02-27-2026LEADERSHIP NOW

How to create connection at work that doesn’t feel forced

Simple rituals can strengthen workplace culture—no mandatory fun needed.

[Photo: Compassionate Eye Foundation/Steven Errico/Getty Images]

Early in my career, a colleague and I made a shared commitment one summer to eat healthier. Salads. Smoothies. The full routine. Like many well-intentioned plans, our discipline began to fade after a few weeks. Eventually, we introduced what we jokingly called Grease Wednesdays, a weekly cheat day as a reward for all our good behavior.

Every Wednesday, one of us would head out to grab fast food, and we’d hide away in a small boardroom to indulge........

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