While reflection is always important, company milestones can be great opportunities to think deeply about the work you do and who you do it with. When the booming software company went public, leaders of the Engagement, Inclusion & Diversity team at Hashicorp worked with Bold Xchange to reward their colleagues.
THE CONCEPT
Beyond celebrating the company's successful IPO, leadership took this moment to acknowledged all the the ways this team's work had impacted company culture, hiring practices, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and more—making Hashicorp an even better place to work.
As the company moved into a new phase, these leaders wanted to be sure their colleagues understood the value of the work they'd done to that point, and the importance of their work going forward.
THE EXECUTION
The team at Hashicorp wanted this box to have a little bit of everything. Something for the desk, something for the home, a treat, and something thought-provoking. And this gift definitely hit all of those areas.
The true centerpiece of the final gift was a book by Wes Moore titled The Work: Searching for a Life That Matters. It weaves Moore's own riveting story with that of others, inspiring readers to take risks, seize opportunities to serve, and discover themselves in the process. It was the perfect anchor item in a gift set for folks whose job is to help their colleagues be successful at work and beyond.
We surrounded this great read with some of our favorites from a range of product categories we cover. A beautifully-scented candle with an even better message on the label: Be the Change. Rich Ghanaian chocolate bars from Kanda Chocolates. A notebook for "Brilliant Ideas" from Effie's Paper. And a pen from Paper Standards.
THE FEEDBACK
Perhaps the best part about this gifting experience was the reaction of the recipients. Social media posts, messages, and a seemingly endless stream of emails thanking leadership for such a thoughtful gift.
One particularly emphatic thank-you post on LinkedIn summed up the impact of this gift perfectly: "I am extremely grateful to have an opportunity to work for a leading cloud technology company that recognizes the value of my identity as an African American and supports my leadership [...] Hashicorp is truly a unique place to work and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make an impact and change lives."
