Paging Dr. Happy! Your Weekly Prescription for Workplace Wellbeing (The Culture Booster Shot)

Congratulations. You’ve just completed your first full round of wellbeing prescriptions.  And whether you’ve been following along religiously or casually catching up between meetings, here’s the good news: You don’t need to change everything. You just need to start noticing more.

Culture work is slow magic. The kind that happens in nudges, not neon lights. So today, we’re not adding anything new. We’re reinforcing what we’ve already begun.

It’s time for your Culture Booster Shot, with a quick hit of reflection, accountability, and encouragement to keep the momentum going.

Booster Shot: Workplace Culture Self-Check

Read each of the prompts below and give yourself an honest rating from 1 to 5.

(1 = Not yet, 5 = I’m crushing it)

1. Appreciation (Week 2: “More Than a Gold Star”)

I intentionally recognize the effort, value, or contributions of at least one colleague per week, in a way that feels meaningful to them.  ___ / 5

2. Meetings (Week 3: “Your Calendar Is a Culture Problem”)

I contribute to making meetings more focused, energizing, and respectful of everyone’s time, or I actively advocate for better formats.  ___ / 5

3. Psychological Safety (Week 4: “Brave Spaces, Not Just Safe Ones”)

I create or support space for people to speak honestly, even if what they say is uncomfortable or messy.  ___ / 5

4. Boundaries (Week 5: “Stop Glorifying the Grind”)

I model and respect boundaries, my own and others’, as a core part of healthy, sustainable work.  ___ / 5

5. Micro-Moments (Week 6: “Culture Is in the Cracks”)

I pay attention to the small, daily interactions that shape trust, connection, and team morale.  ___ / 5

Total Score:

• 21–25: You’re a culture catalyst. Keep showing others what’s possible.
• 15–20: You’ve built great momentum. Keep going! The shift is happening.
• 10–14: You’ve planted seeds. Now’s the time to be more consistent.
• Below 10: You’re not behind, you’re at the beginning. And beginnings are powerful.
  

Now What? Choose one of the five areas above and commit to focusing on it for the next week. That’s it. Just one. 

Need a nudge?

• Write a sticky note: “Did I show appreciation today?”
• Block 15 minutes to audit your calendar
• Ask someone for feedback on how safe your space really feels
• Schedule your lunch. Eat it. Not at your desk.
• End your next meeting with, “What’s one good thing from today?”

None of these require permission. Just presence.

Culture doesn’t need more slogans. It needs more people like you, choosing humanity over hustle, one micro-moment at a time. I’ll see you back here next week as we kick off a brand new series, where we take everything you’ve been learning and turn it toward the next big frontier: leadership at every level.

And remember… workplace happiness is serious business.

About the Author

Dr. Sarah Ratekin is a workplace happiness and gratitude expert, keynote speaker, and Chief Happiness Officer at Happiness Is Courage and The Happiness Haven. A Navy veteran and seasoned organizational strategist, she helps companies transform culture through actionable, people-centered practices. With experience spanning Fortune 100s to nonprofits, Dr. Ratekin’s work focuses on the intersection of well-being and performance. She’s on a mission to prove that a thriving culture isn’t a luxury, it’s a leadership imperative.

Connect with Dr. Sarah

Happinessiscourage.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/skratekin1/