How we create a culture of appreciation

Em Spakauskas is Director of People Operations at Sayari. Em is a Rippling Wavemaker, a leader who challenges the status quo and finds creative ways to solve problems and drive business impact.

At Sayari, we know that small gestures can make a big difference. Recognizing milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries not only boosts morale but also strengthens our company culture. When we were a smaller team, it was easier to track these dates manually. But as we grew, I needed a more efficient way to ensure that everyone felt valued on their special day. Thanks to Rippling, we’ve automated these celebrations using workflows and Slack integrations, creating a consistent and meaningful way to celebrate our team.

The problem: Recognizing milestones manually

Before Rippling, tracking and celebrating milestones manually presented several challenges:

• Missed milestones: Important dates could easily slip through the cracks in a busy environment.
• Time-consuming processes: Tracking birthdays and work anniversaries across spreadsheets and emails was inefficient and error-prone.
• Uneven recognition: Without a reliable system, some employees were celebrated while others were unintentionally overlooked.

The solution: Automated birthday and anniversary celebrations

By automating these tasks with Rippling, we’ve not only solved these issues but also enhanced employee engagement in a way that’s effortless to manage. Here’s how we do it:

Step 1: Create scheduled workflows in Rippling

I started by navigating to the Workflow Studio in Rippling and selecting "Create workflow." From there, I set up triggers for employee birth dates and hire dates. These triggers ensure that the workflow activates on the exact day of a milestone.

Step 2: Configure Slack integration

Since Slack is where our team communicates the most, I connected Rippling to our Slack workspace. I set the workflow to automatically send messages to our #announcements channel. This ensures the whole team sees the celebrations, whether they’re in the office or working remotely.

Step 3: Craft personalized messages

Next, I created engaging message templates in Rippling. Using dynamic fields like employee names and milestone details, the messages feel personal and warm while still being automated. For example, a birthday message might say, “Happy Birthday, [Name]! We’re so glad to celebrate with you today!”

Step 4: Test the workflow

Before launching the automation, I tested it to make sure everything worked as intended. This included checking the timing, formatting, and Slack message delivery. After a couple of quick adjustments later, we were ready to go live.

Step 5: Launch and monitor

Once everything was set up, I activated the workflow. I’ve kept an eye on the Slack channel and gathered feedback from employees, tweaking the messages over time to keep them fun and engaging.

The impact

Automating milestone celebrations has transformed how we engage with employees at Sayari:

Improved morale

Automating birthday and anniversary celebrations with Rippling has been a simple but impactful way to show our employees that we care. The setup was quick, and the benefits have been long lasting. Employees feel valued when their special days are remembered and celebrated.

Stronger connections

The Slack messages create a space for team members to join in with congratulations, building camaraderie across teams. Every employee gets recognized, ensuring no one feels left out.

Saved time

What used to be a manual, time-consuming process now runs effortlessly, freeing HR to focus on other priorities.

If you’re looking for an easy way to strengthen employee engagement, I highly recommend! With Rippling Workflow Studio, creating a culture of appreciation is super easy.

This blog is based on information available to Rippling as of December 9, 2024.

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.