Do it privately-ish. Here are three ways employers can reduce panic and keep employee morale up during the coronavirus outbreak. The purpose of online spirit weeks is to boost employee engagement and morale. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. This peer-to-peer employee recognition idea is about encouraging everyone from the organization to recognize good work. We are doing a virtual chocolate tasting with my team. 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. Adults need 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking for health benefits. Another good team-building activity is a virtual workshop or workout class. Since healthier employees are more productive, happy, and energetic, the company will benefit from this form of appreciation. Be sure to grab plenty of screen shots throughout the afternoon or evening. 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. 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. Employee Appreciation Day is a semi-formal holiday in the United States. The thing that giants like Google and Airbnb have understood is that the physical environment of the office matters. Heightened communication is necessary, not only to keep your remote team productively focused, but because the sudden move from the workplace to a home space can take an emotional toll on people when they no longer have the social contact with work friends and colleagues. It could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. Inject Fun and Humor. Believe it or not, such small stuff really sees a positively impacted company culture. Or it just might be a beautiful day to sleep in. There are many fun online activities that suit an international or travel-themed spirit week or spirit day. But employees with a few years of experience should be matched with a career mentor to help them grow in their position. Hosting online costume contests is one of the best spirit week dress up ideas for work. Theres nothing quite like desserts and ice cream to alleviate stress. The team that plays together bonds better. 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. Add some seriously "tricked out" kitchens on each floor of their facilities. 4. Keep Little Hands Busy. Recommended Article: The Ultimate Guide To Employee Rewards and Recognition. Paint Pumpkins. 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. Names were swapped, wish lists were made, and gifts from small businesses were delivered to friends and families! If you can get outside to walk, studies have shown that a brisk walk can make you feel . Its hard to replicate daily interactions with co-workers, casual encounters by the water cooler, or after-work drinks, but we are encouraging our employees to find time for virtual coffees, lunches, or even happy hours with their colleagues. - William Taylor, Career Development Manager at Velvetjobs, Something that has really helped us keep spirits up is our Slack 'meme' channel where we encourage everyone to post the best memes they find throughout the day. The week before your work at home spirit week, mail boxes full of goodies to team members. Plan out your meals and snacks ahead of time, such as at the beginning of the week or workday. 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. Try a subscription box. The cups were all the same so no one could tell what you were drinking unless you commented on it. 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. Video game consoles. Snacks are a fantastic food item that doesn't require you to get out of your desk when you want to eat something light. That can be too intimidating for your employees. Celebrating employee birthdays never gets old. There are numerous free crossword creating apps, and all you need to do is share the linkso easy and so fun! - Mira Rakicevic, Co-founder at Comfy Living. Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. E-Learning is the preferred modern way to upskill and learn while having the convenience of choosing the when and where. Research says that the primary cause of employees leaving their jobs is the lack of appreciation. When you think about having a great company culture, you think about building trust, honesty, and a great team of workers. You might feel anxious about: Your own safety and the safety of others. Ask each person to share one word to describe how they are feeling in. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. After your holiday meal, go on a virtual group walk through your respective neighborhoods to work off the food. With these 33 employee appreciation ideas, you will see reduced turnover and retain your top talents. You can even snap a photo and create your own hashtag for when employees achieve something especially commendable. This article is written by Barasha Medhi who is a part of the marketing team at Vantage Circle. Things to consider when you and your employees travel 4. Recommended Article: Top 102 Employee Recognition Quotes To Celebrate Their Endeavours. A lot. All online escape rooms inspire teamwork and critical thinking in a fun and exciting way. You can take the first step in promoting the importance of health. 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. She had such a creative way for putting a holiday spin on our corporate branding, and theyre going to be a big hit! Keeping a workplace safe during the COVID-19 pandemic can be challenging. Keep employees engaged and excited with some friendly competition. 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. Now 48% Off. Plentiful sunshine. You may experience anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic if you have to go into work. In stock now. It is a good idea to vary the class types and levels so that more team members can participate. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: Establish virtual coffee chats with individual team members. Here are instructions on changing virtual backgrounds in Zoom, GoogleMeet, and Microsoft Teams. Offering a corporate wellness program within a vibrant culture of thriving well-being can significantly enhance that connection. This prevents you from working to the point of hunger and then scrambling to decide what to eat. To set the mood, encourage participants to put up virtual backgrounds of Victorian parlors or lush gardens. Just to say hi and check how they are doing. In uncertain times, one thing is certain with fundraisingthe more you plan, the better off you will be. While personalizing spaces at work to fit the geographic locale or the personal tastes of employees has become common. This year, theyre sending a food related gift to our homes and giving us the afternoon off. Here are 15 office ideas for Halloween: 1. Develop team norms. 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. Theyve asked us what charities wed recommend. Be thoughtful with your messages of appreciation. Many of us now look forward to Mondays because of these hilarious crosswords! Without a doubt, getting a specially curated box of snacks will make employees feel happy and contented. Many a time, showing some employee appreciation may seem hard. Avoid the cafeteria as it can be very distracting. I cannot wait. 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. 32. Theme Days. Also, they give continuous optimal performance. Working from home can be lonely and mundane. Halloween is the time of year when employees can showcase their creativity and interact with coworkers they may not normally work closely with. InDirect Report, she spotlights themes from her inbox that help explain the modern workplace and how we could be navigating it better. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: One-Word Check-ins. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Why not see which team has the most steps or ran the furthest distance this week? Superhero Academy is a perfect fit for a hero or villain themed online spirit day. Offering them a handsome salary is one aspect. Weve found that this is key to recreating that Friday feeling during lockdown. - Nushy Rose, Managing Editor at Parlia. In the largest ever genetic analysis of grapevine varieties, including samples from previously undocumented specimens in private collections, researchers provide new insights into how, when, and . Coffee or tea tastings work as well: We had a virtual coffee tasting where they sent those who RSVPd a free AeroPress and some coffees and had a coffee expert walk them through the different kinds over Zoom. Go for a walk. Companies with a corporate health plan are more likely to see more engaged employees. One idea that keeps popping up on our Principal Life Facebook group is the concept of a virtual theme week. Then, have one attendee lead the class, or screen share a video routine. You may opt-out by. Working from home can be challenging. For our workers who have never worked from home, social isolation is deeply felt. During these Walk-and-Talk meetings, employees can stroll around their neighborhoods, nearby parks, or even backyards for a change of scenery and some fresh air. Better still, if this praise comes in front of their team members, colleagues, and peers. Get to know your employees and find out what they like so you can give gift cards that are tailored to their interests. Distance does not have to put a damper on the fun. Everyone had a week to practice and record their talents before we all watched them together during a special All Hands meeting. Trivia can be a good way to help teams relax, inspire conversation and build relationships. 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. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the federal government (OSHA) has provided detailed guidelinesfor workplace safety policies. 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. Show Your Appreciation. The BIG List of School Spirit Week Ideas (80+ Activities!) Lifestyle contests that encourage employees to exercise or try a new activity can also help boost morale. 2022 Todos os direitos reservados. 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. Many a time, they'll bring that positivity and enthusiasm back to the workplace. Coffee and Chocolate Tastings It doesn't have to be cocktail focused. Photo illustration by Slate. First, create a Slack channel for the 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. Recognizing hard work and achievement in the workplace increase employee morale, encourage healthy competition, and creates a positive atmosphere. Recommended Article: 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce. Here come's the most impactful one in our list of employee appreciation ideas. High 53F. PopCap, the company behind legendary Facebook games like Bejeweled, offers some fantastic break rooms for its 400 odd employees. Click here to find out how. Virtual Breakout Rooms are ideal for teams that need to brush up on their collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills. Even a simple gesture like an appreciation message or thoughtful gifts on valentines Day or anniversaries can make a huge difference. After all, who doesn't like a couple of free snacks? Content Expert at teambuilding.com. We've had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. Participants can either perform alone, or collaborate with colleagues on a group act. We also had a really strict limit for spending, like $20. 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. "We're encouraging employees to stay active by challenging their coworkers. They are tasty, convenient, and great for hunger pangs that strike while working. Plus, you could throw virtual parties for any holiday. And encourage team members to let you know whenever they need any kind of support whether related directly to their work tasks or to any challenges they might be personally facing in the new situation. The best online holiday parties encourage interaction. 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. Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other for support. During the call, participants can chat and play fun games, or co-work while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. $10 at Amazon. 5k+ Downloads While the other appreciation ideas might be feasible for particular projects and day-to-day work, employees will look for something more permanent in the long run. 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. Clear your schedule for at least an hour. 1. Spirit week is a week-long event that promotes company pride and employee engagement through fun activities. From relaxing countryside walks to exciting challenges, your staff will have the time of their lives. Spirit week attendees can either make their own backgrounds using Canva or Photoshop, or can download one from online. Offering extra time off pretty much never goes amiss, especially at this time of year: In lieu of bonuses and parties and all sorts of things, my employer is just closing for the week in between Christmas and New Years and giving everyone the time offits been a hit, because thats usually a huge use of vacation days for folks. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. The Kaiser Family Foundation found . While Valentine's Day will most likely look different than years past, you can still have fun with your significant other and make it memorable and safe. Engage in active family play time. This time has been invaluable to the team as they had been feeling scattered, stressed, and disconnected. Simply gear each day's activities around a particular topic. Its been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. It can range from conducting regular health check-ups, yoga sessions, dentist appointments, and offering health insurance. Get the latest news from Namely about HR, Payroll, and Benefits. Explore the challenges people face in working from home (and they will differ) and ideas for dealing with them or sharing personal practices that work. ). 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. An extra day off can mean a whole lot of possibilities to overworked and overstressed employees. COVID-19 is expected to last for many months, with a potential resurgence in the fall. Spirit weeks are a time-honored tradition, in elementary, middle, and high schools alike. Its expensive to recruit a new worker. Guests can dress up too. The Very Worst Kind of Bad Boss Just Wont Go Away. (Source: Team Vantage Circle's Day Excursion). Whats the Word on The Street? Reading a book on the sofa is a cozy way to get in the Christmas spirit. Everything is impacted by COVID-19 in some way, including our work. 29. Their diaries are told in words and. With more than 30 million people filing for unemployment in the past six weeks, the U.S. is predicted to experience a coronavirus-induced recession through 2021. Metal Pen and Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer. Letting employees decorate their workspaces plays an active role in building relationships within the company. Ensure that everyone gets that attention. They are the first to arrive. School spirit week is a fun time for everyone to come together and show off their pride. For more ideas, check out our roundup of team building workouts. Its a way for us to provide food and a gathering without being on-site and in groups. Each act should be around five minutes. At the end of the week, count up the wins, and have the victors face off against each other for the championship. Perhaps the best gift to give your employees is recognizing your employees publicly for a great job done. A UK study finds workers job attitudes can be bolstered by allowing them to personalize their office. And what could be better for this purpose than to offer E-Learning options? Not my cup of tea but a lot of people seemed to like it! 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. While employee appreciation may seem a bit heavy on the pockets, the bottom line is that it will lead to several long-term benefits. For some, it's Christmas and Valentine's Day; for others, it's a birthday. Company-branded swag can be simple everyday things like t-shirts, mugs, or even pen drives. Employees thrive at work when they know their contributions have meaning. Every company has got one of these employees. After the bartender presentation (which was short) everybody got to chat and enjoy their drinks for some time before saying goodbye. of 70-75% ethyl alcohol. Revamp your break room. Make it meaningful for the employee so that they cherish it and put in their extra effort. First, give teammates a few options for online courses and ask them to vote for their favorite. Home tours are a fun way for remote teammates to invite each other into personal spaces. 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. Recognizing employees is a great way to boost morale and build excitement during spirit week. Walking not only counts as physical activity, but also provides some mental health benefits. Employees respond to appreciation expressed by recognizing their good work because it confirms that their work is valued by others. Who doesnt love free food? Sometimes the best thing you can do for your team is to enable them to let off some steam without the pressure to perform. Let the kids pick out a book and read it to them while . Whats Really So Wrong About Secretly Working Two Full-Time Jobs at Once? Chances are, your company has one too. 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. Spirit Week ideas for busy offices should include low-maintenance events that require minimal planning from event organizers and the participants. 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. Also, it doesnt have to be expensive. Record and report COVID-19 infections and deaths: Under mandatory OSHA rules in 29 CFR part 1904, employers are required to record work-related cases of COVID-19 illness on OSHA's Form 300 logs if the following requirements are met: (1) the case is a confirmed case of COVID-19; (2) the case is work-related (as defined by 29 CFR 1904.5); and . Basically, the idea is to boost morale by giving students a collective silly goal. During this time, one team member has 60 minutes to talk about their favorite subject while others listen and ask questions. 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. 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. Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. Promoting health is no longer seen as an initiative that yields 'soft' results. All in all, make the day about them, i.e., your employees. Get the latest news from Namely about HR, payroll, and benefits. The best thing about birthdays is cake. and retains your top employees. And of course folks could also just log off if they wanted to, with no pressure to spend the rest of the day working. Then, plan festive activities to enjoy together during the call. 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. The top reason why the people enjoyed coming to work was because of "feeling appreciated.". 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. Explore them here: On Fridays, our team puts on ridiculous outfits to make each other laugh during virtual meetings. 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. Food has a way of being a catalyst to bring people together. 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. Give a prize to the two team members who wear the most well-thought . Simmonds was blown away by . 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. How to advocate for yourself at work during COVID-19. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses. But some employers have devised celebrations that will keep people safe and actually sound fun (even to this curmudgeon). Plus, the posts are a great way to advertise your companys culture to a wider audience. When showtime arrives, gather on a Zoom call. Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. Barasha can be found either searching for interesting HR buzzwords to write about or looking at pictures of cozy Bel Air mansions. Part of the fun of spirit week is pretending, and murder mysteries cast participants in the roles of cunning detectives. Discuss and ask specific questions about work related items such as what they are working on, what they have accomplished in x amount of time, whether they have any challenges and if so how you can help. In times of isolation it can be very difficult to stay on top of where everyone is at. But while you're indoors, there's no reason you can't explore your fun and creative side.