Discover the secrets to happier employees in this week's edition of Happy Office Hour, powered by Brand Sauce. Packed with industry insights, hot new products for your company store, and valuable tips to make your office happier—while making your company culture the envy of your industry.

A Dash of Industry Insights 📰

Industry Headlines, Insights, Data & Events

📊 PPAI 100 Rankings Update: The 2025 PPAI 100 research project kicks off February 24th! Companies have until March 9th to complete surveys covering Responsibility, Innovation, and Business Fundamentals. Winners will be unveiled at the North American Leadership Conference in Chicago this May. Learn more here.

⚖️ Stanley Trademark Dispute: Stanley Black & Decker has filed a lawsuit against PMI (parent company of Stanley drinkware) over trademark infringement and contract violations. The case highlights the importance of proper trademark usage and licensing agreements in promotional products.

🎁 Transform Birthday Recognition: Ready to eliminate the manual work of managing birthday gifts while creating more meaningful moments? Reply 'Birthday' for exclusive access to our Birthday Playbook and to learn how we're helping HR teams save 100+ hours annually while strengthening company culture through personalized recognition.

The HR Corner

The Power of Birthdays: Transform Personal Milestones into Cultural Cornerstones

When it comes to building a thriving company culture, the small moments matter just as much as the big initiatives. According to recent studies, over 80% of employees believe celebrating personal milestones like birthdays directly correlates with higher workplace morale. Even more telling? Nearly 75% say it impacts their decision to stay with their employer. Yet many organizations still treat birthdays as an afterthought—a hurried email chain or last-minute gift card that feels more like an obligation than a celebration.

At Brand Sauce, we believe birthdays represent a unique opportunity to strengthen your culture one personal connection at a time. Unlike company-wide events or annual recognition programs, birthdays are inherently personal—a chance to make each employee feel truly seen and valued as an individual.

Through our automated birthday program, team members receive personalized gift credits they can redeem in your custom-branded store, choosing from a wide range of premium products that match their unique and diverse interests. No more generic gift cards or one-size-fits-all solutions—just thoughtful recognition that shows you value their uniqueness.

But great birthday programs aren't just about the gifts—they're about creating consistent cultural moments that compound over time. When birthdays are celebrated intentionally, they become threads that weave together the fabric of your company culture. Remote employees feel just as valued as their in-office colleagues. New team members immediately sense they've joined an organization that cares. And most importantly, every employee knows their special day won't be forgotten or treated as just another calendar reminder.

Ready to transform your birthday recognition from a manual task into a cultural cornerstone? Let's talk about building a program that celebrates what matters most—your people.

Words of Wisdom

Quote of the Week

Sometimes the simplest truths are the most powerful. When you treat employees like they truly matter - recognizing their individuality, celebrating their moments, and showing authentic appreciation - they don't just show up, they show up inspired. It's not about grand gestures, but about creating a culture where everyone knows their presence makes a difference.

Brand Sauce Chronicles

🎙️ Building a Culture of Excellence: Brand Sauce CEO Featured on "On Kindness" Podcast

Our CEO Ross Greenstein recently joined Nicole Yelsey on the "On Kindness" podcast for an inspiring conversation about building workplace cultures where people truly thrive. The discussion explores how intentional acts of kindness and meaningful recognition create the foundation for genuine workplace connections and a sense of belonging.

Drawing from both his business experience and collegiate sports background, Ross shares insights on fostering "excellence on and off the field" - building environments where teams don't just perform well, but genuinely enjoy being part of something bigger than themselves. The conversation dives into practical approaches for employee recognition, talent acquisition, and creating authentic cultural connections in today's evolving workplace.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify.

Client Spotlight

Client Spotlight: achieve Engagement

Founded with a bold vision to reshape the employee experience, achieve Engagement has established itself as a leader in workplace transformation. Through virtual, interactive sessions and on-demand content, they bring together industry thought leaders, subject matter experts, and HR professionals to tackle today's most pressing workplace challenges. Their mission? Making each workplace better - one connection at a time.

Valentine's Day Success Story: A Brand Sauce Partnership 💝

This Valentine's Day, achieve Engagement partnered with Brand Sauce to show appreciation to their community in a unique way. Going beyond traditional thank-you messages, they created a personalized shopping experience that turned gratitude into meaningful choices.

Our collaboration included:

• Custom-branded online store creation

• Personalized gift codes for partners

• Curated merchandise selection

• Seamless digital shopping experience

• Automated fulfillment and delivery

The Impact:

• Strengthened partner relationships through personalized gifting

• Created memorable touchpoints that aligned with their brand values

• Demonstrated the power of choice in appreciation programs

• Extended their community engagement beyond events

• Reinforced their commitment to workplace transformation

🤝 Partner with achieve Engagement

Interested in transforming your workplace culture? I'm happy to make an introduction - reach out at [email protected].

🚀 Join the achieve Engagement Community

Ready to transform your employee experience? achieve Engagement hosts regular virtual sessions featuring industry thought leaders and workplace innovators, offering SHRM and HRCI recertification credits at no cost. Whether you're looking to boost engagement, enhance inclusivity, or strengthen retention, their community provides the resources and connections to help you excel. Learn more here.

Weekend Update

Around the Water Cooler With Ross

Shhh... We’re getting engaged!

Okay, not exactly a surprise—Madison already knows. She even picked out her ring. But here’s the thing: I want the proposal to be truly special, and I have no idea how to make it happen.

Should I involve the kids in the big moment? Or would it be better to propose first and then celebrate with friends and family right after?

With over 2,500 of you reading this newsletter now, I’m hoping some of you have creative ideas. Hit reply and help me plan a moment Madison will never forget!

© 2024 On Demand Global, LLC, DBA Brand Sauce