What’s the difference between a $10k recognition platform and the teammate who starts every standup with, “Great news, we’re still employed!”?
It’s that the teammate is more likely to be worth the money. They’ve objectively created a ritual.
TL;DR
- Optimistic cultures enjoy higher profits and better employee retention.
- Recognition platforms are just that: a platform for virtual team rituals that work.
- Small win celebrations, shout-outs, and milestone recognition are rituals that work on real teams using recognition tools.
Why you should be fostering optimism in remote teams
Recent reports suggest that more than three-quarters of employees stick around due to their employer’s culture. These people connect with coworkers and receive meaningful recognition. And as a result, the organizations they work for are more financially successful.
A lot of this is made possible through optimism. Optimism reduces perceived threats. It keeps the good stuff in focus and makes us feel safe enough to get creative. Optimistic cultures are also better at learning from mistakes and creating moments of belonging.
The resistance comes from those who see a cute emoji or a kind remark and feel suspicious. Manufacturing “nice” isn’t the same as building an optimistic culture. Many of us have experience with workplaces that made a swipe at optimism and ended up with a noxious cloud of corny, corporate nice.
| Optimism | Toxic positivity |
|---|---|
| People with concerns are heard out, because feedback is important. | Skeptics are seen as negative–disruptive, unreasonable, or even dangerous to the status quo. |
| Mistakes are accurately acknowledged and discussed so the lesson can contribute to future success. | Mistakes are glossed over with platitudes like, “It is what it is.” |
| Employees encountering a challenge can seek support. If they don’t know something, they can learn. | Challenges are downplayed with reassurances that it’ll be “fine,” and they can just “figure it out.” |
| Companies outwardly represent themselves and their culture in alignment with what they actually value and the employee experience. | Social media accounts and onboarding materials project an image of a positive, happy culture that rarely manifests itself. |
Apps or habits? Why adding tools rarely fixes morale
A firm grasp on what real optimism entails is the first step toward knowing how to build remote company culture. It’s the “remote” part that sees many of us attempting to solve it with recognition tools alone.
The problem with tech:
All software is transactional. Clicking, closing, approving, sending, exchanging. For a tool to help improve morale, it has to be used for something emotionally grounding. Building a connection, expressing gratitude, or having our purpose affirmed.
Dealing with the friction factor:
Some tools, especially recognition platforms, end up subtracting from on-the-job optimism by increasing context switching. Low-pressure recognition that lives inside of work is used more often because it’s not asking us to take extra steps and perform the nice action.
Rituals as purpose:
Another thing that’s emotionally grounding is predictability. Fostering optimism in remote teams means we’re repeatedly meeting an expectation. Tools are a platform for what’s real and emotionally fulfilling–the ritual we carry out with it.
Discover what HeyTaco can do for your team
See how HeyTaco makes peer recognition simple, fun, and impactful.
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4 Virtual team rituals for authentic optimism
How do realistic, resilient remote teams prioritize performance and positivity at once? HeyTaco surveyed hundreds of admins, and they shared these four virtual team rituals the most.
Leaderboard reveals and top giver rewards.
Gamification attracts teams toward a recognition tool, but what people celebrate makes the biggest difference. Organizations that keep leaderboards visible use them to foster a culture of giving. The people who gave the most tacos are just as win-worthy (sometimes more) as those who got the most kudos.
“The person who gave the most tacos that month wears a taco crown; [they’re the] Taco Queen/King.”
- HeyTaco admin via survey
A recognition slot in team meetings.
This tried-and-true ritual hasn’t gone anywhere. Adding positive shout-outs to every agenda reinforces that recognition is the operational norm. Leaders can use this time to share some original praise or read a few of the best recognition messages from the week.
Optional: Offer the person who gave the recognition a minute to further explain the impact of their teammate’s help or behavior.
Milestone & life-event recognition.
Work anniversaries, onboarding, and even personal occasions like birthdays. All are cause for celebration on positive teams. One of the most popular remote work team bonding activities we see prompts everyone to heap recognition onto an honoree.
“Every new starter gets tacos from their manager and team. It's part of our onboarding.”
- HeyTaco admin via survey
Taco Tuesday (and so much more!).
Scheduled recognition turns into a team ritual people authentically look forward to. Keeping weekly celebrations on the calendar is akin to giving everyone a short break that centers on positivity.
More importantly, it clears a little space for people to reflect and recognize “invisible” work or contributions that weren’t immediately acknowledged.
Pro tips: Turning tools into ritual hubs
Chat, video, word processing. Most common tools for remote work can be used for team bonding activities that stay voluntary and feel natural.
- Slack/Teams. Delete progress update channels that either aren’t used or become panic rooms. Start a kudos channel here instead. Add celebration threads, pin rituals, and schedule prompts.
- Loom. Recorded video is a must to create async artifacts for globally distributed teams. Build connections by filming a tutorial, a check-in, or an async team-building activity like a desk tour.
- Docs. Shared Google documents where peers keep track of inside jokes, informal lighthearted competitions, milestones, and other team insider knowledge.
Learn how to build remote company culture, one taco at a time.
Cold-introducing a ritual can be a gamble. Building on recognition tools with shared rituals is a proven strategy among many remote teams, like Haze Shift.
They use HeyTaco to share recognition, sure. But they also used it as a springboard to create a pretty optimistic set of values called The Taqueria Principles. They hold leaderboard celebrations that praise givers. Engagement rose 30%, and they achieved their highest-ever company satisfaction scores.
It’s never just a tool; it’s how you use it. Get a full explanation of how HeyTaco boosts morale and builds culture, and start building momentum this week.
