Saying ‘thank you’ in a way that is truly only@Deloitte

This article is Part 2 in a series on creating our #Everyday magic.

Last winter, we shared what ignited our #Everyday journey. In a shifting world, it was our commitment (and we had 6 of them) to reinvent who we are, how we work, and how we run our business within our Consulting practice in Canada at Deloitte.

One thread that we pulled as part of that was our culture of gratitude.

We listened closely in the early pandemic days— it was clear that folks were tired and looking for the basics: feeling recognized for their daily contributions. High-fiving after a meeting, grabbing each others’ coffee orders — or a having a celebratory meal were gone. The gap was a pandemic friendly approach. We had to look at expressing gratitude differently.

Saying thank you (or merci, or gracias) the same way was not going to cut it. We wanted to make it more meaningful, amplify our culture, mirror reality and do it differently.

We wanted to say ‘thank you’ in a way that was truly only@Deloitte. Exuding purpose and meaning at its core.

For Consulting that meant a rewards program that recognizes outstanding performance and makes recognition uber-human, personalized, and mainstream — with a big ticket draw at year-end to give all Green Dot winners a chance to win one of three $50,000 cash prizes. No catch, no strings — just a simple ask: go make work life and personal life… BETTER.

Photo by Austin Schmid on Unsplash

On the day of our big draw, nerves were palpable. Why? It was a chance to truly make a lifechanging difference for three individuals in a way they never imagined — and we did. 600 names in a drum. Phone calls to surprise the winners. A chance to celebrate impact in a way never done before.

After 8 months ~40% of our practice has been recognized — with almost 600 folks being awarded Green Dot awards (the highest prize for stand out — true Category of One performance).

When asked what this program meant to them, no one mentioned the monetary prize — but instead brought up how much they appreciated:

• the timely, personalized, and heartfelt thank-you’s they received;
• their ability to feel connected to our shared purpose and impact;
• how good receiving recognition feels regardless of their tenure or seniority;
• the emotional impact they experienced — often with “tears of joy”;
• the appreciation for only@Deloitte award choices like charitable donations, coffees with senior leaders, spotlights on high profile calls, or a differentiated approach to career planning; and
• the connection they built with leaders who believed in them, encouraged their growth, and celebrated their impact.

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash

What have we learned?

1. The best recognition is not about calling out performance — it’s about describing the impact and amplifying purpose;
2. Meaning doesn’t come from simply following a trend — it’s about humanizing the culture informing how we deliver;
3. Every workforce strategy needs a “surprise and delight” — a rethink of what really matters and how we make that real for our people;
4. Saying thank you is contagious; and
5. There is no gift like the gift of connection — nothing screams culture more than leaders writing personalized notes and embedding acts of gratitude into the flow of their day.

Looking forward to next year where we will make another step change together. Ideas include broadening the net of who can express gratitude, and continuing to amp up our recognition in line with ESG. We will continue with our “test and learn mentality” and like the year that passed, continue to listen and adapt along the way.

What do we know? The best is yet to come.

Thank you, merci, gracias Consulting for helping us be better #Everyday.

Co-authored by Sébastien Blais (Consulting Managing Partner) and Jodi Baker Calamai (Consulting Culture & People and Strategic Initiatives Leader).