But when you thank them for their efforts, it can be a heart-melting moment to inspire respect for you and the business. Be thoughtful with your messages of appreciation. Check out our list of the best online murder mysteries. The best online holiday parties encourage interaction. Because honestly, everyone expects the managers and leaders to be bossy and unreachable. 50 Spirit Week Ideas For Work To Energize Any Size Team - SnackNation Work-Life Challenges and Integration in the Context of COVID - OHSU 1. Not to mention, care packages add a tactile element to your all-online spirit week. Successful fundraising during a recession is two-pronged: Focus hard on donor engagement and retention, and Toilet paper and Netflix memes are very popular right now. Due to the physical demands and psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been difficult for many of us to stay physically active. 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. You can also offer a myriad of health benefits. Virtual Theme Weeks Can Bring Students and Faculty Together There are few things that employees feel more love for than an extra day of freedom aside from the weekend. It means that they can catch up on the countless movies that they have missed. Halloween is the time of year when employees can showcase their creativity and interact with coworkers they may not normally work closely with. The Internet might be intermittent in these spots, so you can also give teammates the option of joining via phone audio instead of mobile video app. Each act should be around five minutes. To play a murder mystery online, first find a game or script, and then invite teammates to a Zoom meeting to play out the scenario. 12 Ideas for Writing Through the Pandemic With The New York Times Covid Christmas plans: How to celebrate safely I Paperless Post As much as we'd like for things to be "business as usual" this holiday, planning for Christmas 2021 requires a little more work to keep guests happy and healthy. It's marketed as "COVID-19 style" since all schools across the state are currently shut down. Time Off From Work During COVID-19 | Justia COVID-19 is expected to last for many months, with a potential resurgence in the fall. Throwing a virtual holiday party is one of the best Christmas spirit week ideas for work. This year, the questions are quite different, and nearly all are some variation of What do we even do for the holidays in a pandemic? Many employers are simply canceling holiday celebrations, since theres no way to safely gather. Have office happy hours and hire a bartender to mix them a drink or two. How to Engage And Retain Your Employees During Covid - LinkedIn The best online spirit week ideas unite dispersed teammates, encourage interaction, and inspire fun. To begin with, publicly recognizing great employees reflects well on your company for customers, investors, and your team. To set the mood, you can encourage attendees to dress up and don fancy virtual backgrounds. Mention about their desirable quirks like always being on time or such. In times of isolation it can be very difficult to stay on top of where everyone is at. 2022 Todos los derechos reservados. Staff members find creative ways to celebrate during COVID-19 - Miami Share funny videos, do some riddles and brainsteasers, put music on in the background. This prevents you from working to the point of hunger and then scrambling to decide what to eat. If your crew would rather perform just for fun, then end the show by giving participants a well-deserved round of virtual applause. Many a time, they'll bring that positivity and enthusiasm back to the workplace. How to advocate for yourself at work during COVID-19. 2020 Namely, Inc. All rights reserved. Team building content expert. The best thing about birthdays is cake. One such example that predates COVID-19 (if you follow our newsletter, you already know that it's a personal favorite of mine) is the Be My Eyes app. School spirit week is a fun time for everyone to come together and show off their pride. However, Slack games offer more flexibility, as teammates can play on their own schedules. Vantage Circle. Online retreats are company gatherings that take place online. -Bob Nelson, In the United States, 20,000 workers were surveyed by the Boston Consulting Group. If you can get outside to walk, studies have shown that a brisk walk can make you feel . How to be a good coworker and leader during this crisis. Were working with local restaurants (some minority-owned) to provide cold reheatable family meals that our employees will take home to enjoy with their family. Keep employees engaged and excited with some friendly competition. Yet now is a time when communication actually needs to be ramped up. Convey these "thank you" either in a heartful card, on social media, with the help of appreciation letters or (better yet) through a friendly handshake. Dress-up days are one of the main events during spirit days at schools and offices. Interesting work matter only if you have good food while youre doing it. You can even use it as a way to support local businesses: We were able to do family meals for our employees. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. Photos by Getty Images Plus. But to make them feel valued is what employees think is the most important. I am going to go out on a limb here to say to you something vital. 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. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". See: How Indoor Ventilation Systems Can Help Prevent or Permit the Spread of COVID-19 . After all, who doesn't like a couple of free snacks? Who doesnt love free food? Click here to find out how. Get the latest news from Namely about HR, payroll, and benefits. Now 48% Off. 2. Planning Your Holidays During the COVID-19 Pandemic Ask each person to share one word to describe how they are feeling in that moment. Finally going on a picnic with their loved ones. Believe it or not, such small stuff really sees a positively impacted company culture. A dynamic host facilitates this 90 minute virtual team building event with a trusty virtual sidekick. Honestly, Im really pleased with this decision over trying to make a Zoom party happen. 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. Take off your coat. 29. 5 Radical Ideas For Schooling During Coronavirus : NPR Tips for supporting yourself and your team - Mind This year, theyre sending a food related gift to our homes and giving us the afternoon off. First, give teammates a few options for online courses and ask them to vote for their favorite. Some "lush" couches. I also personally feel that it's boosting my wellbeing and brightening my day. As the coronavirus continues to spread and confine people largely to their homes, many are filling pages with their experiences of living through a pandemic. For instance, plan a short gentle stretch, a high-intensity cardio routine, and a themed yoga class at different time slots throughout the day. Instead, health promotion ensures that your staff actually want and like to be at work. The intensive schedule prevents routine responsibilities from interrupting the fun, and permits employees to focus on recharging and team bonding. (Source: Team Vantage Circle's Day Excursion). It is especially meaningful when the appreciation comes from their bosses. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. Make Sure You're COVID Safe. Better still, if this praise comes in front of their team members, colleagues, and peers. Do it privately-ish. Online escape rooms are online versions of thematic puzzle-solving games. Wed have the holiday party on Zoom, where folks would open what they had received from their gift giver. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Recommended Article: 23 Awesome Ways To Make Every Employee Work Anniversary Memorable. Look at yourself in the mirror. Its expensive to recruit a new worker. Spirit week is a week-long event that promotes company pride and employee engagement through fun activities. The key is making exercise a daily priority, and the holidays are no different. Thus becoming one of the best employee engagement activities that you can invest in. 2. You could either ask team members to pre-record videos, give the tour live during a Zoom meeting, or upload photos to a shared album. This activity won't cause too much distraction or mess. 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, Marvel versus DC Comics, the '60s versus the '70s, or Batman and the Joker. Streaming service subscriptions. Earth Day activities that are good for you and the planet during the Add some seriously "tricked out" kitchens on each floor of their facilities. Feel free to customize it with your companys logos. Unorthodox corporate perks such as trips to hike near a volcano or dive with dolphins are an increasingly powerful way to attract, retain and motivate top talent. Metal Pen and Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. For instance, if you host a murder mystery, then include character cards in the boxes. Distance does not have to put a damper on the fun. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. Before the . Daily Dose of Kindness (sent daily) Weekly Kindness Idea (sent weekly) General Newsletter (for everyone) General Newsletter (for educators) But heres the thing. Recommended Article: Gift Cards Make For The Perfect Employee Rewards. First, choose a date and send a video meeting link to your colleagues. It becomes less of a break and more of a disappointment. Relaxing activities to do at home during COVID-19 quarantine - CNBC Talking about making employees feel valued, a great way to do so is by involving them in the decision-making process, wherever possible. In turn, healthier employees produce better results for their companies. Moreover, you can drop an appreciation mail to the employees so that it stays with them forever. Remote teammates work together to crack clues and conquer brain teasers before time runs out. The Coronavirus Crisis 9 Ways Schools Will Look Different When (And If) They Reopen 1. Simmonds was blown away by . If you developed team norms to stay on top of (as above), then ensure you check-in on them. Make sure you exchange emails with a volunteer coordinator or call before you . It was a huge hit, and we're already scheduled another! - Ryan Law, Content Strategist at Animalz, We sent care packages to our employees homes to help them adjust to remote work. What Readers Want During COVID-19: Content Ideas for Every Niche Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses. I hope the concrete strategies and steps I share below will help you to bring some added calm, focus and renewed energy to your team. Happily, Ive heard lots of versions of this choice as well: My company is taking the money that would be used for the holiday party (usually a sit-down dinner with open bar) and is donating it instead to a local charity. Dessert buffets are fun and positively addicting. Here are list of themes to use for online spirit weeks. Simply gear each day's activities around a particular topic. 4 Ways A Single Word Has The Power To Positively Change Your Perspective, 8 Ways To Create Certainty Amid Current Workplace Uncertainty, Why Accountability Is At The Core Of Stewardship Delegation, 5 Ways To Grow Your Personal Brand As A Content Creator, Why We Need To Make Every Day Employee Appreciation Day, In A Competitive Job Market, Heres How To Win The Interview, 5 Tips To Recession-Proof Your Career And Bullet-Proof Your Security. Encourage healthy work-life balance by modeling healthy boundaries around time spent working and time off. Be sure to grab plenty of screen shots throughout the afternoon or evening. Elaine Pearton - Tarrytown, New York, United States - LinkedIn Ask your remote team members to describe their day so far with an emoji or a string of emojis. We gathered the top employee morale tips, tricks, and ideas from businesses around the world. The Five Keys to a Successful Team Retreat in the Age of COVID 15 gifts to give essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic As anyone whos tried to organize any office activity knows, its hard, if not impossible, to find something that everyone will like, so some offices are offering a whole buffet of choices to pick from: My company couldnt find an online activity that worked for 40 people, so theyre offering a few different options. During this time, one team member has 60 minutes to talk about their favorite subject while others listen and ask questions. For example, theme days, virtual talent shows, and costume contests. We, humans, are emotional creatures. 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. Give your entire team a chance to express their creativity with baby pumpkins, acrylic paints, and free pumpkin stencils. 18 Parent-Teacher Association Fundraising Ideas For During (And After Challengers can play the games directly in the channel, or via direct message. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. The Kaiser Family Foundation found . Some are great artists, while some spend their time doing charity work. E-Learning is the preferred modern way to upskill and learn while having the convenience of choosing the when and where. Let the kids pick out a book and read it to them while . Often, in the case of. They take place using video call software, online communication platforms, and occasionally social media. It might sound kind of silly, but when the right company SWAG is used- it can have a big impact on building a positive workplace culture. Decatur, IL (62521) Today. How to Volunteer Remotely During the COVID-19 Crisis - AFAR For our workers who have never worked from home, social isolation is deeply felt. Plus, the posts are a great way to advertise your companys culture to a wider audience. Adults need 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking for health benefits. Some employees even showcased their talents liveranging from musical performances to cake baking to cat training. 5k+ Downloads Invite team members to share concerns or issues that need to be addressed, and be sure time is also spent acknowledging what is working well and what team members are proud of. If you are looking to reward your employees with a little something extra. Regardless of your age, some physical activity is better than none. Everyone can be a film critic and talk about how much they love or hate what we're watching. - Jess Guffey, Brand Partnerships at Design Pickle, To stay connected with our colleagues and support local economies at the same time, our company decided to launch Support Santa, a Secret Santa-inspired gift swap. Remote teams can dress up for remote meetings, even if their outfits wont be on display all day. Get the resources. For this event, ask team members to pick a side of a classic rivalry game and dress to match. One of the best ideas for spirit care packages is to pack supplementary materials for the weeks activities. You can supplement your on-the-clock remote spirit week activities with fun social media challenges. 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. We all know that employees are the most valuable asset for a business. "Homeschool Spirit Week" lets kids have fun while - News 4 Buffalo Hosting online costume contests is one of the best spirit week dress up ideas for work. The week before your work at home spirit week, mail boxes full of goodies to team members. Your Team Is Now Working Remotely5 Ways To Strengthen - Forbes Thus, make it easier for team members to congratulate each other on a job well done. The purpose of online spirit weeks is to boost employee engagement and morale. Need more tips for how to keep your employees happy during COVID-19? 32. Participants can either perform alone, or collaborate with colleagues on a group act. Trivia leaders can create questions and teams can decide on their favorite themes or trivia topics. 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. Some of these challenges involve participants play-acting and using props during Zoom calls, while simpler versions consist of a series of riddles on Google Forms. After the bartender presentation (which was short) everybody got to chat and enjoy their drinks for some time before saying goodbye. Mask up. Also, they grow more motivated to maintain or improve their good work. Do I really have to go at all? Ways to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 - Namely It all started with a group chat. Not every office can shut down for a full week, but even just an afternoon off usually goes over well: Our end-of-year celebration is usually a big lunch and then we get the rest of the afternoon off. 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!). "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. Reading a book on the sofa is a cozy way to get in the Christmas spirit. Should I bring a date? December is the most obvious time to throw a virtual holiday party. 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. From relaxing countryside walks to exciting challenges, your staff will have the time of their lives. Teams complete comic-book-themed riddles and puzzles and virtual minute-to-win-it challenges to climb the leaderboard and save the world. A lot. To help your employees stay active and get a break from working inside, suggest that they take conference calls that don't require sitting in front of a screen outdoors. First, create a Slack channel for the games. Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond. But some employers have devised celebrations that will keep people safe and actually sound fun (even to this curmudgeon). We are doing a virtual chocolate tasting with my team. However, you could include a holiday theme in your virtual spirit week during any time of the year. 3 Ways To Keep Employee Morale Up During The Coronavirus Outbreak - Forbes Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. Top 33 Amazing Employee Appreciation Ideas For 2023 - Vantage Circle 33 Safe Vacations During CoronavirusTypes of Vacations and Places that Names were swapped, wish lists were made, and gifts from small businesses were delivered to friends and families! Whether they worked late to get the job done, blew past their sales goal, or volunteering at a local shelter, give employees the credit they deserve. After your holiday meal, go on a virtual group walk through your respective neighborhoods to work off the food. You can also use GeoGessr to play a destination-guessing game, or take virtual tours of museums, zoos, and parks together. The other half consisted of beer (or non-alcoholic drinks), snacks, tea, and homemade salsa. Today's employees seek recognition and rewards based on the career advancement that they want. These small everyday gestures can come off as a pleasant surprise and make employees feel valued. Book an Airbnb virtual experience. By hosting your fundraisers online, you can reach new supporters both near and far from your school without needing to leave your desk. This activity involves solving puzzles and finding clues to "escape" a themed room. The charm of subscription boxes is that theres something for everyone! So, it's essential to consider this less of an idea and more of a thing that you have to do eventually. 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. Here's what you might be missing- employee appreciation ideas. If done in person, they provide a safer pandemic option because you share the room only with the people in your party. Check the COVID-19 page on your city or county website to find out if you can sign up to offer your time this way. Once the votes are in, book the top ranking classes. For instance, take their opinion during decisions like on-boarding new technology or a specific project. Also, busy workdays are where lunches are spent with a sad sandwich while staring at the computer. Humans have an inherent need to get appreciated for their work. Not my cup of tea but a lot of people seemed to like it! Another good team-building activity is a virtual workshop or workout class. WeAreTeachers Staff on September 20, 2022. It might sound cliche, but small courtesies like a boss saying thank you to the team members can make a huge difference. Your objectives for the meeting will be to: Note: This is not a meeting to be rushed. Contains 5 ml. Clarify expectations, for example, of performance, workflow or performance management. For employees, having access to a mentor can add velocity to the workplace learning curve. Paint Pumpkins. And encouraging a cake culture can never be a bad thing. Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus, This is a BETA experience. This will make them feel like a part of your business and not just a mere employee. Credit: HMH Books for Young Readers. If you have to be indoors, consider air flow. The sudden need to adapt to these changes during COVID has given rise to new challenges that range from work-life stress, disparities in employees' ability to work from home effectively, and the increased need for employers to support worker safety, health, and well-being both at work and outside the traditional work environment. Show your employees some love by making sure that the snacks provided are healthy and nutritious. Hosting this year has been no small featand the biggest party season of all is almost here. First, either mail employees tea and fancy snacks, or ask attendees to bring their own refreshments and reimburse them for the expense. They are great team members. A crisis like this can either break ateamdown and widen any cracks in its foundation, or it canresult in the emergence of true greatness. To set the mood, encourage participants to put up virtual backgrounds of Victorian parlors or lush gardens. Instead of taking the stage, performers share their acts during a video call. Ask each person to share one word to describe how they are feeling in. But while you're indoors, there's no reason you can't explore your fun and creative side. Classroom Routines Must Change. Here's What Teaching - Education Week About how his/her contributions have aided to a projects successful completion. The BIG List of School Spirit Week Ideas (80+ Activities!) Trivia can be a good way to help teams relax, inspire conversation and build relationships. Company retreats are great for celebrating employees after successful project completion or after an outstanding financial year. At the end of the week, count up the wins, and have the victors face off against each other for the championship. Vantage Circle. Check out more more aboutonline retreat ideas. Commemorating a work anniversary is a robust employee engagement, development, and retention tool and a way to recognize and show your appreciation to a valued employee. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. Here is our take on enhancing employee motivation with the below 33 exceptional employee appreciation ideas. All This Talk About Quiet Quitting Is Absurd. Usually at this time of year, my inbox fills up with questions about company holiday parties: How many drinks are OK to have there? Some teachers may have to adapt courses from daily 45-minute periods to 90-minute blocks every other day; others will need to figure out how to plan small-group work so that it lines up with.