At the end of April, Tesonet group companies — Tesonet, Nord Security, Surfshark, Oxylabs, nexos.ai, CyberCare, and Mediatech — brought together their teams for what is likely the largest workation ever organized in Europe.

Hosted on the island of Crete, the event gathered more than 3,200 employees for four days of shared experiences, professional exchange, and team-building — marking the largest culture-focused initiative in the history of Lithuania’s tech sector.

A truly global gathering

Colleagues traveled from across the world, including Brazil, Japan, Australia, the United States, Singapore, Mexico, and India. The longest journey spanned approximately 40 hours, with one route stretching from Sydney through Johannesburg, London, and Athens to Heraklion.

In total, 2,589 employees departed from Lithuania, 268 arrived via a dedicated charter from Poland, and around 90 joined from Berlin and other international locations. The event was supported by a team of 30 hosts and performers, alongside a 50-person production crew responsible for delivering a seamless experience at scale.

Crete was selected as this year’s destination for its historical and cultural significance. As the birthplace of ideas that shaped Western civilization — including the origins of the Olympic Games, democratic principles, and theatrical traditions — the island provided both inspiration and context for the event’s thematic program. 

Combining work and experience

The workation model reflects Tesonet’s belief that meaningful in-person interaction strengthens collaboration and long-term performance. During the stay, participants had exclusive access to the entire venue, including dedicated stages, beaches, and sports facilities.

Each day began with optional physical activities such as group workouts and team sports tournaments, including basketball, football, and tennis. The program also featured employee-led workshops — from improv theatre and Tai Chi to creative workshops and board games — encouraging cross-team engagement.

For those seeking exploration, curated excursions offered opportunities to discover Crete’s natural and historical landmarks, including guided hikes and cultural tours.

The agenda also included discussions with distinguished guests from the sports world, such as Paulius Motiejūnas, former CEO of Euroleague Basketball, and Mantas Kalnietis, a longtime member of the Lithuanian national team.

This year’s stage featured performances of some of their most well-known songs by Jessica Shy, Justinas Jarutis, Kamanių Šilelis, Baltic Balkan, and Superkoloritas. Evenings were accompanied by DJ sets from DJ Aistė Regina, DJ Mamania, and DJ Tres Sticky. The entire program was hosted by comedian and event host Mantas Bartuševičius, alongside comedian and television presenter Laura Dragūnaitė.

Investing in culture and connection

According to Agnė Laskauskaitė, Head of Communications at Tesonet, the workation is a deliberate and long-term investment in organizational culture:

“For us, a workation is not a perk or an addition to a benefits package — it is an integral part of our culture. Organizing an event of this scale requires more than a year of preparation, significant resources, and the coordinated effort of hundreds of people. However, the outcome is clear: when colleagues from different continents come together, they build stronger relationships, collaborate more effectively, and return with renewed energy and confidence. This is something no meeting in the office or catching up on a video call can replicate. We invest in these experiences because we understand their long-term value — both for our existing teams and for those considering joining our ecosystem.”