Then, have one attendee lead the class, or screen share a video routine. 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. This will make them feel like a part of your business and not just a mere employee. You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. Theyve asked us what charities wed recommend. To keep our employees motivated, we are encouraging and hosting virtual social time. Simmonds was blown away by . Show your employees some love by making sure that the snacks provided are healthy and nutritious. Photos by Getty Images Plus. 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. How to manage COVID-19 risks when organizing meetings and events 3. 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. If you are looking to reward your employees with a little something extra. During the call, participants can chat and play fun games, or co-work while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. It doesnt have to be cocktail focused. 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. It could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. Themed gift boxes are another popular idea: Were sending winter-y stay-at-home gift boxes. Hand Sanitizers. 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. 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. Priorities. A great employee appreciation idea that gives day-to-day benefits is providing assigned parking spaces. Remote teams can dress up for remote meetings, even if their outfits wont be on display all day. Spirit weeks build ties with community Over the course of this week, schools will ask students and staff to do activities such as share TikTok videos, do workouts and share pictures wearing. Check out our list of the best online murder mysteries. Spirit week attendees can either make their own backgrounds using Canva or Photoshop, or can download one from online. Simply schedule a Zoom meeting and ask attendees to join from an outdoor spot such as backyards, parks, or beaches. To set the mood, you can encourage attendees to dress up and don fancy virtual backgrounds. Snacks are a fantastic food item that doesn't require you to get out of your desk when you want to eat something light. We've had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. Make the day memorable by organizing outside barbecues or small office parties. One-Word Check-ins. Dress-up days find a niche at busy offices; employees can show up in costume but still get tons of work done. Quarantine spirit week consisted of a unique theme for each day: skater Sunday, monochromatic Monday, tie-dye Tuesday, wig Wednesday, 13 going on Thursday and casual Friday. Because honestly, everyone expects the managers and leaders to be bossy and unreachable. 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. Ive found its a great way to know more about what a persons workday and life outside of work are like, as well as to better understand coworkers even those who work across the country. - Angela Ceresnie, CEO at Climb Credit. Recognizing hard work and achievement in the workplace increase employee morale, encourage healthy competition, and creates a positive atmosphere. Heres some of what people reported. Once the awards end, you can email digital certificates and e-gift cards to recipients, or mail trophies and paper awards to their houses. 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. 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. 9. Then, send invites to the team. You will see that a few words of appreciation can do wonders for the workplace. #StayStrongWF Spirit Week April 6-10. InDirect Report, she spotlights themes from her inbox that help explain the modern workplace and how we could be navigating it better. Virtual workout or meditation classes. E-Learning is the preferred modern way to upskill and learn while having the convenience of choosing the when and where. We also had a gift wrapping contest as part of itwe were a creative bunch with lots of backgrounds in the arts, so some gifts were a person making a donation to a charity in the recipients honor, but making a video that fit their interest to share that with them, or a homemade puzzle, or other similar fun announcements. For instance, if you host a murder mystery, then include character cards in the boxes. Simply designate a theme for each day or meeting, then choose the best dressed for each category. Believe it or not, such small stuff really sees a positively impacted company culture. Get Competitive. Some good virtual spirit week ideas include virtual talent shows, Zoom spirit week backgrounds, online award shows, and theme days. Everything is impacted by COVID-19 in some way, including our work. Materialistic perks are fine. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. 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 . 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. Coronavirus has put a particular national spotlight on unmet needs of the growing older population in our country, and the tens of millions of overstretched family and professional caregivers they . Learn how to set new boundaries, ask for support, and re-strategize with your partner about what you need. Before the . Without a doubt, getting a specially curated box of snacks will make employees feel happy and contented. 3 Ways Tech Company Sysomos Transformed Employee Experience, 5 Tips to Implement Summer Work Schedules, 6 Design Ideas to Create an Inspiring Work Environment. 2. Check out BoostEducatorsChallenge.com for details. Humans have an inherent need to get appreciated for their work. Recommended Article: 50 Best Words of Appreciation for Employees. 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. On beach day, participants post virtual backgrounds of tropical locations and sip mock mai tais. And of course folks could also just log off if they wanted to, with no pressure to spend the rest of the day working. Taking care of your employees' health is the most prominent form of appreciation that you can show. Why not recognize these incredible non-work achievements in front of their peers? Subjects should be fun and non-work related. Employees thrive at work when they know their contributions have meaning. This is a great way to begin your team meetings. Some ideas include: Characters from a favorite movie Ask your remote team members to describe their day so far with an emoji or a string of emojis. Namely's powerful HR Software is built for mid-sized companies designed to be used by everyone, every day. During this time, one team member has 60 minutes to talk about their favorite subject while others listen and ask questions. You signed up for your preferred one beforehand and received a list of ingredients, then once the drinks were made, people came back to the big room and there were a couple of facilitated games and stuff (like trivia). For example, share with team members how you will be leading, how you will check in with them, what you will be asking about. Let the kids pick out a book and read it to them while . Coffee and Chocolate Tastings It doesn't have to be cocktail focused. This peer-to-peer employee recognition idea is about encouraging everyone from the organization to recognize good work. 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. Hear clients' stories and learn how they're building a better workplace with Namely. Make it meaningful for the employee so that they cherish it and put in their extra effort. After face masks, custom hand sanitizers are the next health and safety giveaway idea on our list. 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. It might sound cliche, but small courtesies like a boss saying thank you to the team members can make a huge difference. Why not see which team has the most steps or ran the furthest distance this week? As we reflect on two months (or more) of mandated virtual work, HR and people teams around the world are looking back on their most successful morale-boosting activitiesand searching for new ideas to keep their teams happy, healthy, and engaged. If you developed team norms to stay on top of (as above), then ensure you check-in on them. Get the latest news from Namely about HR, Payroll, and Benefits. Trivia leaders can create questions and teams can decide on their favorite themes or trivia topics. Have office happy hours and hire a bartender to mix them a drink or two. You may experience anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic if you have to go into work. Employees respond to appreciation expressed by recognizing their good work because it confirms that their work is valued by others. 2020 Namely, Inc. All rights reserved. Have regular check ins with individual team members. If theyd just put an extra $100 in my paycheck and said we cant have a party this year so get yourself a nice treat, Id have appreciated that too. High 53F. What Readers Want During COVID-19: Content Ideas for Every Niche. Throwing a virtual holiday party is one of the best Christmas spirit week ideas for work. 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. Give a prize to the two team members who wear the most well-thought . Some employees even showcased their talents liveranging from musical performances to cake baking to cat training. 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. My Boss Loves Planning an Elaborate Holiday Extravaganza. 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! You can also offer a myriad of health benefits. Research says that the primary cause of employees leaving their jobs is the lack of appreciation. Whats the Word on The Street? The team that plays together bonds better. Murder mysteries are games that require participants to play a character while solving a mystery. You get the best effort from others, not by lighting a fire beneath them but by building a fire within. Throughout the evening or afternoon, read awards off one by one, and give each winner 30 seconds to give a victory speech. Recommended Article: The Ultimate Guide To Employee Rewards and Recognition. Find out how to shape a culture that attracts, engages, Everyone had a week to practice and record their talents before we all watched them together during a special All Hands meeting. Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. First, give teammates a few options for online courses and ask them to vote for their favorite. Teammates can select a different background for each meeting or theme day, and can even swap backgrounds multiple times per call. Instead of taking the stage, performers share their acts during a video call. This is a time to focus only on the people sitting before you. Make it more special by hosting a "Make Your Own Taco" competition where the winner gets some form of employee reward. 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 our workers who have never worked from home, social isolation is deeply felt. Why not expend the effort necessary to retain the staff that you have already painfully recruited and hired? She had such a creative way for putting a holiday spin on our corporate branding, and theyre going to be a big hit! The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the federal government (OSHA) has provided detailed guidelinesfor workplace safety policies. Call in a local food truck specializing in the cuisine and make it mandatory for people to take a break and eat a taco. When you incorporate social media into your online spirit week scheduling, you make it easier for colleagues to find and friend each other. The Very Worst Kind of Bad Boss Just Wont Go Away. We safeguard your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. 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. In order to position your company as one where people really want to work, your company SWAG items had better reflect that. Plus, the posts are a great way to advertise your companys culture to a wider audience. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. A lot. 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. 32. Then, encourage teammates to square off. 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. For instance, plan a short gentle stretch, a high-intensity cardio routine, and a themed yoga class at different time slots throughout the day. Having direct access to a mentor gives junior professionals valuable one-on-one training. That can be too intimidating for your employees. To begin with, publicly recognizing great employees reflects well on your company for customers, investors, and your team. Virtual spirit weeks bolster team resolve and brightens telecommuters moods. Support families to. 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. Since healthier employees are more productive, happy, and energetic, the company will benefit from this form of appreciation. The key is making exercise a daily priority, and the holidays are no different. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Celebrate "Employee Appreciation Day" With Pomp And Show Employee Appreciation Day is a semi-formal holiday in the United States. Saint Lucia has more than a dozen COVID-19 regulations for hotels, and visitors must get a negative COVID-19 test within a week of their arrival on the island. 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. Weve had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. by HR professionals across the globe! The day-to-day work life might get hectic and tedious for everyone in the office. Be sure to grab plenty of screen shots throughout the afternoon or evening. 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. 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. Simply post a different game or prompt on the company social channels every day, and instruct employees to respond using a special hashtag. Think small bags of chips, cookies, and candy, displayed so employees can. This time has been invaluable to the team as they had been feeling scattered, stressed, and disconnected. Consider sending your top ten performers off for a day or two at a spa to provide an incentive for continued outstanding performance. 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! More than a manager, an employee's peers are more likely to know about their good qualities. Half of the box contained things like hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, and other health-related products to help us stay safe. Although workplace benefits help keep employees happy, they rarely tend to spark inspiration. A dynamic host facilitates this 90 minute virtual team building event with a trusty virtual sidekick. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. Meetings and frequent check-ins both with the whole team and individual team members need to sit at the top of your to-do list. Sometimes, the utmost appreciation that an employee seeks is a promotion in his job role. 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. Teammates could also give a short slideshow presentation of their home cities. You could either give employees the option of attending short 10-15 minute workouts throughout the day, or hold one or two longer sessions. Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. Decatur, IL (62521) Today. Here come's the most impactful one in our list of employee appreciation ideas. Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus, This is a BETA experience. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. Plus, we decided there will be a prize for the tallest sunflower, so it's turning into quite the competition. - Rose Jinks, Digital PR Specialist at Online Mortgage Advisor, As a way to boost morale and encourage teamwork while were apart, my company has been hosting virtual trivia nights every week. In times of isolation it can be very difficult to stay on top of where everyone is at. These events help boost company pride. Read about more virtual talent show ideas. Invite team members to share any perspectives they have about other teams and stakeholders and their needs, concerns issues that the team should be aware of. For some, it's Christmas and Valentine's Day; for others, it's a birthday. For employees, having access to a mentor can add velocity to the workplace learning curve. 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. After the bartender presentation (which was short) everybody got to chat and enjoy their drinks for some time before saying goodbye. After all, who doesn't like a couple of free snacks? Themed dress-up days are popular favorites, but they're really just the start. Here are a few examples. Go for a walk. Distance does not have to put a damper on the fun. The employee experience is better, and the company's outcome stronger. These activities broaden employees global and cultural horizons while also delighting the teams travel lovers. 6. 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. Make Sure You're COVID Safe. 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. 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. Then, plan festive activities to enjoy together during the call. 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. School spirit week is a fun time for everyone to come together and show off their pride. Letting employees decorate their workspaces plays an active role in building relationships within the company. Give your entire team a chance to express their creativity with baby pumpkins, acrylic paints, and free pumpkin stencils. Get the latest news from Namely about HR, payroll, and benefits. Host fun team games to play with your team members. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 2. Hands-on Experiences: 1. 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. Show Your Appreciation. It means that they can catch up on the countless movies that they have missed. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Here are 10 ideas to consider for your school: 1. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: Establish virtual coffee chats with individual team members. Your employees are amazing people with undisclosed talents. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. Employee appreciation is meant to make the workplace feel a little bit like home. We, humans, are emotional creatures. Be thoughtful with your messages 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. Take off your coat. So far, people have hosted presentations on their favorite hobby, sports team, family, the country they come from, favorite food, favorite lockdown activity, etc. Children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity daily. We all know that employees are the most valuable asset for a business. An escape room Escape room activities are available virtually and in person. The chocolate tasting person is mailing out the tasting kits to all of us and will lead us through the tasting via Zoom. Illustration by Supriya Kalidas. Now more than ever it is essential to dialogue and agree on what team members need and expect from one another and from their leader. We regularly share the progress our sunflowers are making. Names were swapped, wish lists were made, and gifts from small businesses were delivered to friends and families! You could even include dessert decorating packs, tasting assortments, or craft kits. Metal Pen and Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer. Once the votes are in, book the top ranking classes. But follow the 33 employee appreciation ideas articulated in this article. 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. Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other for support. List of virtual spirit week ideas. They take place using video call software, online communication platforms, and occasionally social media. Credit: HMH Books for Young Readers. 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. 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. Revamp your break room. The thing that giants like Google and Airbnb have understood is that the physical environment of the office matters. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace To make your company memorable in a sea of forgettable mugs. Also, it doesnt have to be expensive. 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. 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. Not my cup of tea but a lot of people seemed to like it! 1. 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. Company retreats are fun, help team members bond while also providing the option of getting away from the stress of day-to-day work life. Dessert buffets are fun and positively addicting. 2. Also, they give continuous optimal performance.