A group of people paint and draw at a table during an art workshop, focused on their colorful work, with brushes, pencils, and paint jars between them

Your best international hire may quit.

Not because of the job.

67% of immigrants leave Germany within 5 years. The most qualified leave first. We help you change that.

Free 30-minute call. We’ll show you what a pilot looks like.

A group of people paint and draw at a table during an art workshop, focused on their colorful work, with brushes, pencils, and paint jars between them

This is probably happening at your company right now

A group taking part in a workshop around a table covered with materials

This is probably happening at your company right now

Your international hires pass probation and deliver solid work. In standups, they seem fine.

But many build a social life in Berlin that looks full yet feels shallow. Meetups, drinks, many acquaintances, but few real friendships. No one to call on a bad Tuesday. After 12 to 18 months, the resignation arrives. Official reason: “new opportunity.” Reality: Berlin never felt like home.

The risk: those leaving are often your strongest people. IAB research (2025) confirms it. Higher education, income, and language skills correlate with higher departure rates.

You can't fix German bureaucracy.

But you can fix this.

When people explain why they consider leaving Germany, they cite politics, taxes, and red tape.

 

But Institute for Employment Research shows what actually makes people stay: regular social contact, feeling welcome, and having real friends.

 

That is the one lever a company can control. Everything else is external. Companies where people feel they belong are the ones where they stay.

We work hand in hand with NGOs, companies, and institutions to expand access to wellbeing education and community support. Join us in empowering people to live happier, healthier lives.

A group of people sit in a circle on a wooden floor during a workshop, with cards spread out in the middle and a flipchart and plants in the room

People come for the activity. They stay for the feeling.

Two women sit at a table laughing during an art workshop, with paintbrushes in a jar and a colorful painting in front of them

People come for the activity. They stay for the feeling.

We run a 75-minute workshop where international employees collaborate on a creative task like pottery, painting, or music. Creating together lowers social barriers and sparks natural conversation, unlike typical networking events.

Afterward, a guided reflection explores life in Berlin, including challenges, support, and shared struggles. Participants consistently leave feeling energized and connected.

“When you have a task that you're able to bond with other, it leads to a closer connection than when you just go to, like a loose party.”
— Participant
“I always feel in a way energized after I leave the workshop... it just makes me happier.”
— Participant
“When you have a task that you're able to bond with other, it leads to a closer connection than when you just go to, like a loose party.”
— Participant
“I always feel in a way energized after I leave the workshop... it just makes me happier.”
— Participant

We've been doing this every week for four years.

Most engagement activities are fun for a day. Our method, built on weekly Berlin workshops since 2021 with 1,800+ participants, focuses on real connection.

Creative tasks ease people, facilitation removes pressure, and reflection lets them talk about what matters.

We bring this into your company, connecting employees across teams they wouldn’t normally meet.

We work hand in hand with NGOs, companies, and institutions to expand access to wellbeing education and community support. Join us in empowering people to live happier, healthier lives.

A man laughs while holding up a colorful abstract painting of flowers in a vase that he made, with another person smiling beside him
“It was less of a judging space. Like, some places you can feel like there's judgment, you know, here you can just come as you are.”
— Participant
Three people sit on chairs in a circle having a conversation in a bright studio room, with a small table of drinks between them

You already know what turnover costs.

One international employee with a €60,000 salary leaves your Berlin office. Recruiting, vacancy, onboarding, lost knowledge: the bill is €30,000 to €60,000. Filling the role takes an average of 160 days.
A pilot workshop costs €850.
You do the math.

From first call to first workshop in two weeks.

  1. We talk.
    30-minute call. You tell us about your people and what you’re seeing. We tell you honestly if this is a good fit.
  2. We design a pilot.
    We tailor the workshop to your group. You pick the date. We handle everything else, including materials and facilitation.
  3. Your people experience it.
    75 minutes. At your office. Up to 15 people, ideally from different departments.

Afterwards, you get a feedback summary with satisfaction scores and real quotes from participants.

We work hand in hand with NGOs, companies, and institutions to expand access to wellbeing education and community support. Join us in empowering people to live happier, healthier lives.

A person holds a yellow pen and fills out a printed form on a clipboard, viewed over their shoulder in natural light
A large group kneels around a long sheet of paper on the floor, drawing colorful shapes together with oil pastels during a collaborative art workshop

One workshop. €840. Everything included.

75 minutes at your office. Up to 15 participants. Pre-meeting with your HR team to tailor the format. All creative materials and facilitation included. Feedback summary with satisfaction scores and participant quotes.
The fastest way to find out if this fits your company.

Want to continue? We’ll create a program tailored to your schedule, teams, and goals after the pilot.

Questions we hear
in first calls

Honestly, will employees think this is cheesy?

We hear this a lot. It’s a fair concern. Here’s what we know from four years of running these workshops and from in-depth research interviews with participants: the number one thing people mention is that the space feels welcoming and free of judgment. One participant put it this way: “Here, you can just come as you are.” People who arrive sceptical or tired consistently leave energized and surprised by how natural the conversations felt. The creative activity puts people at ease precisely because it takes the pressure off social performance. You’re making something with your hands, your phone goes away naturally, and conversation flows from there.

 The default is English, which matches how most Berlin startups and international teams operate. Bilingual facilitation is possible. We’ll figure it out on the call.

Up to 15 people. Small enough for real conversation, large enough for group energy. We recommend mixing departments so people meet colleagues they wouldn’t normally talk to. That said, we’ve also run sessions for single teams. Both work.

 Yes. The 75-minute in-office format is our standard because it’s easy to schedule and it works. For onboarding days, larger groups, or special events, we design custom formats. Let’s discuss what makes sense for you.

“There are ideas that have come out of these workshops that I'm like, I could turn that into something.”
— Participant, Berlin

Your international employees are good at their jobs. Help them feel at home in Berlin too.

Free 30-minute call. No pitch, no pressure.

ForEveryone is a Berlin community organisation running one of the city’s most active international communities: 100+ volunteers, 1,800+ participants per year, and a tested method for turning strangers into friends.

Get in touch