Workplace rituals matter, more than you might think

Rituals exist everywhere from family occasions and sporting events to life milestones and religious services. Whether it is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, particular pre-game music, a personalized birthday celebration or a coming-of-age bar or bat mitzvah, these customs persist because they serve a valuable purpose. They make people feel like they belong, they make the event more meaningful and as a result, they encourage individuals to engage and excel in that sphere.

Workplace rituals are capable of accomplishing the same outcomes, creating inclusivity and relevance for employees, leading to improved performance. But sadly, many leaders don’t take, or even realize, this opportunity to build and maintain team and company culture.

What makes an effective workplace ritual?

By definition, a workplace ritual should be a series of repetitive behaviours, with symbolic meaning that reinforces an organization or team’s core value(s), and have no direct connection to the task at hand. The morning coffee run is an example of a workplace ritual. It doesn’t directly affect the work that needs to be done (some may argue that the caffeine has a direct relationship), happens daily and serves to increase team camaraderie.

What surprises many leaders is that rituals don’t need to be complex or complicated. Sometimes even the simplest ones can generate the greatest return on investment. The possibilities to create rituals in the workplace are many, limited only by your and your employees’ imagination. But to get you started, here are several ideas that have proven to be effective.

Rituals that celebrate success

While a celebratory lunch never disappoints, rituals don’t need to break the budget. Sending out an e-mail announcement with a team photo is a great way to mark a milestone. Or make it even more routine by .....

This was originally published as one of my regular columns in The Globe and Mail on April 28, 2023. If you have a subscription, you can read the rest on their site here: https://bit.ly/3AG7lMV . And if you don't, a pdf version is archived here: https://www.turningmanagersintoleaders.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/GM_ManagementOnline_042823.pdf