Christina
In today's high-stress work environment, fostering a culture of appreciation and wellbeing is more important than ever. At Reward Gateway | Edenred, we recently embarked on an exciting journey to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day through our innovative Wellbeing+ app. We designed a unique virtual race challenge called Appreciation Adventure, aimed at promoting movement, connection, and engagement among our employees.
Launching the Appreciation Adventure
The Appreciation Adventure was not just another activity challenge; it was a thoughtfully crafted experience that encouraged our team to get active while celebrating the values that define our workplace culture. Using the Custom Racetrack Creator feature of the Wellbeing+ app, we designed an interactive race map that was visually appealing and engaging.
The racetrack itself was enhanced with beautifully designed eCard images from our Reward and Recognition software, creating a vibrant backdrop for our journey. To make the experience even more special, we incorporated quick, heartfelt video messages from our U.S. Leadership team at each milestone. These videos, lasting from 20 to 40 seconds, conveyed genuine appreciation and connected to our core values, such as “We work hard” and “We delight our customers.”
Video specifications: a personal touch
To ensure the challenge resonated with our employees, we encouraged our leadership team to record their appreciation messages in a warm and casual manner. By using their phones in landscape mode or using PhotoBooth on their Mac computers, they were able to generate a high-quality video that we then uploaded to our YouTube channel. Once the videos were uploaded – with the "Those with the link can view the video" preference selected, we were able to upload to our milestone videos in the custom racetrack. This control toggle ensures that only internal employees can view the video and it doesn’t appear on our public channel.
Engaging employees in meaningful ways
The Appreciation Adventure was designed to be more than just a physical challenge; it was an opportunity for employees to engage in meaningful conversations about appreciation and wellbeing. As participants navigated through the interactive race map, they shared their experiences in a dedicated group chat.
In the Admin Center, we were able to send out chat prompts to challenge participants to encourage connection. Below are a few example prompts that you can use:
- Share a moment when a colleague made your day brighter. What did they do?
- What’s one thing you appreciate about our team culture?
- Who has been a mentor or inspiration to you at work, and why?
- What’s a recent achievement, big or small, that you’re proud of?
- How do you like to show appreciation to others in the workplace?
- What’s one thing you’ve learned from a colleague that has impacted you?
- Share a fun fact about yourself that your colleagues might not know!
- What RGER value do you think the team most embodies?
Insights from the Appreciation Adventure
At the end of the challenge, employees noted being more active than before it started, with many logging more converted activities throughout the challenge. This increased movement contributed to our team completing the racetrack ahead of schedule.
Additionally, the chat feature served as a valuable space for sharing photos and messages, helping to foster connections among employees. Participants opened up to share what and who they are grateful for, as well as discussing what they appreciated about our team culture. This engagement not only strengthened relationships, but also reinforced a sense of community within our organization.
Create your own impactful challenges
At Reward Gateway | Edenred, we believe that meaningful challenges can significantly enhance employee motivation, connection and engagement. We invite you to explore our Custom Racetrack Creator feature within the Wellbeing+ app to design your own impactful challenges. Whether you're looking to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day or simply want to promote wellbeing in your workplace, our platform provides the tools you need to create engaging experiences for your employees.
The Appreciation Adventure was a successful initiative that demonstrated the power of combining wellbeing challenges with employee appreciation. By leveraging our Wellbeing+ app, we created an engaging and impactful experience that resonated with our team. We encourage other organizations to consider similar initiatives to enhance their workplace culture and promote employee wellbeing.
To learn more about how to create your own wellbeing challenge to engage and delight your employees, schedule a demo to chat with one of our friendly employee experience experts! We can’t wait to help you make your corner of the world a better place to work.
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