We asked industry experts to share one company tradition that in their experience significantly boosts morale. Discover 18 practices that boost employee morale and productivity—and what makes them so effective. Learn how these strategies can enhance your company’s culture.
- Celebrate Wins with Fantastic Fridays
- Weekly Shoutouts Foster Appreciation and Motivation
- Personalized Care Packages Strengthen Team Bonds
- Honor Growth with Most Improved Human Award
- Reverse Recognition Day Builds Trust
- Toast to Success After Project Completion
- Quarterly Show & Celebrate Spotlights Creativity
- Demo Day Showcases Progress and Learning
- Impact Reflection Friday Connects Team to Purpose
- Quirky Birthday Gifts Create Lasting Memories
- Personalized Appreciation Rituals Boost Employee Satisfaction
- CEO’s Silly Failure Ritual Eases Tension
- Weekly Celebration Hour Fosters Team Unity
- Micro-Wins Recognition Builds Positive Momentum
- Sharing Losses Cultivates Growth and Trust
- Ivory Elephant Game Offers Coveted Prizes
- Quarterly Roasts Build Trust Through Humor
- Lunch Roulette Breaks Silos and Humanizes Work
18 Company Traditions That Boost Morale
Celebrate Wins with Fantastic Fridays
We celebrate “Fantastic Fridays.” It’s our weekly ritual to pause, reflect, and recognize wins—big or small—before we all head out. We gather as a team either on Zoom or via group chat, lift each other up, and call out specific moments where someone went above and beyond. It could be a client breakthrough, a well-executed campaign, or even the anticipation of exciting events for our kids or ourselves that are occurring over the weekend.
Why does it work? Because acknowledgment and group support are oxygen in high-performance environments. People don’t just want to be seen—they need to feel valued. And when you lead with that kind of intentional culture, you build more than a company. You build a community that runs on trust, pride, and momentum.
Julie Koester
Founder / Managing Partner / Co-CEO, Dragon Horse Agency
Weekly Shoutouts Foster Appreciation and Motivation
One powerful company tradition that significantly boosts morale is weekly “shoutouts.” This is a regular ritual, held weekly, that gives employees the opportunity to recognize help, contribution, support, ideas, and innovations that other team members have shared during the week, either in personal or shared projects. Team members can also use the opportunity to highlight individual and group achievements and results. It can take many forms, from quick stand-up meetings to shared Slack threads or company-wide emails.
What makes this tradition so effective is that it provides recognition and visibility. Employees feel appreciated when their efforts are acknowledged, especially in a public setting. It reinforces a culture where contributions are seen and valued, which can be a major motivator. It also helps shift focus to the positive, reminding teams of the progress being made even during challenging weeks. That sense of shared achievement can enhance pride in the work and the company.
Hilan Berger
CEO, SmartenUp
Personalized Care Packages Strengthen Team Bonds
One of our most effective morale-boosting traditions is what we call “Scent Surprises”—where I regularly send team members unexpected care packages filled with beauty favorites and new product samples.
This tradition has become a meaningful way to show appreciation beyond just words. The surprise element creates genuine moments of joy—our team members often share that receiving these unexpected packages feels like getting a thoughtful gift from a friend rather than just a work perk.
What makes it particularly effective is the personalization—I try to include items I know each team member will specifically love based on their preferences, alongside new products I’m excited for them to try. It creates a two-way connection: they feel seen and valued individually, while also being included in the product discovery process that drives our brand forward.
The timing is strategic too—sending these during high-stress periods or to celebrate achievements creates emotional touchpoints that strengthen our company culture. It reinforces our brand philosophy that small moments of joy matter, and that we value wellbeing both for our customers and our internal team.
This tradition aligns perfectly with our brand essence of “your mood, bottled”—it’s a tangible way to deliver happiness and show our team that the joy we aim to bring our customers starts from within our organization.
Divya Gugnani
CEO/Founder, 5 SENS
Honor Growth with Most Improved Human Award
Each year, we vote for “Most Improved Human.” This award is not for the top performer, but for someone who has grown meaningfully. Perhaps they overcame conflict or found their confidence. It’s a deeply emotional event that always includes a team speech. This award consistently brings tears, laughter, and connection. It shifts the focus from talent to growth.
Morale soars when effort feels as important as skill. It reminds us that people are always evolving and that growth deserves celebration just like success. Everyone sees what improvement can actually look like. That changes how they treat each other afterward and makes the culture one of progress, not pressure.
Jason Hennessey
CEO, Hennessey Digital
Reverse Recognition Day Builds Trust
We initiated a program called “Reverse Recognition Day.” Instead of managers recognizing team members, employees anonymously recognize leadership—highlighting specific actions—that positively impacted their work. This event occurs quarterly and is shared during a casual all-hands meeting, with messages read aloud by a randomly chosen employee from each department. Leadership doesn’t know what’s coming, and that unpredictability makes it more meaningful.
The program works because it reverses the usual power dynamic. After launching this tradition, internal engagement surveys showed a 17% increase in employees saying they “feel heard by leadership,” and a 25% increase in trust-related responses. This is not just superficial data—it manifested in how people collaborated afterward.
This initiative isn’t about perks or performance bonuses. It’s about building culture in a subtle but effective way. Because it’s done with sincerity and without fanfare, it doesn’t feel performative. Employees appreciate that it’s not some forced appreciation week—it’s earned, genuine, and it has a lasting impact.
Aaron Whittaker
VP of Demand Generation & Marketing, Thrive Digital Marketing Agency
Toast to Success After Project Completion
One company tradition that significantly boosts morale is our “celebration of closings” tradition. After a big project is completed, I take the time to personally thank each team member and subcontractor for their contributions. I highlight the challenges we faced, how we overcame them, and praise everyone for being open to growth and feedback. I also explain my position as both their boss and the hired help to the client, emphasizing that our end goal is to honor both parties and ensure everyone is heard and valued.
After this, I take the team out for drinks and dinner, and we always celebrate with a big toast. This tradition helps reinforce a sense of teamwork, appreciation, and mutual respect. It’s not just about celebrating the project, but about building strong relationships and letting everyone know how important they are to the success of the company. It has been highly effective in fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
Melody Stevens
Owner, Design On A Dime Interiors
Quarterly Show & Celebrate Spotlights Creativity
I believe one of our most effective morale-boosting traditions is our quarterly “Show & Celebrate” session. It is a dedicated team gathering where we showcase not just client wins but individual creative risks that paid off.
It is not just about hitting KPIs. Team members present something they are proud of, like a bold headline that landed, a unique content format that performed well, or even a behind-the-scenes process improvement. We pair each share with peer shoutouts and a surprise gift from leadership, like a handwritten note or personalized book. What makes it work is the emotional recognition—people feel seen not just for what they do but how they think and contribute.
This tradition creates a culture where creativity and effort are visible and celebrated. It builds momentum, boosts trust, and reminds everyone that they are not just doing tasks, but they are building something meaningful together.
Vaibhav Kishnani
Founder & CEO, Content-Whale
Demo Day Showcases Progress and Learning
Every Friday, our team runs a “Demo Day.” It’s an hour where anyone can share what they’ve been working on—whether it’s something they built, figured out, or totally face-planted on that week. No slides. No polish. Just raw, useful work.
Why does it work? It works because it puts progress out in the open where everyone can see it. That’s a rare thing in knowledge work. When people see their impact—big or small—they stay engaged. And when someone says, “This flopped, but here’s what I learned,” it starts to reshape the whole vibe of the team. You’re not just allowed to fail—you’re expected to learn.
It’s not a party. But it lifts morale every single week.
Kevin Connor
CEO, Modern SBC
Impact Reflection Friday Connects Team to Purpose
One tradition that has had a significant impact on morale in my business—especially as a founder working with a lean, remote team—is our “Impact Reflection Friday.” At the end of each week, we share one thing we’re proud of, one win we helped create (big or small), and one insight or lesson from the week. It’s not a performance review but a grounding ritual connecting everyone back to purpose.
What makes it so effective is that it creates emotional closure and clarity, especially in a high-output, high-creativity environment like branding and PR. It allows each team member to be seen, own their value, and feel part of something bigger—even when we’re working across time zones or juggling multiple projects. It’s simple, but it reminds us that what we do matters—and that acknowledgment builds real, lasting morale.
Kristin Marquet
Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media
Quirky Birthday Gifts Create Lasting Memories
On birthdays, we do personalized gift pairings. But here’s the twist: everyone contributes one weird suggestion. Then someone curates the final surprise gift box. We’ve had theme gifts like “cozy chaos” or “plant wizard.” It makes the birthday feel handmade, not just remembered. Everyone joins in, even asynchronously.
The shared laughter bonds the team even tighter. Morale gets a boost from these quirky rituals. They feel more personal than generic HR gestures. It’s the intention, not the money, that makes a strong impact. People feel seen for who they are fully. That kind of care isn’t quickly forgotten.
Marc Bishop
Director, Wytlabs
Personalized Appreciation Rituals Boost Employee Satisfaction
By far the most effective technique we’ve found for increasing morale is making employees feel appreciated by highlighting their accomplishments and life milestones. A simple thing like celebrating an employee’s birthday or having a “win wall” where we pin their achievements goes a long way towards showing people that both their professional and personal milestones are important to us.
I think a lot of businesses write off this type of personalized appreciation ritual, but it’s both effective for boosting morale and great for attracting and retaining great employees.
Hershel Glueck
CEO, Hero Time
CEO’s Silly Failure Ritual Eases Tension
One of our favorite company traditions is how our CEO handles failure: when something doesn’t go as planned, he shows up to the weekly meeting wearing a ridiculous green cap and kicks things off with a loud, “Yo!” It’s silly, unexpected, and instantly breaks the tension.
What makes it so effective is that it turns setbacks into shared, human moments. It reminds everyone that we’re experimenting, learning, and laughing together—not just chasing metrics. Morale stays high even when the numbers don’t.
Nick Trenkler
CMO, Bagoodex AI
Weekly Celebration Hour Fosters Team Unity
One of the company traditions that has helped build morale is our weekly “celebration hour.” We collectively dedicate our time once a week to getting together as a team and celebrating both the accomplishments of individuals and the achievements of the team. It might range from the completion of a major assignment to the attainment of some goal, or perhaps even to recognizing someone’s diligence throughout the week. It’s not just about work achievements, however. We also make time for celebrating personal victories—whether someone learns a new skill, overcomes a challenge, or just has a difficult week but manages to get through it.
The secret of this tradition’s efficacy is that it focuses not only on what has to be done. It’s a chance to help people remember that we are not simply employees but a group of people caring about others’ growth, both professional and personal. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference in fostering a feeling of belonging. When people are appreciated for their effort as well as their work, it draws them closer to the team and increases their motivation for future tasks.
This celebration hour also helps to eliminate silos. We hear a lot about what’s being done in other departments, and we learn about team members’ progress, which helps us feel more connected to the bigger picture of the company. It’s one of those traditions that, over time, really develops a sense of camaraderie where everyone is reminded that we’re all part of something larger, and we’re all in it together.
Alex Saiko
CEO & Co-Founder, MiraSpaces
Micro-Wins Recognition Builds Positive Momentum
You’d be amazed how far a shoutout for fixing a stubborn bug can go—sometimes, it’s the little wins that lift the whole team.
We started something simple—a shared space where anyone on the team can post weekly wins, no matter the size. It might be launching a new feature, cracking a tough bug, or jumping in to help a teammate under pressure. The magic isn’t in what gets shared—it’s in building a rhythm of appreciation into the fast pace of startup life.
Rather than waiting around for annual reviews, we’re recognizing people as the impact happens. That kind of real-time acknowledgment lifts morale because it reminds people they matter—even if they aren’t the loudest in the room.
Momentum builds when wins are visible. One small spark tends to lead to another. What started as a small experiment has become one of our most valued team rituals.
Jason Hishmeh
Author | CTO | Founder | Tech Investor, Get Startup Funding, Varyence
Sharing Losses Cultivates Growth and Trust
The company tradition I find incredibly powerful is creating space for the team to share their losses, not just their wins.
When I played professional tennis and later on a university team, one of the most valuable habits we had was analyzing our losses. Not to dwell or beat ourselves up, but to learn. After every tough match, we’d sit down, slow things down, and reflect: What went wrong? What was in our control? What could we do differently next time? That process built resilience, self-awareness, and ultimately, growth.
In a business context, I’ve seen the same principle work wonders. When people openly share failures, rejections, or moments they struggled, it creates a culture of psychological safety and humility. It normalizes vulnerability, encourages smart risk-taking, and builds trust across the organization.
This significantly boosts morale because it shows people they’re not alone in struggling. It humanizes the team, breaks down silos, and replaces silent shame with shared learning. People feel safer to take initiative and innovate when they know failure isn’t fatal—it’s feedback.
What makes it so effective is that it fosters connection, resilience, and growth all at once. It builds a team that’s not only high-performing but emotionally intelligent and deeply supportive.
Kasia Siwosz
Life Coach for the Top 1%, Kasia Siwosz
Ivory Elephant Game Offers Coveted Prizes
For Christmas, we do an “ivory elephant” celebration where the company buys a bunch of interesting and coveted gifts like drones, diamond earrings, plane tickets, etc. We play just like a “white elephant” game, but everyone is trying to end up with the best prize—a free vacation day for the new year.
Stafford Wood
President, Covalent Logic
Quarterly Roasts Build Trust Through Humor
Every quarter, we host an all-hands meeting where team members lovingly roast each other. It’s hilarious, slightly unhinged, and wildly effective. Why? Because it builds trust faster than any trust fall ever could. We’ve found that when people feel safe joking with (and about) each other, they communicate better, collaborate more easily, and genuinely enjoy showing up to work.
Patrick Carver
CEO & Founder, Constellation Marketing
Lunch Roulette Breaks Silos and Humanizes Work
One of our favorite traditions is “Lunch Roulette.” Every month, we randomly pair team members, remote or local, to have lunch together on the company. No agenda, no work talk required.
It started as a fun way to break silos, but it’s honestly become one of the most loved parts of our culture.
It gives people who don’t usually work together a chance to connect as humans, not just coworkers. I’ve seen devs and designers bond over cooking, or our SEO lead sharing playlists with someone in accounts. Those small, personal chats carry over into better collaboration later.
It’s especially valuable in a remote setting where people can easily slip into just task-mode. This keeps things human. No forced team-building games, just real conversations over good food.
It’s simple, a bit unpredictable, and always leaves people smiling. That energy adds up. It shows in how the team works together day to day.
Nirmal Gyanwali
Website Designer, Nirmal Web Design Studio
