What are some best practices for celebrating team successes across different time zones and locations?

Plan ahead. I always plan team celebrations well in advance so that everyone can participate. I schedule events for times that are convenient for most people, or I use tools like video conferencing to make it possible for people to join in even if they're not available at the same time. Be flexible. I know that things don't always go according to plan, so I'm always flexible when celebrating team successes. If someone can't make it to an event, for example, I send them a video message or a gift to show my appreciation. Make it personal. I want to make sure that celebrations feel personal, so I take the time to acknowledge each person's contributions and celebrate their individual successes.

One of the best ways to do this is to ask what motivates people and what they would like to see. A company I worked at, when I joined the manager asked me what worked for me and how I like to be recognised. Once I started doing well and things started going well for me, the manager recognised me in that way which helped keep me motivated but also showed the manager listened to what I had to say.

To plan ahead, you need to know how you team and each member likes to be recognized and rewarded. Some people want to be celebrated in front of a group; others would prefer 1-1 praise. How do you know? Ask them when they onboard to your team. Also consider what their work location is: in office, hybrid, or remote.

When coordinating celebrations, do NOT lump them all together. The celebration loses meaning when dozens of teams and hundreds of people are all recognized at the same time.

Empowering employees is one of the keys to a successful operation. Continuous Improvement should be the lifeline of any organization looking to be a market leader. It is the responsibility of leaders to do just that - lead by example, while establishing policy and allowing employees to drive the company from the bottom up.

Showing appreciation both publicly and privately is important. We often do “one on one” lunches. Those are great as it has a personal feel and the employee feels special as our attention is solely on them. We also take great pride in really knowing our staff. For example, one employee mentioned he and his wife needed a getaway so we surprised them with a resort stay.

Nunca repreender em público, mas elogiar na presen?a de todos e sempre dar o exemplo. Ter aten??o na situa??o psicossocial dos componentes da equipe e apoiar quando acontecer algo.