Creating a culture of celebration at work

Creating a culture of celebration at work doesn't just mean streamers, cone hats and party poppers. Well, not necessarily. The best employers ensure celebrations are a constant and everyday feature of the workplace. Whether that's an email shout out for a great presentation, or company-wide cake for new business wins. And there’s a good reason - celebration makes for happier employees.

culture of celebration in the office

Research has shown that celebrations release “feel good” chemicals in the brain. One such chemical is serotonin, which is known to stimulate a sense of wellbeing, increase motivation and decrease stress. Another is oxytocin, which is great for relationship building and cooperation. The evidence speaks for itself. Embedding celebration in your workplace is a sure way to foster a culture of togetherness, productivity and happiness. In this blog we’ll look at 8 opportunities to celebrate including:

Welcoming new starters

Landing a new job is a big deal. Your new recruit will undoubtedly be raising a glass to their success and it's important the company does too. Why wait until their first day to celebrate? Sending them a little something in the post ahead of their start date is a great way to show that you’re thrilled to have them on board. Something as small as letterbox brownies is a nice gesture that will come as a sweet surprise.

It's also important to connect your new recruit with their teammates as soon as possible. Research by JobsiteUK shows that 70% of employees say that cultivating friendships at work generates a positive influence on their productivity and happiness. So, the earlier you can start nurturing these relationships, the better. Why not invite the new team member to an upcoming social, like after-work drinks, before they start? This creates an opportunity for them to meet the team in an informal atmosphere and share a toast with the new hire.

Make sure their first day is great by bringing out the welcoming committee. Well, maybe not a committee, but be sure that their teammates are prepared and consider assigning them a 'buddy' for the first week. Why not schedule a new starters lunch or virtual coffee break? For more first day ideas, check out our blog 5 fun ways to welcome new starters .

Celebrating work anniversaries

culture of celebration at work

The concept of a ‘job for life’ is fast fading, with the average Brit moving jobs every 4.6 years. It’s now rare to see the traditional ‘Years of Service’ awards dished out at 5, 10, 15 and 20+ years of tenure. But that’s not to say we should do away with work anniversary celebrations. Quite the opposite. Work anniversaries, no matter how big or small, are an opportunity for companies to engage their people and build on their culture of celebration.

Surprisingly, only 28% of companies celebrate the 1st year, despite it being a key moment in the employee journey. Within their first year, employees will have gone from being the new kid to a seasoned pro. They'll have navigated the office quirks and have plenty of achievements worth celebrating. Most will register the date a year on from their first day and reflect on how far they’ve come. Companies should seize this moment to celebrate all the things they have brought to the table. It’s an annual opportunity to reminisce about the highlights and show employees that you value the relationship in the same way they do. Why not automate employee recognition gifts to arrive on their work anniversaries?

Marking cultural holidays

Whether it's 'fun at work' or croissants - there's an awareness day for it. Whilst some might feel like a bit of a novelty, exploring the wider global calendar can provide inspiration for inclusive celebrations that resonate with your team—whether it’s International Women’s Day, Pride Month, or cultural events that reflect the diverse backgrounds of your colleagues You don’t have to celebrate every single event in the calendar but choosing a few that are relevant to your organisation is a great way to enrich your culture and build traditions. Of course, it also gives employees something to look forward to at regular intervals. Need some ideas? Check out our blog, How to Celebrate Cultural Holidays at Work.

Celebrating achievements at work

It’s no secret that recognising effort and achievement is key to effective people management. It helps keep staff motivated, reinforces positive behaviours, enhances productivity and aids employee retention. A recent study also showed that 69% of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better appreciated.

But, recognition shouldn’t be limited to top-down and one-to-one approaches. Peer recognition increases employee engagement and celebrating one another is a great way to foster a culture of appreciation. There is lots of software out there that allows for real-time recognition. For example, employee engagement platform Mo allows team members to share their appreciation privately, with the wider team or organisation, or with management at the touch of a button. It’s a great way to capture and deliver positive sentiment as-it-happens in a way that transcends hierarchy.

That’s not to say employers can’t translate digitally crowdsourced information into real-word celebrations. After all, nothing beats raising a glass with your workmates after a successful week. And it’s not just important to celebrate individuals. As employees, we need to know that our work adds value, has meaning, and is part of something bigger than us alone. That’s why celebrating teamwork and organisational achievements are hugely impactful. Creating a culture of togetherness means celebrating those team and company milestones big and small. It could be a new business win, some project work, or simply getting through a challenging week.

Celebrating work promotions

When it comes to workplace promotions, some companies prefer to take an informative rather than celebratory approach. Whilst an informative announcement may be the most appropriate way to initially inform others of the news, employers shouldn’t shy away from celebration thereafter. Organisations that really have their culture of celebration down, are those in which employees share in each other's successes. A ritual of celebrating promotions openly will help create this positive workplace culture. Remember; it’s inspiring and motivating for employees to see their colleagues rewarded for their work.

Celebrating birthdays at work

Let’s face it, birthdays get a little bit boring the older we get. However, if you’re lucky enough to work in an office which knows how to celebrate, it can be just the pick-me-up you need. Your colleagues, even grumpy Dave in accounting, all get excited for a birthday. Why? Cake of course. The cake is the centrepiece of all birthday celebrations. Yes, we’re biased, but we’re also right. However, there are some extra ways to make your team feel special on their big day which we’ve shared in our blog 6 Ways to Celebrate Birthdays in the Office.

Another really important aspect of getting birthdays right is to make sure someone is in charge of them. It might sound simple, but ensuring a committee or team member looks after all workplace birthdays means that no-one gets forgotten. It also equalises the playing field so everyone gets celebrated the same. If the role gets too cumbersome as your headcount grows, why not automate gifting for employee birthdays instead.

Personal moment celebrations

One-third of our lives is spent at work. Whilst work/life balance is important it's indisputable that they’ll crossover sometimes and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some people enjoy bringing more of themselves to work and being able to share personal moments with their coworkers.

By celebrating personal moments with your team, it shows you have a vested interest in their life outside of the office walls - you care about their success in every area of life, not just work. Your culture of celebration shows you value them on a personal level not just based on performance.

Now not everything is worth a full-blown celebration, but there are some bigger milestones worth mentioning. Engagements, new homes and pregnancy are huge moments in your team’s lives and are worth celebrating. You could do a monthly round-up celebration for all staff or you might want to keep things personal. A box of cakes sent in the post during the first week of paternity/maternity leave could be just the pick-me-up your colleague needed on the first of many sleepless nights. Read more ideas on how to celebrate life events in the office.

Sends off for leavers

Don’t end a contract with a bitter taste in your mouth. Put some cake there instead.

Whether they are retiring or resigning, saying goodbye to a team member can be genuinely sad for both the leaver and those left behind. Most of us have felt the sadness of a workplace break-up. Send them off the right way and show how appreciative you are of all their hard work to date.

A card signed by the entire team is classic, but make sure you get it sent around early to avoid repeats of ‘all the best’. If they’ve been with the company a while not pull together a compilation of their best bits and celebrate their contributions to the business.

To wrap up...

Every celebration is an opportunity to get ‘feel good’ pumping through your company. When thinking about ways to embed a culture of celebration into your workplace, it’s useful to consider the key points in the employee journey, plan for seasonal and cultural holidays, and keep your ear to the ground for individual, team and organisational achievements.

Employee recognition is crucial for retaining talent and making sure your team stay engaged. Celebrations at work are a fun and proven way to do that. Now go find your party hats!

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