How the “High Five” Challenge Changed the Company Atmosphere in 2 Weeks

How the “High Five” Challenge Changed the Company Atmosphere in 2 Weeks

What happens when a simple gratitude mechanic meets a real team?

We tested it in practice by launching the “High Five” challenge in a Kazakhstani company. The results turned out to be impressive.

The challenge mechanics are elementary: each week, a participant receives several “thank-yous” that they can give to colleagues. The only goal — to receive at least one in return.

Results That Impressed

In two weeks:
— 21 participants took part in the challenge
— 120 thank-yous were sent
— The active core of the team formed naturally
The numbers are impressive, but what’s even more interesting is what stands behind them.

What Did Colleagues Thank Each Other For?

An analysis of the content of thank-yous revealed an unexpected picture:

— 40% of thank-yous related to work moments:
“Thanks for making the badge”
“Thanks for your support and help with tasks”
“Thanks for adding me to the challenge”

— 60% of thank-yous were connected with personal attention and emotions:
“Thanks for the treats”
“Thanks for the coffee”
“You brought joy”

People value personal attention and care more than formal recognition for completed tasks.
Colleagues remember not so much help with a report as a warm smile and a cup of coffee at the right moment.

The Most Heartfelt Thank-Yous

Among all the messages, some stood out as especially warm, showing the depth of changes in the team:

“You are a very energetic person. When I see you, I feel your energy. Thank you!”
“Thank you for being such an open and bright colleague ❤️🫶”
“When I see you, my mood lifts 😊 Thank you!”
“Thank you to our teacher for warmth, for kindness, for everything ❤️”
“Working with you is a joy for the soul 💞”

These thank-yous are not formal responses. They are sincere acknowledgments of how one person affects another’s emotional state.

People stopped being shy about expressing their feelings and started talking about what truly matters.

Key Insights

— Leaders of Gratitude
Three colleagues topped the ranking both in thank-yous sent and received. They became the natural centers of positivity in the team.
— A Culture of Recognition Is Strengthening
Most employees not only received but also sent thank-yous. This shows that the challenge created a mutual exchange, not a one-sided movement. People began to feel part of a shared process where everyone can be both a giver and a receiver of recognition.
— Sincerity Wins
Warm, personalized messages are remembered and motivate much more than generic phrases.
Participants did not write template “thanks for your work” — they found specific words that reflected their real feelings and observations.

When a colleague writes, “When I see you, my mood lifts,” it’s impossible to forget.
Such words warm the heart and motivate you to keep being yourself.

What Changed in the Team?

From “thanks into the void” to a culture of conscious recognition
Before the challenge, gratitude was often a formality — a quick “thanks” in passing that didn’t carry real meaning.
People said “thank you” because it was customary, but rarely put emotion into it.

The challenge changed that. Gratitude stopped being an automatic ritual and became a conscious act of recognition.
Now it’s a tool that:
— Strengthens connections between people — when you thank a colleague for a specific action, you both become closer
— Makes each contribution visible — small kind deeds stop going unnoticed; they are noticed and appreciated
— Turns routine into conscious interaction — instead of mechanical task completion, attention to people appears

Why It Works in Any Team

The “High Five” challenge proved a universal truth: people need to feel that they are valued.

Not for KPIs or meeting a plan, but for who they are — energetic, open, kind, caring.
When a team gets space to express this appreciation, transformation happens:
— Work becomes more pleasant
— Colleagues become allies
— The office stops being just a place for tasks

Launch Your Own Gratitude Challenge

Imagine: in two weeks your employees will start saying to each other not just “thank you,” but sincere words of appreciation.

The team will become closer. The atmosphere — warmer. The work — more inspiring.
The mechanics are simple, but the result exceeds expectations.

All you need is to give people a tool and a reason to express what they already feel but rarely say out loud.
ChallengeMe will help you launch a gratitude challenge and see how simple recognition transforms your team.