Between a sluggish economic climate and the rise of remote work, corporate cultures have been put to the test in recent times. To strengthen them, here are a few ritual ideas that are easy to implement in your organization.
First, let’s recall that, according to the book Les rituels en entreprise by expert Makeba Chamry, there are four types of corporate rituals:
- Celebration rituals, which aim to mark key milestones
- Cohesion rituals, which foster relationship quality
- Creation rituals, which mobilize creative energy
- Transition rituals, which provide guidance during transformations
Here’s a look at different ritual ideas based on these categories.
1) Celebrating Important Company or Employee Milestones
The company’s founding, the first sale, the first hire… A business can build a narrative around these key dates to celebrate progress and bring teams together.
It’s also possible to celebrate employees’ work anniversaries. Consider Amazon’s employee badge system: blue (less than 5 years), yellow (5-year “Amaversary”), red (10 years), purple (15 years), silver (20 years). Or Google’s “Nooglers” (new Googlers), who receive the famous cap.
2) Establishing a Gratitude Ceremony
To highlight team members’ contributions, Makeba Chamry suggests a ritual where each person recognizes a colleague by saying, “I would like to thank you for…”
Another idea: place a gratitude jar in a central office space where employees can leave appreciation notes for colleagues. Each month, the notes are read aloud during a team meeting.
3) Starting (or Ending) Meetings with an Emotion Check-In
This ritual, proposed by Makeba Chamry, involves each participant sharing their “inner weather” to express emotions and energy levels. This fosters connection and creates an environment of authenticity and kindness.
4) Instituting “Mystery Lunches”
At Fabernovel, a French digital services company, an internally developed algorithm randomly pairs employees for lunch to encourage networking. A great way to break silos.
Why not combine business with pleasure? Some companies organize “English Lunches” or “French Lunches”—language practice sessions over a meal with native speakers.
5) Creating Unique Meeting Rituals
Sometimes, the power of a ritual lies in adding a quirky touch to everyday activities. At the American startup daPulse (now Monday.com), to prioritize improving poor user interfaces, they established Cheese Day. The team fixes UI issues (called UI cheese) and ends the day with a wine and cheese buffet.
6) Holding Failure Conferences (“FailCon”) or Post-Mortems
To cultivate innovation, it’s essential to destigmatize failure. Otherwise, no one will take risks. Companies can hold meetings dedicated to discussing failures or post-mortems to analyze mistakes and learn from them. For example, Creaform hosts full-scale funerals to bury discontinued or unsuccessful products.
7) Making Onboarding a Ritual in Itself
The first days at a company are both uncertain and a prime opportunity to immerse newcomers in corporate culture. Onboarding is an ideal occasion for a meaningful ritual.
Ubisoft Montreal, for instance, has a dedicated onboarding facilitator. Their program, Base Camp, includes four morning sessions in the first week for each new cohort—from interns to VPs. It starts with an applause upon arrival, followed by office tours, team introductions, benefits presentations, and Q&A sessions with senior employees.
8) Turning the First Months into a Ritual Too
Ritualizing the initial months beyond onboarding can symbolize an employee’s journey. One common practice is the fresh eye report, a critical observation report from a new hire, who still has fresh eyes.
At Creaform, employees sign a large mural in the company’s entrance at the end of their probation period, symbolizing their integration into the company’s history.
Now it’s your turn to create your own rituals!
