Candy jars, open doors, and other invitations to “face time”: As e-mail makes it easier and more efficient to communicate with co-workers, we run the risk of losing important interpersonal cues and relationship building opportunities that come with face to face communication. Keeping a candy jar on your desk invites people to come by with candy as the excuse and spend a minute or two just chatting. Making the effort to walk across the hall and see the person you need to deliver a message to or wheel your chair around to actually see the person in the work station next to you while communicating helps build and maintain connections with co-workers. A lot of important business and career building is conducted during these “informal” discussions.

Holiday Celebrations: Yearly holiday celebrations can help re-build teams torn apart by “restructuring” and reaffirm and enhance already close knit teams. While corporate sponsored formal events are sometimes great, the less formal celebrations that involve worker participation have the greatest team and morale building impact. Having employees decorate work areas (yes, workstations and/or groups of workstations can be decorated to the hilt), having contests for the most interesting or over-the-top decorations, pot luck luncheons or dinners where people can show off their culinary or take-out ordering skills, and opportunities for employees to show off their musical or dance skills are all ways to celebrate the Winter holidays. More frequent holiday celebrations can help keep employees working as teams and enjoying the workplace (remember, happy employees are more productive employees). Dressing up for Halloween and “trick or treating” through the office or a Spring Fling or St. Patrick’s day office decorating contest and luncheon are all ways to enhance connections between coworkers throughout the year.

Recognition for Special Accomplishments: Rituals such as “Employee of the Month” awards and recognition in company newsletters of successful completion of big projects are ways of acknowledging employee's contributions. Just as in a family, you and your co-workers should look for ways to acknowledge each other for a job well done. Posting letters from customers citing a job well done, e-mailing each other when a customer compliments one of your co-workers or your department, having input into the employee of the month, scheduling an after work gathering and making a toast are all ways to remind people that they are special and create an environment that fosters healthy emotional connections.

Deal and Key, in their book Corporate Celebration, comment that, “Convening special occasions .….draws people together, reminds them of why the company is in business, allows them to witness their individual contribution to the big picture, builds team spirit, and renews faith and hope.”