Team Building at Freeletics: Spartan Race
As Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
Anyone can put a team together, but it takes a lot more to really build a team - a team that will work together and achieve great things together. As for Freeletics, most of what we have achieved over the years would not have been possible without a unique, passionate and driven team. No challenge has been too big for this special group of people, because we work together, struggle together and support each other. Respect and teamwork is what makes us a winning league of heroes, and what enables us to help people every day.
So how do you build a winning team? How do you help them bond and gel together? And how do you get them to trust each other blindly? We thought we’d let them run a Spartan Race together and see what happens…
On April 13th, 21 members for the Freeletics team braved the cold, wet weather to join together and take on the Spartan Sprint in Munich. For many of them, it was the first time running an obstacle course race, leaving them uncertain of what was coming and perhaps just a little bit nervous. For others, it was nothing new, so they helped the team prepare both mentally and physically for the challenge to come.
And the result? Even stronger team spirit. “Running the race with the Freeletics team meant having a helping hand (or burpees) when you needed them,” says Dimitris, Senior User Acquisition Manager. “The laughs that we shared and the feeling of not being alone when you wanted to give up were the best things about the day.”
And even though each team member had their own strengths and weaknesses, with a winning team like this, none of that mattered on the day. They mastered every obstacle, even if that meant helping each other or sharing burpees. In true Freeletics style, they went in as a team and finished as a team. And it wasn’t as bad as they might have feared, at least according to Recruiting Manager Max: “It was great fun to run and suffer together. Also, seeing everyone cheer for their teammates and wait for each other after the obstacles made me very proud of our team.”
So, did it work? Did the team come out closer than when they lined up at the starting line? “No matter which obstacle you had to master, there was always a colleague who was actually happy to help you. This kind of team spirit helps you to push your mental and physical limits and opens new horizons,” says People Operations Manager Patrizia.
It’s definitely true that with the right people, any challenge is possible. And with Freeletics people, it seems you can face any challenge with a smile. Product Marketing Manager Alistair can confirm. “The best part was the laughter. We were laughing the whole way and the endorphins were flowing. Apart from when it was freezing cold.”
Thomas, our Training Experience Manager, even ran the race twice, once in the Elite Heat and once with the team, even though it was his first time. “I think running the Spartan Race with the team helped everyone to actually see that they are capable of achieving things they didn’t think they could. I was very impressed by the team spirit we showed, as we (almost) all stayed together during the entire race”
Our experience over the years has shown us that so many different kinds of activities can help improve team spirit. Sporting activities especially can really help build a strong bond within a team, and the Spartan Race is no exception. While some of the challenges may be bigger, so is the team spirit. This definitely won’t be the last time you see the Freeletics team lining up at the starting line. And every time, they’ll be an even stronger team for it. #AROO
Want to learn more about the team and daily life at Freeletics HQ? Then find us on LinkedIn or follow @LifeAtFreeletics on Instagram. If this sounds like just the kind of team you need in your life, check out our open positions now!
