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Team Spirit Through Activity: BIOTRONIK Cyclists Hit Major Road Race After Three-Year Hiatus

Continuing a company tradition that started a decade ago, BIOTRONIK employees at the company’s headquarters mounted their bicycles in early July to race through Berlin as a team during VeloCity Berlin—an event that sees teams come together for either a 60km race or a 90km race through the German capital.

Daniela V.

I think it’s important that we start as a team, whatever our individual goals. It gives us a chance to really show, to our own people and to others, that we’re a strong team that works well together—and that we’re well-represented. That’s important on the track and at work.

Daniela Veltmann, Director for Global Customer Service at BIOTRONIK

Pedaling everywhere from alongside the central Tempelhof airport to through the Grunewald forest on the city’s outskirts, more than 70 members of Team BIOTRONIK turned in a great combined performance after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19. Beyond that though, the benefits last long after the race ends, including at work.

With around a decade of showing up in branded jerseys and gear, Team BIOTRONIK regularly fields one of the largest teams participating in the VeloCity event. Participants come from every variety of department and seniority level, with everyone from directors, vice-presidents, marketing managers, and teams from production joining in an informal setting. Some years, people from other BIOTRONIK offices around the world have been in town for business meetings, rented a bike, and decided to join. “It’s not a professional race—it’s for everyone, so the main reason for participating is to feel good about being among colleagues and friends and foster team spirit,” says Murat Taskiran, who organized the first BIOTRONIK VeloCity team a decade ago. “But some people are a bit more ambitious and they’ll make some goals, strategize, and discuss tactics together. Either way, it’s a great chance to be collaborative and celebrate team achievements.”

“It’s a great chance to get to know colleagues that you might not get to see very much otherwise,” says Sebastian Schwanenberger with BIOTRONIK’s Center of Expertise in Product Life Cycle Management, who served as lead organizer for Team BIOTRONIK’s appearance at this year’s VeloCity Berlin. “It’s obviously a fun event on its own, but when I call someone at work who I’ve raced with, we have an immediate connection—and that helps us do better work too.”

For Daniela Veltmann, Director for Global Customer Service, the event is also a great chance to make a big statement about what kind of workplace BIOTRONIK is. “I think it’s important that we start as a team, whatever our individual goals,” she says. “It gives us a chance to really show, to our own people and to others, that we’re a strong team that works well together—and that we’re well-represented. That’s important on the track and at work.”

Alongside the cycling team’s initiative comes the company’s support. Alongside events like VeloCity, BIOTRONIK supports its employees through a variety of health and sports initiatives, including through running groups, mental health initiatives, and bike to work campaigns. “We want to support our employees by offering them opportunities to positively influence their own health,” says Dr. Simone Ringsdorf, BIOTRONIK’s Head of Environmental Health and Safety. “That’s a big part of promoting team spirit for us and helps us stay attractive as an employer."

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