3 Ways to Celebrate Your Team For Being the Unique Individuals They Are

If you’ve ever seen the episode of The Office where Jim and Dwight are left to plan a team birthday party, you’ll know just how awkward it can get when the celebrations fall flat. Learning how to celebrate the people we spend so much of our life with at work is a key part of successful management. Doing it in a way that’s genuine, personalised and heartfelt? That requires some skill!

While productivity in the workplace is often the key focus of employers and managers, focusing on this at the expense of all other priorities can have a detrimental effect on team morale. High-performing teams and individual employees require recognition and celebration to find a healthy balance between achieving organisational goals and marking the process towards them.

By incorporating regular celebrations into your workplace culture, you can foster togetherness, unity, empathy and stronger interpersonal connections. Ironically, this investment in things other than ‘work’ can often strengthen the work itself, with empowered teams bringing their full capacity to the task at hand.

Here are three simple steps to building more personalised celebrations into your regular workplace routines.

Look for reasons to celebrate

Has one of your team members had a significant win at work? Did you reach the end of a major project together? Is an employee experiencing a notable work anniversary? There are plenty of reasons to gather the team in celebration beyond the standard birthday morning tea.

By paying attention to what your team’s working on, what their goals are, and how they’re progressing towards them, you can find unique and personalised ways to celebrate growth, momentum and outcome.

Build a habit of expressing gratitude

This one doesn’t require a single balloon, cake or 30 minutes in the schedule: expressing gratitude towards your team members is a powerful way to celebrate them on a regular basis.

Look for opportunities to thank your team for their individual contributions. This can take place in a one-on-one environment or within a group setting. A simple email noting your gratitude for their recent efforts can make a huge impact – with a 5-minute investment, you can show your team members how much you value them on an individual level.

Invest in unique experiences

If the moments of celebration in your office always look the same, it’s time to think outside of the box.

Perhaps you’ve got a team member who loves the great outdoors, or another who bonds over BBQing. Whatever your team’s preferences, look for activities that you can enjoy together throughout the year, taking a moment to celebrate recent wins while also breaking up the every day together. This is a powerful way to build connections across the team through memorable activities, social environments and shared opportunities for adventure.

Looking for a unique experience that you can share together at any time, in any location? Red Leaf’s Kayak Virtual Adventure gives teams an epic adventure. In this Virtual Adventure, teams will work together to navigate a challenging environment as they kayak the Okavango River System. Thrust your team into an immersive, adventure-filled experience and reap the benefits – there’s always something worth celebrating.