Ocado Retail

The challenge: turning values into everyday engagement

The People team wanted a way to foster daily connection, encourage value-led behaviours, and embed a sense of shared appreciation across the business. Before Mo, appreciation needed an update – it was often shared verbally or in Slack but there was no dedicated space to celebrate contributions or reinforce the culture they were working to build.

With a growing workforce and multiple strategic change initiatives underway, the team needed something simple, visible and authentic to bring their culture to life.

The solution: embedding culture, connection and appreciation

Ocado Retail introduced Mo as part of a wider transformation of their people experience alongside updated benefits, new platforms, and a deeper focus on employee engagement. Mo quickly became a key cultural thread, helping colleagues feel seen, valued, and connected.

Mo became part of the daily rhythm at Ocado:

• Everyday visibility: Mo moments are integrated into Slack and the company intranet homepage, creating a public and uplifting feed of colleague appreciation.
• Cultural spotlighting: Monthly all-hands huddles include Mo highlights, with a special focus on “Superstar” nominations, reinforcing what good looks like.
• Leadership reinforcement: Senior leaders play an active role, nominating standout contributions and celebrating behaviours that reflect the culture they want to grow.
• Manager empowerment: Mo helps leaders stay emotionally connected to their teams, especially during high-demand periods or ongoing transformation projects.

“It’s not just about saying thank you,” Charlotte notes. “It’s about keeping people connected to our values and to each other.”

The results: creating a culture where people feel seen and connected

To measure impact, Ocado Retail uses Peakon, their employee survey platform, which includes a specific driver for recognition. Following the launch of Mo in late 2023, along a broader focus on recognition within the business, this driver has shown a clear upward trend, demonstrating the power of visible, values-led appreciation to influence culture and engagement.

Mo also provides valuable insight into engagement dynamics across the business. Where appreciation is less visible, people notice and it creates an opportunity for targeted leadership support.

“When we spotlight recognition, it sets a positive tone for the whole team,” Charlotte explains. “It creates energy, confidence, and motivation.”

Teams that embrace Mo tend to show stronger engagement and morale, adding to the evidence that regular, authentic recognition isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a cultural driver.

Charlotte believes Mo’s success comes from its simplicity and its ability to slot naturally into how people already communicate.

By giving people a space to share appreciation, and by linking it clearly to company values, Mo helps Ocado Retail build a culture that’s not just talked about, but actively lived.

Her advice for other people leaders?

“It’s fun, it’s human, and it helps everyone feel seen. That creates connection. And connection is what drives culture and engagement.”