One of the best ideas for spirit care packages is to pack supplementary materials for the weeks activities. Materialistic perks are fine. Talking about making employees feel valued, a great way to do so is by involving them in the decision-making process, wherever possible. Not to mention there's the option of booking an entertainer - choices include singer Jimmy Barnes and comedy duo Hamish and Andy - to spice up a webcam-based party. To set the mood, encourage participants to put up virtual backgrounds of Victorian parlors or lush gardens. This is a time to focus only on the people sitting before you. Or it just might be a beautiful day to sleep in. Along with trivia nights and snack boxes, some enterprising folks have floated the idea of virtual cocktail parties, costume contests or craft workshops to spice up virtual holiday celebrations.. Virtual spirit weeks are weeklong events that consist of a series of fun and interactive online activities. If you have to be indoors, consider air flow. At checkout the price was zero and you couldnt even enter a tip. Whats Working/Whats Not? Some employees even showcased their talents liveranging from musical performances to cake baking to cat training. Just be sure to offer nonalcoholic options too: We had a celebration that even I (a person averse to holiday parties and Zoom calls) liked. If you developed team norms to stay on top of (as above), then ensure you check-in on them. 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. Be sure to grab plenty of screen shots throughout the afternoon or evening. Team Norms. Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. Recommended Article: Top 102 Employee Recognition Quotes To Celebrate Their Endeavours. First, create a Slack channel for the games. This year, theyre sending a food related gift to our homes and giving us the afternoon off. Encourage team members to do the same. Each act should be around five minutes. To make your company memorable in a sea of forgettable mugs. It can range from conducting regular health check-ups, yoga sessions, dentist appointments, and offering health insurance. Here are a few examples. Or, you can use an app like Donut to match up opponents, and pairs can play games instead of scheduling a video chat. 5k+ Downloads An escape room Escape room activities are available virtually and in person. Then, have one attendee lead the class, or screen share a video routine. Give a prize to the two team members who wear the most well-thought . Health & Safety Giveaways: Ideas amid COVID-19 - National Pen 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. This prevents you from working to the point of hunger and then scrambling to decide what to eat. Planning Your Holidays During the COVID-19 Pandemic Not to mention, care packages add a tactile element to your all-online spirit week. Contains 5 ml. Do it privately-ish. Make Sure You're COVID Safe. 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. 2020 Namely, Inc. All rights reserved. 9. More than a manager, an employee's peers are more likely to know about their good qualities. Now 48% Off. It doesnt have to be cocktail focused. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. Whats the Word on The Street? You can even snap a photo and create your own hashtag for when employees achieve something especially commendable. Themed dress-up days are popular favorites, but they're really just the start. Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. After your holiday meal, go on a virtual group walk through your respective neighborhoods to work off the food. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about virtual spirit weeks. Dessert buffets are fun and positively addicting. Try a subscription box. Not to mention that birthday parties are an opportunity to appreciate peers. If the show is a competition, then at the end of the performance have the audience vote for a winner via poll, or send a panel of judges into a breakout room to deliberate. A recent study published in Healthcare Design Magazine revealed that "an extreme break room makeover" at one health facility reduced staff "stress and fatigue.". Subjects should be fun and non-work related. With most schools and districts shut down for the foreseeable future, many faculty and teachers are struggling to find ways to connect with their students. Team building content expert. That can be too intimidating for your employees. First, choose a date and send a video meeting link to your colleagues. Get to know your employees and find out what they like so you can give gift cards that are tailored to their interests. Donut is an app in our Slack channel that randomly pairs up coworkers together, encouraging them to set up a coffee meeting (of course, in this case, a virtual coffee meeting) in order to get to know each other better. The chocolate tasting person is mailing out the tasting kits to all of us and will lead us through the tasting via Zoom. It might sound cliche, but small courtesies like a boss saying thank you to the team members can make a huge difference. Having direct access to a mentor gives junior professionals valuable one-on-one training. Photos by Getty Images Plus. 6. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. Unique SWAG ideas have the power to set your company apart. You can also use GeoGessr to play a destination-guessing game, or take virtual tours of museums, zoos, and parks together. Get the resources. Remote teams can dress up for remote meetings, even if their outfits wont be on display all day. List of virtual spirit week ideas. by HR professionals across the globe! For many of us, sheltering at home and staying healthy to help " flatten the curve " of the coronavirus spread may be the most important way we can help others right now. Metal Pen and Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer. The cups were all the same so no one could tell what you were drinking unless you commented on it. 1. Instead of taking the stage, performers share their acts during a video call. The thing that giants like Google and Airbnb have understood is that the physical environment of the office matters. The disease is extremely contagious, yet many infected people are asymptomatic, and patterns of transmission are not always clear. Whats Really So Wrong About Secretly Working Two Full-Time Jobs at Once? All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. We all know that employees are the most valuable asset for a business. 1. Trivia can be a good way to help teams relax, inspire conversation and build relationships. Our division is doing a holiday drive-in movie and renting out a drive-in theater for the evening. Spirit Week ideas for busy offices should include low-maintenance events that require minimal planning from event organizers and the participants. Chances are, your company has one too. Instead of the usual tables and activities, they had booths set up where treats were handed through the window. Wellness Resources For some, it's Christmas and Valentine's Day; for others, it's a birthday. How to manage COVID-19 risks when organizing meetings and events 3. It definitely is the easiest and quickest Zoom icebreaker out there. This is how COVID-19 will change the office lunch - Fast Company All rights reserved. Support families to. Top 10 Ways to Grow School Spirit From Afar - PTA Keep Little Hands Busy. I hope this article has in some small way helped your and your teams trek through this extraordinary time. Believe it or not, such small stuff really sees a positively impacted company culture. Humans have an inherent need to get appreciated for their work. 15 Ideas To Celebrate Halloween in the Workplace | Indeed.com How to advocate for yourself at work during COVID-19. 1. Hands-on Experiences: 1. Ask each person to share one word to describe how they are feeling in. The best thing about birthdays is cake. You will see that a few words of appreciation can do wonders for the workplace. These events can help virtual offices grow closer. When showtime arrives, gather on a Zoom call. If time is not available to do this well in one meeting book another one but within the next 24 hours so as not to lose momentum. Typical spirit weeks involve decorating contests. The team that plays together bonds better. 5 Radical Ideas For Schooling During Coronavirus : NPR 9 Date Night Ideas During the Coronavirus Pandemic - AARP You may opt-out by. Whether you're looking for help communicating COVID safety guidelines to your guests, searching for face masks for couples and guests (so you can look stylish while complying with guidelines from the WHO and CDC) or are in need of a cute social distancing sign, we've got you covered (literally! COVID-safe holiday office parties don't have to be boring There is no discussion in this exercise, it is simply a way for team members to connect with how others are feeling in the moment. Keeping a workplace safe during the COVID-19 pandemic can be challenging. In this case they will contribute to providing some structure in an unstructured team situation. How to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 - Namely 3 Ways Tech Company Sysomos Transformed Employee Experience, 5 Tips to Implement Summer Work Schedules, 6 Design Ideas to Create an Inspiring Work Environment. 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. You. I think that well continue doing this even after the pandemic is goneits such a cool way to learn more about the people you work with every day. - Dennis Vu, CEO and Co-founder of Ringblaze, We hired a magician to put on a virtual magic show for our staff, clients, and vendors to watch with their families. Here is an example of a graphic you could use for your games. 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. 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. You could even give teammates a prompt per day, like show us your fridge, or share your favorite spot in the house. This activity helps remote teammates learn more about each other, and may reveal shared interests and common ground. WeAreTeachers Staff on September 20, 2022. Here are 15 office ideas for Halloween: 1. Remote teams often work on staggered schedules, meaning that the whole crew may not be available at game time. When Kirkman first had the idea, she posted about it in her social club Facebook group and on her Instagram story, in case a few close friends wanted to join. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace These morning check-ins, no matter how short are invaluable for maintaining a sense of community, checking in on how team members are doing, and to stay focused on key priorities so that momentum and performance is maintained. You could either give employees the option of attending short 10-15 minute workouts throughout the day, or hold one or two longer sessions. 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. You can take the first step in promoting the importance of health. We've had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. Then there will be a contest with prizes for best house, most creative house, house that looks like the before pic on a HGTV show, etc. 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. You get the best effort from others, not by lighting a fire beneath them but by building a fire within. It's not only a nice little project to focus on, but gives us something to talk about that's not work or coronavirus. Plentiful sunshine. Just to say hi and check how they are doing. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. I am a big believer in team norms which support the team in self managing behaviors, practices and performance. 1. How to Volunteer Remotely During the COVID-19 Crisis - AFAR If you work in an industry where teamwork is crucial, sudden orders to . Before the . Time Off From Work During COVID-19 | Justia Have office happy hours and hire a bartender to mix them a drink or two. Also, they grow more motivated to maintain or improve their good work. You can supplement your on-the-clock remote spirit week activities with fun social media challenges. Why not put a reminder in your diary when you plan to finish working? She had such a creative way for putting a holiday spin on our corporate branding, and theyre going to be a big hit! 2. Everyone had a week to practice and record their talents before we all watched them together during a special All Hands meeting. Hosting this year has been no small featand the biggest party season of all is almost here. When you think about having a great company culture, you think about building trust, honesty, and a great team of workers. Feel free to customize it with your companys logos. You can even use it as a way to support local businesses: We were able to do family meals for our employees. For more ways to excite remote teams, check out our list of free virtual team building activities for work, this list of virtual offsite ideas, and this one with Zoom meeting ideas. This will make them feel like a part of your business and not just a mere employee. Who doesnt love free food? 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. Even after COVID-19, hand sanitizers are a welcomed gift, no matter your customer base or your business. The time can be used all at once or in increments. - Molly George, Partner and CEO of Kickstand Communications, We host Netflix parties where we pick something to watch and an app syncs our screens, letting us instant message each other. Or, you could start a gallery on social media or a cloud-based photo album, and invite teammates to vote on their favorite uploads throughout the week. Clarify expectations, for example, of performance, workflow or performance management. You can celebrate the spirit of a challenge in your Spirit Week by hosting a Versus Day. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Illustration by Supriya Kalidas. Teammates can vote using the poll feature in your video meeting platform, and you can send the winner a prize. Challengers can play the games directly in the channel, or via direct message. 18 Parent-Teacher Association Fundraising Ideas For During (And After One of the simplest and most popular solutions has been virtual happy hours. Take a bubble bath (bonus: Add a glass of. Coffee and Chocolate Tastings It doesn't have to be cocktail focused. Adults need 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking for health benefits. For instance, plan a short gentle stretch, a high-intensity cardio routine, and a themed yoga class at different time slots throughout the day. No, not the executive lunchroom. Show Your Appreciation. 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. Most employees love to learn, and taking a virtual class together is a terrific spirit week idea. Every year there are days we look forward to. Clear your schedule for at least an hour. Companies with a corporate health plan are more likely to see more engaged employees. Gift ideas ranged, but included orchids, stay-at-home picnic baskets, family dinners, bookstore gift cards, and fancy coffee! - Nicole Canulla, Head of Marketing & Communications at DUST Identity, What I've found very engaging and will definitely continue to use even after we're no longer remote is Donut. Then, encourage teammates to square off. The consulting group McKinsey & Co. surveyed 1,000 employers , and 90 percent reported that the pandemic was affecting the behavioral health of their employees. Finally going on a picnic with their loved ones. Ensure time is spent checking in on the teams main priorities - any urgent issues that need to be addressed? Offering them a handsome salary is one aspect. Online board games or trivia challenges are a great way to bring a team together for something besides work. Vantage Circle. I am going to go out on a limb here to say to you something vital. Their office is infused with fun, including random Razor scooters available to any staff who think better while in motion. There are few things that employees feel more love for than an extra day of freedom aside from the weekend. Working from home can be lonely and mundane. ). We gathered the top employee morale tips, tricks, and ideas from businesses around the world. I write about how to improve team and leadership performance. Largest-ever genetic analysis of grapevine va | EurekAlert! This calculation is based on it costing about six to nine months . One idea that keeps popping up on our Principal Life Facebook group is the concept of a virtual theme week. 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. 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. Home tours are a fun way for remote teammates to invite each other into personal spaces. 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. Every company has got one of these employees. Everything you need to build a better workplace. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. For more tournament ideas, check out our list of Slack games. According to Harvard Business Review writer Anthony K. TJan: Company leadership should embrace, promote and value mentoring programs to realize a return on investment. For this event, ask team members to pick a side of a classic rivalry game and dress to match. This is one of the most underrated employee appreciation ideas out there. "Homeschool Spirit Week" lets kids have fun while - News 4 Buffalo Once the awards end, you can email digital certificates and e-gift cards to recipients, or mail trophies and paper awards to their houses. How to Plan a Wedding Amid COVID: Ideas, Advice & More 9 Ways to Help Others During the Coronavirus Pandemic 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. Cycling is beneficial for your. This helps us all get out of our heads to have a little fun during the workday. - Sam Williamson, co-owner of CBDiablo, Were encouraging employees to stay active by challenging their coworkers. 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. Employee Appreciation Day is a semi-formal holiday in the United States. 7. Lifestyle contests that encourage employees to exercise or try a new activity can also help boost morale. Getting your workplace ready in case COVID-19 arrives in your community. Coming together this way will help bring your employees closer to you and boost the employee-employer relationship. Coronavirus - how to cope with going into work - Mind To keep our employees motivated, we are encouraging and hosting virtual social time. Communication in remote teams, whether casual chats or work related discussions, cant easily happen as spontaneously as it does when people are sitting next to each other at work. Employees thrive at work when they know their contributions have meaning. 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. This is a great way to begin your team meetings. Want to submit a guest post? What Readers Want During COVID-19: Content Ideas for Every Niche. Content Expert at teambuilding.com. Streaming service subscriptions. Online escape rooms are online versions of thematic puzzle-solving games. Mention about their desirable quirks like always being on time or such. Want to give someone the gift that keeps on giving? For example, new employees should receive a buddy to learn the ropes. We have 30+ experiences to choose from, and thousands of five star reviews. Call in a local food truck specializing in the cuisine and make it mandatory for people to take a break and eat a taco. We made an example virtual spirit week agenda: Creating a visually appealing spirit week announcement can help your crew be more excited and attentive towards the event. But heres the thing. It could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". You can also make sure you take at least a 30-minute lunch break. Without a doubt, getting a specially curated box of snacks will make employees feel happy and contented. This activity won't cause too much distraction or mess. Everybody got to sign up for whichever they liked best: Online beer tasting (they ship the beer to your house, and then you taste it on Zoom with an expert telling you what youre tasting). However, Slack games offer more flexibility, as teammates can play on their own schedules. Experiences, not cash, are the new corporate bonus. Their diaries are told in words and. You might be worried about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. Offering free meals and caffeine is actually a highly effective and cost-effective means of motivating and controlling young employees. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. The top reason why the people enjoyed coming to work was because of "feeling appreciated.". Recommended Article: 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation | Random Acts of Kindness Day 2023 4. Teammates could also give a short slideshow presentation of their home cities. You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. Following recommendations from the CDC, we've put together some helpful guide to navigating Christmas during Covid this year. The tours could happen on a single day, or throughout the week. Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. Throwing a virtual holiday party is one of the best Christmas spirit week ideas for work. Put up fun office anecdotes on the bulletin board. These activities also make great spring spirit week ideas for work. See how Namely's flexible solution will help you streamline your HR processes by having your people, payroll, and benefits info all in on place. To host a virtual talent show, invite teammates to sign up for slots. Make the day memorable by organizing outside barbecues or small office parties. Many teams are waking up to a new reality of working remotely. They had a selection that included non-alcoholic mixes too (like a ginger lemonade). By planning an online retreat for spirit week, you block out employees time and free staff to enjoy the festivities. Instead, health promotion ensures that your staff actually want and like to be at work. If you see someone going above and beyond and who commutes through their own vehicles, this will prove to be a wonderful opportunity to make their lives a little bit easier. Your Team Is Now Working Remotely5 Ways To Strengthen - Forbes It is a good idea to vary the class types and levels so that more team members can participate. In uncertain times, one thing is certain with fundraisingthe more you plan, the better off you will be. Make sure you exchange emails with a volunteer coordinator or call before you . You might feel anxious about: Your own safety and the safety of others. 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. Online retreats are company gatherings that take place online. You might find that employee appreciation becomes a tad bit easier and a whole lot more fun. Some leaders consistently interact with those they most easily connect with but may not as readily think of others. Your team can decorate their jack-o'-lanterns during break, lunch, or while you hold a team meeting. Use virtual coffee breaks to: Limit e-mail, insteaduse real-time, in person communication tools such as Skype, Zoom, etc., or even the old fashioned phone. Either way, ask participants to record results by posting them to the channel in a @WIN/@LOSS format. Appreciation from one's peers has more significance than from one's manager. See: How Indoor Ventilation Systems Can Help Prevent or Permit the Spread of COVID-19 . This is a great way to begin your team meetings. Recommended Article: Gift Cards Make For The Perfect Employee Rewards. 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. The week before your work at home spirit week, mail boxes full of goodies to team members. But employees with a few years of experience should be matched with a career mentor to help them grow in their position.