Part of successfully shaping the culture of your workplace starts in knowing your team members at more than a surface level. When you know your team well, you know what is meaningful to them and what isn’t, and that helps you show your team you care. One of the best ways to show you’re listening and invested in their success is by celebrating. Celebrate your team’s wins, big and small. Celebrate their efforts, short term and long. And celebrate what they care about, inside the organization and out. Show them you’re committed to them and their success through meaningful office celebrations.
Reaping the benefits of a healthy work culture takes time and effort. With that in mind, here’s a guide to an outstanding celebration (hold the cheese, please).
Celebrate Meaningfully
Our initial and most important recommendation for hosting an outstanding celebration is to make it count by making it meaningful. You’ve been working on your healthy workplace culture, so you want to support all that hard work and continue building momentum. The last thing you want is for your team members to feel undervalued, unappreciated, or ignored.
When we say, “hold the cheese,” we mean for you to leave behind tropes and worn-out celebrations and to offer something more thoughtful and sincere. There is no single “right answer” to this, which is where knowing your team members and their dynamics well comes in. The more uniquely designed to their value system an event is, the more meaningful it will be.
For some teams, a pizza party might cause them to feel like they’ve earned a reward from their second-grade teacher for reading enough books…meh. For another, a party where your team works together to build their own pizzas might be the perfect office celebration. Through seeking direct input, you’ll know which will work for your team. Think outside the “pizza” box but remember to consider the personalities and experiences of your individual team, especially as they describe themselves to you.
Celebrate Memorably
The next consideration when planning is how to make it memorable. Particularly with holiday celebrations, you run the risk of falling into the same old party year after year. Brainstorm with your employees about ways to keep the traditions that matter while making sure each celebration is unique and fulfilling. Sometimes exciting works for that, sometimes not. Because of how people are designed, fulfilling is usually more memorable than merely exciting. Fulfillment is a result of authentically integrating values.
Celebrate with Fun
And finally, an outstanding office celebration should include fun. (!!!) The key to a fun celebration is participation. Adults’ motivation to participate often requires a little extra push. When you plan celebration activities, sprinkle in some incentives to participate. A gift card can go to the first participant. Offer a trophy to each member of the winning team of games you may play. Encourage healthy competition when it comes to celebration and you’re sure to have some enthusiastic participants. Whatever you come up with, give your team members a reason to fully participate. Celebration is best when it is participated in, not merely observed.
Suggested Resource- Andy Stanley discusses workplace culture in his podcast: Belongship is the New Leadership.
The team at TurningWest is dedicated to helping your team create a healthy, robust work environment. Consider contacting us for guidance in creating a meaningful, memorable, outstanding culture of celebration. TurningWest – Your Guide to a healthy culture with meaningful results.
