The Strongest Team Cultures Are Built Between the Milestone Moments

When most people talk about company culture, they picture the big stuff: holiday parties, product launches, offsite retreats, the quarterly all-hands with the hype music.

But if you zoom in a little closer, between those major milestones, you’ll find something just as important.

Because great culture isn’t built once a quarter. It’s built day by day, in the small, subtle, recurring moments that shape how your team connects, collaborates, and celebrates. It’s what we like to call…

The “in-between” moments.

So…what do we mean by “in-between moments?”

They’re the things that don’t usually make the employee handbook, but they’re the heartbeat of your team.

That 15-minute Friday ritual where you shout out weekly wins.

A monthly “just for fun” challenge that gives everyone a break from Zoom fatigue.

A new hire intro game that helps people feel seen before they’ve memorized your org chart.

A short team reset after a tough quarter to slow down and reconnect.

These aren’t always flashy, but they’re deeply meaningful. And especially in remote and hybrid environments, they’re where culture has the best chance to thrive.

Why these moments matter so much

Sure, big milestone events make a splash, but it’s the smaller ripples that shape day-to-day culture. Gallup reports that employees who strongly agree that they feel connected to their organization’s culture are 4.3 times more likely to be engaged at work.

In-between moments are:

Consistent. They create rhythm and rituals that anchor your team, especially when everything else feels chaotic.
Inclusive. They don’t require PTO, a travel budget, time away from family, or a packed calendar to participate.
Connection-building. They give people more frequent chances to be seen, heard, and valued, which builds trust over time.

It’s no coincidence that employees who regularly feel engaged and recognized are more likely to say their workplace has a strong culture. These moments are the culture.

The risk of only focusing on “the big stuff”

We deal with transactional relationships so often in the workplace, and it’s so easy to have that seep into the day-to-day relationships and team energy. When you only celebrate the highlights, you miss everything in between.

Culture then becomes something you schedule instead of something you live. And in hybrid workplaces, where casual hallway moments don’t exist as often, connection can quietly erode.

You don’t need a pizza party, a $3 plastic trophy, or an AI-written “thank you” to your team to build culture. You need intention. Regularity. And a few well-placed rituals that give your team something to look forward to.

So, how do you build a culture of everyday connection?

You don’t need to overhaul your calendar. Just make space for micro-moments that create a macro impact.

Embrace recurring rituals

Think about the touchpoints that people can look forward to:

• Monday morning coffee chats with other departments
• End-of-week “cheers and peers” where you celebrate accomplishments and coworkers
• Monthly team-building activities, whether it’s something simple like a virtual trivia session or more hands-on like an experience with team kits 

Want help planning your next teambuilding activity? Browse our “getting started” collections for fun, low-lift experiences designed to keep teams connected between milestone moments.

Celebrate small wins

Not every success needs a trophy, but they do deserve a spotlight.

• Encourage your C-Suite to carve out time each week to give personal shoutouts to team members, whether it be 1:1 or to everyone via your team’s messaging system
• Celebrate mini milestones or accomplishments, like a sales rep hitting their 10th deal or or a customer success teammate earning a streak of 5-star reviews
• Shout out full teams who hit their quarterly goals ahead of schedule

Celebrate big accomplishments, too

But some moments? They deserve more recognition than they may get. 

• An employee getting married or expanding their family? Set aside budget to make those employees feel seen and celebrated
• New team member? Let them choose a teambuilding activity that really encompasses their interests and hobbies, and allow them to share it with their team
• Going through performance level ups? Don’t let it pass with just a Slack emoji. Find a way to make it feel big (because it is) with something like a tailored gift

Confetti’s got you covered! Explore activity options and gifting options here.

Make space for learning and curiosity

Let’s be real: learning something new together is way more fun than reading a training deck.

• Host “curiosity hours” where employees can explore a new topic unrelated to work
• Let team members share something they’re passionate about, whether it’s a side project, a personal interest, or a surprising skill, during All Hands or team meetings
• Show employees you care by presenting opportunities for learning and growth during months of celebration, like Black History Month, Pride Month, or around the various types of December holidays

Looking for a hands-on way to bring your team together to learn? Explore these Confetti seminars that cover 30+ topics. 

Culture is built in the quiet moments, too

It’s tempting to wait for the “big” milestones to make an impact. But the truth is: those big moments will never matter as much if they aren’t backed by something consistent.

Culture isn’t built all at once, it’s shaped over time.

In the recurring rituals.
The thoughtful pauses.
The inside jokes.
The mini celebrations.
The moments where we remember there are people behind the work.

That’s where the magic happens. That’s where Confetti lives.

Need help hitting the reset button on the way your company culture operates? Check out our curated experiences to help your team realign in the in-between moments. 

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