The recognition is the prize

Bryan Gold is the co-founder and CEO of #paid, a creator marketing platform with a team of 100+ strewn across North America. An early adopter of employee recognition, Gold was giving shout-outs during meetings from the jump.

However, several years ago, two developments made massive shifts in #paid's culture of recognition. First, a team member told Gold they'd like it if peers also had a way to recognize one another. Second, the company went remote-first.

As if by magic, HeyTaco appeared.

Peer recognition that works like a charm

Not magic, exactly. The people team at #paid introduced HeyTaco six years ago. At that time, the company totaled around 60 people. They've since doubled their numbers without missing a single beat.

Employees swiftly adopted HeyTaco with little instruction or coaching. All it took was one person in sales to share the inaugural taco.

Keeping peer recognition accessible and fun has helped the company sustain momentum through major growth spurts.

"It's easy to understand. Just add a taco emoji. People pick it up fast and start using it right away."

Rich in culture, not rewards

#paid does not have a Taco Shop or include rewards in its recognition program. This isn't all that unusual. Other remote teams that love using HeyTaco, like Immunefi, prefer the cultural benefits. "The recognition is the prize," agrees Gold.

Zero-rewards strategies are still effective because peer recognition doesn't just make people feel appreciated. It becomes a diving board for creating connections and team cohesion through ritual.

Currently, #paid has exactly one pinned item at the top of the General channel in Slack: the HeyTaco leaderboard. They make taco givers as visible as taco receivers. Board leaders in both categories are acknowledged during monthly roll-ups.

Roll-ups roll over and make their way into an annual Wrapped event. As the company reflects on the year's highlights, the top taco givers and receivers are called forth to bask in the spotlight.

However, there's no reward-shaming over here. "I think for some teams, the rewards part adds an extra layer of incentivization. Who doesn't want a gift card?" says Gold. "But for us, I've never needed to go that direction because everyone's just motivated to give positive shout-outs to each other."

Hungry for more: The right way to adjust daily taco limits

Maybe a lack of rewards saves room for more appreciation. HeyTaco's standard of five virtual tacos a day is meant to keep recognition meaningful. However, Gold found that his team needed an extra helping. Everyone gets seven tacos per day, making it easier to recognize whole teams for their successful collaborations.

This works because the number was chosen with intention, being mindful of how scarcity keeps them special.

Gold himself wonders if fussing over this number is silly, but it's not! #paid had a specific purpose for increasing the limit, and did so carefully, always respecting the awesome power of the taco. 🌮

The people at #paid embody the best of what HeyTaco has to offer

There's no doubt that the #paid team deserves all of the credit for building an intrinsically rewarding culture of recognition. HeyTaco is still thrilled to have been part of their story.

They didn't overthink building connection and culture in a remote setting. They chose a simple, fun tool and used it for its highest purposes:

• An emphasis on giving, not just receiving
• Peer recognition for all, not just top-down
• A culture that feels like a reward on its own
• Giving small wins the spotlight, every day
• Ritualized events that reinforce the importance of recognition