← Ritual Library

Milestone ritual

Onboarding Story Walk

In their first week, a new hire walks (or video-calls) with three colleagues who each tell one story that explains "how we really work here."

Why it matters

Handbooks explain policy; stories explain culture. This ritual helps new joiners decode unwritten norms fast and builds three relationships beyond their immediate manager.

How to run it

  1. Recruit three storytellers from different teams — at least one should have joined in the past year.
  2. Give them the prompt: "Tell a story about a moment that shows what we value here — something no handbook would tell you."
  3. Schedule the walks across the new hire's first week. Outdoors if possible; cameras on if remote.
  4. Let the new hire ask questions. Their questions reveal what's confusing about the culture.
  5. Debrief with the manager at the end of week one: "What surprised you? What did you learn?"

Watch out for

  • Storytellers turning it into a slide presentation
  • Only choosing senior people — include peers who joined recently

When not to use it

Mass onboarding cohorts of 30+; use a group story circle instead.

Keep exploring

Seen at Indonesian & Malay traditionRitual

Gotong Royong Day

A day where the whole team works side by side on a shared community or workplace project — everyone hands-on, regardless of rank.

QuarterlyHalf a dayOrganisation-wide
Ritual

Graceful Farewell

When someone leaves, the team gathers to share what they'll take forward from that person — closing the chapter with dignity.

Milestone30 minutesSmall team (2–10)
Seen at ZapposRitual

The Offer

During onboarding, offer new hires a payment to leave if the culture isn’t right for them — so everyone who stays has chosen to.

MilestoneOne conversationOrganisation-wide