Hi, my name is Kotryna, I’m the HR Generalist & Office Manager at the Vilnius office, and I want to invite you to explore behind-the-scenes at Zedge. Though we have offices in several countries, today we’re focusing on our cozy and vibrant office in Vilnius, Lithuania. Located in the Naujamiestis area, surrounded by big tech companies, and many Chinese restaurants, this area really has it all: graffiti-covered walls, a cheese factory, rock climbing gyms, beer and kombucha breweries. We even have a sauna in our yard. We’re basically staying in an urban playground.
Our daily life at the office can vary a lot – some days are chill and quiet, while others are bursting with meetings, not enough rooms to hold them, and laughter echoing from the kitchen. Although we’re not a big team, we have the privilege of truly knowing each other and sharing both our joys and challenges – from chatting about real estate trends and helping a teammate find their dream home to debating about best practices when making a cup of coffee. If you ask some of us what the best coffee drink is, you’ll be entrusted with a secret recipe (well, it’s not really a secret – mix an espresso shot with bitter lemon tonic over some ice cubes, and you’ll get a very refreshing drink, we guarantee).
To make office life more fun, almost every week we have Surprise-Day (liet. diena staigmenėlė). Sometimes we celebrate birthdays with cake, other times we try exotic fruits, enjoy fresh pastries, snack on goodies from around the world, or check out new trendy lunch spots.
During the holiday season, I tried to spark some festive spirit by building a huge Advent Calendar, filled with fun and tasty surprises. I was really happy to see how excited everyone was – they even made a rule that the box could only be opened after lunch so that more people could enjoy it together. It became a daily ritual, and seeing everyone gathered around was incredibly rewarding. I also enjoyed exploring my creative side and working with my hands for a change, not just typing away on the keyboard. Although staying up until 3 a.m. putting it together didn’t lead to my most productive morning the next day…
This past year, I’ve tried to incorporate more festive days to keep the office fresh and exciting. After all, we’ve been in this space for about three years now. Even though Halloween isn’t widely celebrated in Lithuania, with the helping hands of some colleagues we turned the office into a truly haunted place: blood stains on windows, spider webs on plants, and Halloween-inspired snacks. People even showed up in costumes! For Zedge’s birthday, I filled the office with balloons, and for Užgavėnės (a Lithuanian holiday that marks the end of winter and welcomes spring), we had piles of pancakes. Traditionally, you’re supposed to eat up to 12 times that day to ensure a filling year. We also had a good ol’ Kahoot session, where people could test how much they know about our pretty extensive folklore and traditions.
I really enjoy adding a bit of fun to our workdays, but the real magic happens during team-building events. While I have many responsibilities during the day, this is by far one of the most enjoyable ones. We host team-building activities almost every month, as it’s a great opportunity to bond and spend quality time together.
The most challenging part, after two and a half years in this role? Finding something new and exciting each time. But it’s worth it, especially when someone comes up to me and says, “Hey, this one might be my favorite.” So, what are we doing?
Well, we’ve got a bunch of competitive souls here, so active outings are always a hit: football (on the field and in video game format), volleyball, curling, academic rowing, or even surfing. Well, due to our geographical location, we did that one indoors, but it still counts! We also explore our creative sides, whether it's decorating dishes or spraying graffiti on cars.
Personally, my favorite team-buildings are the ones where we literally build something. To celebrate our company's birthday, we split into teams and built a Rube Goldberg machine – each team made one part, and when we combined them all it became one very complicated machine with a very simple task: to pop a balloon. Also worth mentioning is our Summer Party – we dedicated an entire day to kayaking on the river, enjoying beautiful Lithuanian nature, and, at the end of the day, spending time playing games, enjoying a sauna and hot tub, and treating ourselves to delicious food.
So what’s next for us? Right now, I’m secretly planning an Easter hunt at the office (shh, don’t tell my colleagues – it’s a surprise). We’re also getting ready for a real Night at the Museum: after hours, we’ll head to the Energy and Technology Museum for a guided tour and a chance to try out interactive exhibits from their “Adrenaline” exhibition. We’ll be testing the laws of physics hands-on, and I honestly can’t wait.
