Small Gestures. Stronger Connections.
Building a positive workplace culture doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Sometimes, the smallest gestures make the biggest difference.
As a school principal, I've found that a little creativity, some unexpected fun, and intentional appreciation can go a long way toward helping people feel valued and connected.
While these ideas come from my experiences in education, they're not just for schools. Whether you lead a classroom, a business, a department, or a team, there's always room to bring a little more joy into the workday.
Below are some of the ways I've celebrated the people I work with. Take a look, borrow an idea, and make it your own!
Build Your Own Bouquet: A flower bar where staff could create their own bouquets to take home. A little creativity and something beautiful to brighten their day!
Staff enjoyed choosing the flowers of their choice.
And grabbed a "to go" charcuterie board on the way!
Throwback Treats: We took it back to the '90s with a nacho bar, bright colors, and nostalgic fun. A simple way to make an ordinary workday feel special. It was rad.
Appreciation on Wheels Why wait for staff to come to the lounge? I brought drinks, snacks, and a little appreciation right to them, because they are all that... and a bag of chips.
Around the World: Staff appreciation became a trip around the world, with a different country to celebrate each day through themed treats, surprises, and activities.
Your Passport to Appreciation: A passport-themed adventure gave staff something new to look forward to each day as we celebrated destinations around the world.
A Taste of Paris: A little Parisian-inspired celebration with sparkling drinks and a special toast to the people who make our school wonderful.
USA Day: The finale of the trip around the world was a last stop in the USA. Carnival complete with hotdogs, chips, and dunk the principal in a dunk tank. Rent them from your local rental shop believe it or not!
Ciao! One day in Italy brought each staff member a small gift basket with little goodies.
Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously: A little silliness goes a long way. When leaders join the fun, they create opportunities for laughter and connection.
A Colorful Surprise: Bright decorations, fun treats, and unexpected surprises. Sometimes changing the atmosphere is enough to make people smile.
Taste the rainbow!
Permission to Pause: We transformed a space into a relaxing retreat where staff could take a break, unwind, and recharge during the school day.
A Little Friendly Competition: Team challenges brought staff together for some laughter, encouragement, and good-natured competition.
A Gingerbread Office Makeover: Our administrative assistant transformed our school office into a life-sized gingerbread house! A little creativity, a lot of holiday spirit, and a fun way to bring smiles to staff, students, and visitors.
You cannot have a bad day when your office is in a gingerbread house.
Finding your Picasso: Staff enjoyed creating their own masterpieces in the staff lounge.
Our Creativity on Display: We showcased staff creations around the building. It's a simple way to recognize the people and personalities that make our workplace special.
Under the Sea Surprise! This time, the staff surprised ME! They transformed my office into an underwater adventure, complete with colorful decorations and three LIVE animals hidden in my office without me even noticing! A little creativity, a lot of laughter, and a reminder that having fun goes both ways!
Balloons & Compliments! I delivered balloons to teachers in the morning with one simple request: When a student visits the office, send them with a balloon and a compliment! By the end of the day, our office was filled with balloons, laughter, and the most unexpected compliments. From “Thanks for helping us!” to “I like your nose!” This worked beautifully with our PreK–2 students and could easily be adapted for any age. It was an absolute hoot!
Silly String the Principal: Sometimes the best way to build connection is to let your staff or students have a little fun at your expense!
A Little Credit Where It's Due!
None of this happens because of me alone! Most often, I'm the one dreaming up the ideas, but my incredibly creative administrative assistant, Brittany, is the genius who helps bring them to life. She takes my ideas and turns them into something even better than I imagined. Great things don't happen through hard work alone. They happen when people bring their different strengths together. Thank you, Brittany, for your creativity, dedication, and willingness to go along with all my crazy ideas!
