament. His team won and got his name on the scoresheet.
“Playing sports, especially football, which I love with all my heart, was extremely important for me, especially since my activity levels dropped off a lot during lockdown. Moreover, thanks to the tournament, I had the opportunity to meet people from other departments. It was terrific.” said Bohdan.
A Kiwi favorite – Pub Quiz night!
The Kiwi quiz usually takes place once every quarter with a dozen or more teams competing for the top spot. There is always a diverse and wide range of questions, from history and art to sport or science. “Kiwi.com quiz nights are a lot of fun! I like the competitive atmosphere, the knowledge sharing aspect and of course learning something new. I am usually surprised by the things I remember and the things I don’t have a clue about”, says Magda Jurčáková, our Legal Consultant, who’s a big pub quiz enthusiast. She believes that these social gatherings are important and help to cement relationships in the office. “The more people who attend, the merrier”, she adds.
As you can see, Kiwi.com provides employees with a lot of options for their free time activities. Whatever your interests are, you’re sure to find something you’ll love!
Are you interested in joining Kiwi.com and attending our amazing events? Check our open positions!