20 Best Ways to Build a Culture of Thanks

20 Simple Ways to Build a
Culture of Thanks
© Corporate Culture Pros. 2017.
Visit us for more Free Tools and articles
on Culture Building

Appreciation Friday
• Pick a day of the week where every team member is encouraged to
share something or someone they appreciate.
• Positive Vibes attract Positive People who create Positive Results.
• Rituals build healthy habits
on Culture Building

Pass the Mascot
• Choose a desk-sized team mascot, asking the team to brainstorm and vote on a
good mascot that represents the cultural quality (or qualities) most desired on
the Team.
• Find a physical object symbolic of the mascot – stuff animal, statue, vase,
whatever.
• Mascot goes on someone’s desk each week – let the team figure out the rules of
“passing it on.” FUN!
Gumby is our Flex-Dude.
Pivots and Pretzels make us stronger!
on Culture Building

BE the Mascot
• A couple of times a year, DRESS UP as the mascot and come through the office
distributing party favors for the whole team. Candy bars, beverages, gift cards.
“I’m grateful for how much energy our team has.”
Love, Your Boss
on Culture Building

Photo Booth
• Frame a photo of a customer appreciation note and give it to the
person (or people) in a nice frame.
With all due respect to noise, sensitive pets and the
quiet of neighborhoods I would like to thank the
brazen men and women who risked fines and
detention for the fantastic firework shows on the
beach! Kudos for the safe execution of those fireworks.
Yes, they are illegal but they are widely appreciated.
— Grateful Customer, Anywhere USA
on Culture Building

“Boring Chore”
Thanks
Wash the employee’s
car in the parking lot
during lunch
on Culture Building

Donut Love
• Put a really GREAT donut (yes there are gluten-free donuts) on
someone’s desk who went above and beyond “Donut what we’d do
without you!” –Signed, Your Rock Star Team
• In a health-oriented environment, you can make a donut shape out of
fruits and veggies!
on Culture Building

Hard Times
• That employee who is going through a really
hard time?
• Take time to sit with them privately to listen
(if it’s not intrusive) and ask how you can
help – or acknowledge your gratitude for
them in an appropriate way.
• Relax the rules and tell everyone “We take
care of each other around here.”
on Culture Building

20 Great Kudo Phrases …
Find Your Own Matching Photo!
1. You astonish me.
2. You’re a virtuoso.
3. You’re a glitter-bomb of glory.
4. You blow my mind like a Cat 5 hurricane.
5. BOOM! Brilliance strikes again.
6. Color me enlightened.
7. Your genius would be alarming, if it wasn’t so damn
consistent.
8. I’m honored to share even a miniscule fraction of
your miraculous DNA.
9. You’re the cat’s meow, the dog’s howl, and the
curmudgeon’s harrumph — all rolled into one.
10.You ooze ingenuity.
11.You remind me what ‘possible’ feels like.
12.One in a million? More like one a googolplex.
13.Your mediocre ideas are MENSA-level.
14.You matter. Full stop.
15.Your genius would be alarming, if it wasn’t so damn
consistent.
16.You’re a marvel, mama.
17.You’ve blinded me with science!
18.You just revived my faith in humanity.
19.You’re a polished opal in a pewter world.
20.You’re all that and a bag of kale chips.
Courtesy of 50 ways to say you’re awesome
Do words to creatively say a Genuine Thanks sometimes escape you? Try some of these fun ideas…
on Culture Building

Sweet Somethings
• Pay attention and make notes! about what
sweets your employees like.
• You can find cards on Etsy that are themed,
and easily print a cool saying that matches
the theme of the candy bar.
• Get your creative team to help make these
special – people love to get involved with
sharing the love and sweets!
on Culture Building

Sweet Lift…
For the people who prefer
drinkable uplifting.
on Culture Building

Tough Day
• Following a brutal day or hard push …
• Senior executives agree to circulate through the office or
workplace, offering personal thanks: “So grateful you are
here. You were great. Thanks for a hanging in with us on a
tough day.”
• Amazingly simple and effective.
• Keep it random so it doesn’t become expected or
meaningless.
on Culture Building

You Are Key
Love this creative
gift idea on Etsy
on Culture Building

Grab Bag Thanks
• Generate a list of 5-10 “above-and-beyond”
rewards that are within policy and budget to the
team: Leave 2 hours early on Friday, Lunch on us
(out), Starbucks gift card, they will come up with
more creative ideas!)
• Create a grab-bag of cards, one per Voted Idea.
• When someone demonstrates an above-and-
beyond behavior, have them grab from the bag in
the meeting and say Public Thanks.
on Culture Building

Customer Appreciation =
Employee Appreciation
• At Inter-Continental Hilton Head, the Employee of the
Month is selected based on guest questionnaires, with
manager comments.
• Employee receives cash, a plaque, a preferred parking
space, lunch with the general manager, and a stay in a suite
with comp meals and beverages.
• Whatever you do for Employee of the Month, MIX IT UP.
The program needs refreshing at least once a year.
on Culture Building

Change It Up
• Keep track of all employee ideas
(via suggestion box or team
suggestions) you put into
practice …
• When you collect a certain
number of implemented ideas,
throw a Celebration Breakfast or
Lunch in the office, with
managers serving employees.
• Keep it random and changing –
the point is to make change a
capability
on Culture Building

Make It Personal
• In smaller companies, ask the CEO
or President to call employees
personally who have made a
significant contribution and offer
personal thanks.
• This means SO MUCH to people.
on Culture Building

Pay It Forward
• For unselfish acts of
kindness, generosity …
• Give a gift they can keep
part of and share the rest.
Thanks, You Are So-Da the bomb!
Pay it Forward and Share the Love
on Culture Building

Trading Places
• Executives and office / corporate”
workers spend a day on the
manufacturing line
• Chicago-based Hyatt has “In Touch
Day” - all corporate employees, from
mail room to executive suite, go to
properties and work for guests:
checking people in, hailing cabs,
loading luggage, serving employees in
the cafeteria.
• ALWAYS find time during the year to
connect with your front lines workers
personally, and show them how much
you appreciate them.
on Culture Building

Reality TV
• Audition “Top 12 employees of the
month” for a feature in your
commercials, ads, on your
website.
• Make the photo shoot a blast –
include hair and makeup and cool
props, plus an after-party.
• You can do this with all employees
-- show diversity in ACTION by
picking “not traditional” model
types.
on Culture Building

Piece of the Action
Quantify the profit of a specific team
effort, implementation or idea …
Give CASH bonuses on a time frame
that is connected to completion of
the project.
These don’t have to be huge or often
– but the top leader should explain
the impact on the company and why
this was so important.
on Culture Building

20 Best Ways to Build a Culture of Thanks

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (18)

Featured

Featured (20)

20 Best Ways to Build a Culture of Thanks