For more ideas, check out our roundup of team building workouts. Get to know your employees and find out what they like so you can give gift cards that are tailored to their interests. For example, build breaks into your work schedule, remind team members to take breaks, and don't do work tasks while off work.7,8,9,10,11,12,13 Model problem solving from a variety of viewpoints. "We're encouraging employees to stay active by challenging their coworkers. But to make them feel valued is what employees think is the most important. Do it privately-ish. To host these virtual workouts, have participants join a Zoom call. The disease is extremely contagious, yet many infected people are asymptomatic, and patterns of transmission are not always clear. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight The author's views are entirely his or her own (excluding the unlikely event of hypnosis) and may not always reflect the views of Moz. of 70-75% ethyl alcohol. "Everyone meet promptly at 5:30 p.m., and line up your cars by the parking lot next to my house," instructed the texts sent out by Amanda Perez, staff member and University of Miami School of Communication graduate student, and her mother, Wendy Perez. Dress-up days find a niche at busy offices; employees can show up in costume but still get tons of work done. One is a gingerbread house session where theyll send you the kit, walk you through assembly, and then you can decorate with the provided candy and icing or your own. Find out how to shape a culture that attracts, engages, Vantage Circle. There were two main ways we did this: by requiring team members to be vaccinated, and picking a venue that would reduce people's overall exposure. Celebrating employee birthdays never gets old. It can be scheduled ahead of time or impromptu, just like you might invite a team member to grab a coffee with you while walking by their desk. Considering the health boosts, climbing aboard a two wheeler for exercise is easy on your joints, for one, as your weight rests on your pelvis and not your legs. It could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. They had a selection that included non-alcoholic mixes too (like a ginger lemonade). Or take a field trip to the local entertainment venue. Basically, the idea is to boost morale by giving students a collective silly goal. Letting employees decorate their workspaces plays an active role in building relationships within the company. Teammates can select a different background for each meeting or theme day, and can even swap backgrounds multiple times per call. I thought this was a great way for the company to show its appreciation for staff, and it provided us with plenty of new recipes to try out just in time for the weekend. - Adam Lumb, EN Site Manager at Cashcow, One of our perks is that we give employees up to an hour each day to do something positive for their physical or mental health, such as going on a walk, reading a book, taking an exercise class, or doing a meditation (no admin or work allowed!). Jamaica Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses. Following recommendations from the CDC, we've put together some helpful guide to navigating Christmas during Covid this year. This will allow team members to truly appreciate each other, leading to better team building. Ask each person to share one word to describe how they are feeling in. Give your entire team a chance to express their creativity with baby pumpkins, acrylic paints, and free pumpkin stencils. Heres some of what people reported. Spirit weeks often involve games. Host fun team games to play with your team members. However, Slack games offer more flexibility, as teammates can play on their own schedules. It might sound cliche, but small courtesies like a boss saying thank you to the team members can make a huge difference. Online retreats are company gatherings that take place online. 33 Amazing Employee Appreciation Ideas [2023 Update], The Ultimate Guide To Employee Rewards and Recognition, 50 Best Words of Appreciation for Employees, Gift Cards Make For The Perfect Employee Rewards, Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards, 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce, 25 Employee Recognition Statistics You Shouldn't Ignore, Top 102 Employee Recognition Quotes To Celebrate Their Endeavours, 23 Awesome Ways To Make Every Employee Work Anniversary Memorable, All You Need To Know About Sales Incentive Programs In 2023, 10 Intrinsic Rewards That Your Employees Look Forward To, Empower the Workforce With A Culture of Peer-to-Peer Recognition. Working remotely creates a new set of challenges that arebeing amplified by the added stress of school closures andby the anxiety many are facing during this pandemic. You might find that employee appreciation becomes a tad bit easier and a whole lot more fun. Hence, "Employee of the month" programs are a great way to show your best employees that you see their hard work and appreciate the efforts they are putting in. Read about more virtual talent show ideas. Check out our list of the best online murder mysteries. Simply ask, how are we doing living up to our agreements?. Virtual spirit weeks are weeklong events that consist of a series of fun and interactive online activities. 17 Ways to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 That Arent Happy Hours, celebrate employee milestones virtually here, general tricks for managing your remote workforce here. Then, plan festive activities to enjoy together during the call. Reward employees with a token or gift of appreciation from your side. Streaming service subscriptions. A dynamic host facilitates this 90 minute virtual team building event with a trusty virtual sidekick. A few more things that made it special: The best part about it was everyone participating posting a small list of likes and dislikeswe all got to know each other better through reading those lists and connect over shared interest. Harvard Business Review reports that "the most impactful driver of employee engagement is recognition.". You can arrange for office taxis or subsidized bus fares so that commute becomes a tad bit easier on their pockets. SHRM estimates that it costs $20,000 to $30,000 in recruiting and training expenses to replace a manager making $40,000 a year. Instead of taking the stage, performers share their acts during a video call. Children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity daily. Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace Show your employees some love by making sure that the snacks provided are healthy and nutritious. The cups were all the same so no one could tell what you were drinking unless you commented on it. Even a small gesture like a "thank you" goes a long way to boost productivity, increase performance and improve morale among the workforce. Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. The intensive schedule prevents routine responsibilities from interrupting the fun, and permits employees to focus on recharging and team bonding. Not to mention that birthday parties are an opportunity to appreciate peers. Keep employees engaged and excited with some friendly competition. Typical activities include theme days, costume contests, and online parties. Since healthier employees are more productive, happy, and energetic, the company will benefit from this form of appreciation. All rights reserved. Starting a business during COVID-19 may seem impossible, but these 15 types of businesses can help you launch a business and even help others during the pandemic. I'm really hoping we won't have to consider this in future years, but a lot of planning time went into making sure that we minimized our COVID risk during the trip. 1. Why not see which team has the most steps or ran the furthest distance this week? Yet now is a time when communication actually needs to be ramped up. Talk about what you appreciate about that particular employee. A viral photo with suggestions for "Homeschool Spirit Week" has been circling social media. Were hearing from some people that while its not for everyone, having three hours on a Friday afternoon to do something fun together is really appreciated so were providing it for those who like/need it. People are encouraged to bring family (which is not something we typically can do with these events) and I would have loved this even before the new normal. Im kind of bummed Im going to be missing out on this one actually. Another good team-building activity is a virtual workshop or workout class. Everyone had a week to practice and record their talents before we all watched them together during a special All Hands meeting. As a leader, having the right mindset, structure and strategies to enhance communication and build team cohesion will help you ensure the latter is true for you and your team. 7. Namely's powerful HR Software is built for mid-sized companies designed to be used by everyone, every day. Spirit weeks are a time-honored tradition, in elementary, middle, and high schools alike. Everything is impacted by COVID-19 in some way, including our work. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Spirit week is a week-long event that promotes company pride and employee engagement through fun activities. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the federal government (OSHA) has provided detailed guidelinesfor workplace safety policies. I hope this article has in some small way helped your and your teams trek through this extraordinary time. And of course folks could also just log off if they wanted to, with no pressure to spend the rest of the day working. These events help boost company pride. But we must also address the negative impact of isolation loneliness, fatigue or even . Pike13 Spirit Week highlights: Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. Then, after that, we had the opportunity to go into breakout roomslast year, one room did Schitts Creek trivia (it was a favorite among many staffers), another did Pictionary using the annotate functions of Zoom. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. 9. Slack game tournaments are great ideas for virtual spirit weeks. The Town of Wake Forest and the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department want you to stay safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic by honoring Wake County's stay at home order. Simply schedule a Zoom meeting and ask attendees to join from an outdoor spot such as backyards, parks, or beaches. Wellness Resources Credit: HMH Books for Young Readers. Not to mention, Online Office Games is highly customizable, so the activities can revolve around the spirit week theme of the day at your request. Recognizing employees is a great way to boost morale and build excitement during spirit week. Here are list of themes to use for online spirit weeks. Just to say hi and check how they are doing. It is a good idea to vary the class types and levels so that more team members can participate. Perhaps to no ones surprise, drinking seems to be quite popular this year, and some companies have figured out how to incorporate it into remote events. 1. A recent study published in Healthcare Design Magazine revealed that "an extreme break room makeover" at one health facility reduced staff "stress and fatigue.". After all, who doesn't like a couple of free snacks? The care packages were tailored for each individual, and they included self-care items such as cozy socks, chocolate, herbal tea, craft kits, puzzles, books, and board games. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. It is easier than ever to show your appreciation from the monthly Netflix fix to news and magazines. Maintain a positive work/life balance and encourage your team to do the same It's easy to work longer hours and take fewer breaks when working from home. We, humans, are emotional creatures. The events should also not take too long to do. All in all, make the day about them, i.e., your employees. Home tours are a fun way for remote teammates to invite each other into personal spaces. Regardless of your age, some physical activity is better than none. This helps your employees feel appreciated on an ongoing basis. The day-to-day work life might get hectic and tedious for everyone in the office. You can even snap a photo and create your own hashtag for when employees achieve something especially commendable. Participate in the Boost Educators Challenge Encourage each student's family to challenge the rest of your school's families to give their teacher (s) a shout out or thank you over the school's social channels. Throwing a virtual holiday party is one of the best Christmas spirit week ideas for work. However, you could include a holiday theme in your virtual spirit week during any time of the year. By hosting your fundraisers online, you can reach new supporters both near and far from your school without needing to leave your desk. Contains 5 ml. Today's employees seek recognition and rewards based on the career advancement that they want. Real world elements make virtual exercises more engaging and interactive. We also have a list of the best remote team outing ideas. Taking care of your employees' health is the most prominent form of appreciation that you can show. The employee experience is better, and the company's outcome stronger. Therefore it's a win-win situation. Vantage Circle. To host a virtual talent show, invite teammates to sign up for slots. But some employers have devised celebrations that will keep people safe and actually sound fun (even to this curmudgeon). Online fundraising allows you to make a big impact even if your team is limited in members or budget. Encourage team members to do the same. We started this challenge at Booster. This article is written by Barasha Medhi who is a part of the marketing team at Vantage Circle. 5k+ Downloads Websites like Elfster or DrawNames will organize the whole process for you, letting you set a gift budget and providing space for participants to share their wish lists: I worked in a fully remote environment last holiday season, and this had been a tradition for several years, though it was entirely opt-in. It's run by a different division each week to encourage everyone to get involved and has been a fun way to spend a few hoursand a welcome distraction. - Anna Barker, Founder at LogicalDollar, I arranged a remote talent show for our team. Do the bragging on behalf of your employees, and show your whole team how fantastic everyone is. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. Revamp your break room. Student Engagement: Spirit Weeks A number of schools and school districts have done weekly challenges where students participate in a themed activity, take a picture or video of it, and then upload and tag it with a specific hashtag so that the community can find, enjoy, and celebrate it with them. The consulting group McKinsey & Co. surveyed 1,000 employers , and 90 percent reported that the pandemic was affecting the behavioral health of their employees. Its been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. For example, book-binding, instrument-building, ravioli-making, or makeup lessons with a drag queen. Offering them a handsome salary is one aspect. #StayStrongWF Spirit Week April 6-10. Few people are as knee-deep in our work-related anxieties and sticky office politics as Alison Green, who has been fielding workplace questions for a decade now on her website Ask a Manager. Offering free meals and caffeine is actually a highly effective and cost-effective means of motivating and controlling young employees. (Source: Team Vantage Circle's Day Excursion). Employee appreciation is meant to make the workplace feel a little bit like home. Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond. Once the votes are in, book the top ranking classes. Be thoughtful with your messages of appreciation. Because honestly, everyone expects the managers and leaders to be bossy and unreachable. When you think about having a great company culture, you think about building trust, honesty, and a great team of workers. Next, check our our list of ideas to celebrate Pride at work, online fun Friday ideas, and intern orientation activities. Remote teammates work together to crack clues and conquer brain teasers before time runs out. Heres a way to see people in-person from the safety of your cars: Our company has had a couple of drive-through events set up in the parking lot of the main company campus. That can be too intimidating for your employees. By planning an online retreat for spirit week, you block out employees time and free staff to enjoy the festivities. From year-end reporting to employee paystubs, check out these payroll tips and tricks. No, not the executive lunchroom. Get the latest news from Namely about HR, Payroll, and Benefits. Here are instructions on changing virtual backgrounds in Zoom, GoogleMeet, and Microsoft Teams. The lobby at Googles Sydney office makes visitors feel like theyre about to embark on a safari expedition rather than drown in a concrete jungle. It was a lot of fun! - Stephen J. Kontos, Founder & CEO at PatentXP PLLC, We keep employee morale high by sending out thank you notes to our employees currently working from home. Hands-on Experiences: 1. Ask each person to share one word to describe how they are feeling in that moment. Instead of the usual tables and activities, they had booths set up where treats were handed through the window. For example, theme days, virtual talent shows, and costume contests. The second event is a winter wreath demo where again supplies are sent to peoples houses and you can follow along with the demo and put a non-denominational winter wreath together. After the bartender presentation (which was short) everybody got to chat and enjoy their drinks for some time before saying goodbye. 32. Some teams are secretly supervillains who try to sabotage other teams, and players must also identify these sinister alter-egos to ensure evil does not prevail. We do a Champagne toast at our holiday party every year, and theres some rumors about mini bottles being shipped out for a Zoom toast, but Im not sure! Research says that the primary cause of employees leaving their jobs is the lack of appreciation. The benefit of virtual dress up days is that employees can don elaborate costumes without worrying about travel, comfort, or attracting strange stares in Starbucks. Daily Dose of Kindness (sent daily) Weekly Kindness Idea (sent weekly) General Newsletter (for everyone) General Newsletter (for educators) Team costumes Whether you're a team of two or twenty, you can dress up in team costumes for Halloween. During the COVID-19 crisis, you can do a lot more from your couch than you may realize. A client of mine, whose team of 15 people are now all working from home, established daily 30-minute morning team check-ins to stay connected and on top of the priorities of the team, which have shifted given COVID-19. WeAreTeachers Staff on September 20, 2022. Virtual workout or meditation classes. For inspiration, check out our lists of online cooking classes and online art classes. This year, theyre sending a food related gift to our homes and giving us the afternoon off. Avoid the cafeteria as it can be very distracting. Wed have the holiday party on Zoom, where folks would open what they had received from their gift giver. You. Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other for support. Click here to find out how. You could even include dessert decorating packs, tasting assortments, or craft kits. Hand Sanitizers. We had a Zoom meeting were a bartender showed how to mix each drink using the provided measuring cup, and answered questions about how to make a good martini, what to substitute for white eggs in pisco sour, etc. For example, hold a Zoom ugly sweater contest, host a virtual Secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange, and sing Christmas carols. Getty Images/PeopleImages. Here are three ways employers can reduce panic and keep employee morale up during the coronavirus outbreak. The amount of pay is capped at $511 per day, and $5,110 in total, for employees who are sick or quarantined or who have symptoms. Employees who want to learn about new tools, techniques, or topics but have less time on their hands will consider it a fabulous opportunity. Gain practical tools and strategies to lead your remote team to high performance with mycomplimentary webinar and check out my new e-course: Lead High Performing Remote Teams That Thrive Through COVID and Beyond. Throughout the evening or afternoon, read awards off one by one, and give each winner 30 seconds to give a victory speech. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. Reading a book on the sofa is a cozy way to get in the Christmas spirit. You can take the first step in promoting the importance of health. These light-hearted contests can also easily be tied to raising money for charity. - Joe Wilson, Senior Career Advisor at MintResume, Our company gave us all sunflower seeds to care for and grow as we work from home. ). Make the day memorable by organizing outside barbecues or small office parties. Virtual talent shows double as entertainment and team bonding. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones. Between the confetti, balloons, and cake, office birthday parties are always fun to organize. There are few things that employees feel more love for than an extra day of freedom aside from the weekend. Spirit Week ideas for busy offices should include low-maintenance events that require minimal planning from event organizers and the participants. Get 5 morale boosting tips here, learn how to celebrate employee milestones virtually here, and get some more general tricks for managing your remote workforce here. 1. Part of the fun of spirit week is pretending, and murder mysteries cast participants in the roles of cunning detectives. Gathering via video call and online communication platforms gives groups a chance to relax, re-energize, and reconnect with teammates. Hosting this year has been no small featand the biggest party season of all is almost here. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. For instance, if you host a murder mystery, then include character cards in the boxes. Here are 15 office ideas for Halloween: 1. You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. It can range from conducting regular health check-ups, yoga sessions, dentist appointments, and offering health insurance. After face masks, custom hand sanitizers are the next health and safety giveaway idea on our list. The cost of commuting is heavily influenced by the location of the workplace relative to where the employee lives. A lot. But heres the thing. Get the resources. To set the mood, you can encourage attendees to dress up and don fancy virtual backgrounds. At checkout the price was zero and you couldnt even enter a tip. With trick-or-treating officially considered a high-risk activity, you may be scrambling to find something for your little goblins to do on the 31st. Working from home can be challenging. I recently asked Ask a Manager readers to share how their teams are observing the holidays in lieu of in-person parties this year, and it turns out companies have gotten really creative. Materialistic perks are fine. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Murder mysteries are games that require participants to play a character while solving a mystery. Be Intentional About Communications It's crucial that leaders don't get sucked into the. Most employees love to learn, and taking a virtual class together is a terrific spirit week idea. 2020 Namely, Inc. All rights reserved. Then, have one attendee lead the class, or screen share a video routine. The flipside to this is without the proper career advancement at the right time, employees will slowly grow disengaged and might look for new opportunities elsewhere. In turn, healthier employees produce better results for their companies. Believe it or not, such small stuff really sees a positively impacted company culture. Recommended Article: The Ultimate Guide To Employee Rewards and Recognition. Here are some suggestions: A team reset meeting will ensure team members take time to identify how to best work together in this new reality so that the team can maintain a sense of community, transition through this change effectively, and maintain (and even improve) team performance during this time while supporting the well-being of team members. Illustration by Supriya Kalidas. To make your company memorable in a sea of forgettable mugs. Our division is doing a holiday drive-in movie and renting out a drive-in theater for the evening. Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. There are many fun online activities that suit an international or travel-themed spirit week or spirit day.