4 core values reinforced with recognition

Ndustrial provides a platform that optimizes operations and energy efficiency for industrial facilities. With a team of about 40 people (as of 2020) working in a hybrid environment, keeping everyone connected — and aligned on what the company stands for — required more than a values slide in an all-hands deck. In December 2020, Laura MacLachlan, Director of People Operations, decided to try something different.

Recognition tied to what matters

Laura introduced HeyTaco as a lighthearted way for employees to give each other kudos — but with a specific design: every taco had to be tagged to one of Ndustrial's four core values: Quality, Customer First, Teamwork, or Curiosity. Recognition wasn't just a shoutout. It was a signal of what the company actually stood for, expressed in real time by the people living it.

To give the program some teeth, Ndustrial set up a reward system: every 25 tacos earned translated into a $25 gift card. Even those who were initially skeptical — thinking the taco thing was silly — were quickly won over.

Organic adoption and creative uses

At Ndustrial, nobody forced it. Laura saw employees start recognizing each other on their own, and the positivity spread across the company. Recognition became meaningful because it was tied to values — and it became habitual because it was genuinely fun.

Laura got creative with how tacos could be used collectively. When she accidentally ordered a mini-sized foosball table for the office, she turned the mistake into a challenge: the team could pool their tacos to purchase a regulation-sized one. Employees enthusiastically donated until they hit the goal. Later, Ndustrial introduced the option to donate tacos to plant trees through One Tree Planted. In just a few weeks, employees had donated enough to plant 100 trees globally — a choice Laura found especially telling: "It tells you what people value and prioritize."

Values off the wall

In Laura's experience, HeyTaco made it easier for employees across departments to recognize each other and helped remote employees stay connected with the day-to-day culture. And every taco sent was a small reminder of what Ndustrial is actually building toward.

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Keeping it going

Ndustrial kept finding new ways to keep the energy going — planting trees, saving up for a team espresso machine, or just giving someone a lift on a hard day. Tacos have become more than a fun gimmick. They're a core part of the culture.