Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. 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. These events help boost company pride. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond. Gathering via video call and online communication platforms gives groups a chance to relax, re-energize, and reconnect with teammates. 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. This is a great way to begin your team meetings. 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. 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. Companies all over the world are making their operations remote for the first time to combat the spread of the coronavirus. It could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. When the class arrives, learn together, and be sure to snap plenty of screenshots. From year-end reporting to employee paystubs, check out these payroll tips and tricks. 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. Not to fear: There are plenty of Halloween-inspired crafts to go around. The top reason why the people enjoyed coming to work was because of "feeling appreciated.". 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!). Most employees love to learn, and taking a virtual class together is a terrific spirit week idea. of 70-75% ethyl alcohol. High 53F. Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. Why not recognize these incredible non-work achievements in front of their peers? The packages were delivered to our doors in the afternoon of our event. Next, check our our list of ideas to celebrate Pride at work, online fun Friday ideas, and intern orientation activities. 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. Virtual workout or meditation classes. 3 Ways Tech Company Sysomos Transformed Employee Experience, 5 Tips to Implement Summer Work Schedules, 6 Design Ideas to Create an Inspiring Work Environment. Teammates can select a different background for each meeting or theme day, and can even swap backgrounds multiple times per call. Wishing you and your team health and tranquility. For the main event, meet up on a video call to sip tea, chat, and play games. Getty Images/PeopleImages. Once the awards end, you can email digital certificates and e-gift cards to recipients, or mail trophies and paper awards to their houses. But while you're indoors, there's no reason you can't explore your fun and creative side. Kicking their feet up on the couch and zoning out in front of the TV could be just what the essential workers in your life need after dealing with the public . Snacks are a fantastic food item that doesn't require you to get out of your desk when you want to eat something light. Employees respond to appreciation expressed by recognizing their good work because it confirms that their work is valued by others. Some are great artists, while some spend their time doing charity work. 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. We also included some essential office supplies to ensure our employees have everything they need to work remotely. - Stuart Cook, Marketing Manager at My Baggage, My company recently delivered a care package to all employees with a mix of fun and useful items. You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. Even a small gesture like a "thank you" goes a long way to boost productivity, increase performance and improve morale among the workforce. Daily Dose of Kindness (sent daily) Weekly Kindness Idea (sent weekly) General Newsletter (for everyone) General Newsletter (for educators) Working from home can be lonely and mundane. $10 at Amazon. Read about more virtual talent show ideas. Do it privately-ish. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com. Getting your workplace ready in case COVID-19 arrives in your community. 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. But some employers have devised celebrations that will keep people safe and actually sound fun (even to this curmudgeon). 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. Show Your Appreciation. These activities also make great spring spirit week ideas for work. Because honestly, everyone expects the managers and leaders to be bossy and unreachable. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 2. Avoid the cafeteria as it can be very distracting. Make the day memorable by organizing outside barbecues or small office parties. 2. How to advocate for yourself at work during COVID-19. The events should also not take too long to do. This calculation is based on it costing about six to nine months . Believe it or not, such small stuff really sees a positively impacted company culture. 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. Thus becoming one of the best employee engagement activities that you can invest in. Sending care packages to your remote teams builds buzz for the event and lets your employees know you care about them. 1. All This Talk About Quiet Quitting Is Absurd. From open enrollment to building a benefits package, we've got you covered. 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. Vantage Circle. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". Players square off in trivia challenges, lightning scavenger hunts, and a listening/drawing game called Can You Hear Me Now? A charismatic host keeps score while keeping teams energy and spirits high. Spirit week is a week-long event that promotes company pride and employee engagement through fun activities. Whats the Word on The Street? 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. Or it just might be a beautiful day to sleep in. 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. Simply ask, how are we doing living up to our agreements?. To set the mood, you can encourage attendees to dress up and don fancy virtual backgrounds. I also hired a local small business to make some custom iced cookies for us. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about virtual spirit weeks. Spirit week shakes up the normal routine and gives dispersed teammates a chance to get together and have fun. Better still, if this praise comes in front of their team members, colleagues, and peers. Many a time, they'll bring that positivity and enthusiasm back to the workplace. That can be too intimidating for your employees. Halloween is the time of year when employees can showcase their creativity and interact with coworkers they may not normally work closely with. 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. Theme Days. Research says that the primary cause of employees leaving their jobs is the lack of appreciation. Your team can decorate their jack-o'-lanterns during break, lunch, or while you hold a team meeting. Some employees even showcased their talents liveranging from musical performances to cake baking to cat training. Vantage Circle. For example, share with team members how you will be leading, how you will check in with them, what you will be asking about. 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. On beach day, participants post virtual backgrounds of tropical locations and sip mock mai tais. This is a time to focus only on the people sitting before you. Keep Little Hands Busy. Even after COVID-19, hand sanitizers are a welcomed gift, no matter your customer base or your business. Simply gear each days activities around a particular topic. Metal Pen and Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer. 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. 4. Just beware of overdosing on sugar. Weve found that this is key to recreating that Friday feeling during lockdown. - Nushy Rose, Managing Editor at Parlia. Elaine is a true partner in every sense of the word and would be a huge asset to any company. Harvard Business Review reports that "the most impactful driver of employee engagement is recognition.". In uncertain times, one thing is certain with fundraisingthe more you plan, the better off you will be. There are few things that employees feel more love for than an extra day of freedom aside from the weekend. It is especially meaningful when the appreciation comes from their bosses. 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. These small everyday gestures can come off as a pleasant surprise and make employees feel valued. 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. All in all, make the day about them, i.e., your employees. This is a stressful time to say the least. It all started with a group chat. 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. Anxiety. They had a selection that included non-alcoholic mixes too (like a ginger lemonade). ). The purpose of online spirit weeks is to boost employee engagement and morale. Thus, make it easier for team members to congratulate each other on a job well done. 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 . Real world elements make virtual exercises more engaging and interactive. Spirit Week ideas for busy offices should include low-maintenance events that require minimal planning from event organizers and the participants. 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. #StayStrongWF Spirit Week April 6-10. And of course folks could also just log off if they wanted to, with no pressure to spend the rest of the day working. Theres nothing quite like desserts and ice cream to alleviate stress. With these 33 employee appreciation ideas, you will see reduced turnover and retain your top talents. You can arrange for office taxis or subsidized bus fares so that commute becomes a tad bit easier on their pockets. 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. 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 . To host an online award show, first create award categories. Illustration by Supriya Kalidas. 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. A viral photo with suggestions for "Homeschool Spirit Week" has been circling social media. Support families to. With these 33 employee appreciation ideas, you will see reduced turnover and retain your top talents. Try a subscription box. Credit: HMH Books for Young Readers. Each act should be around five minutes. Then, plan festive activities to enjoy together during the call. After all, who doesn't like a couple of free snacks? Keep employees engaged and excited with some friendly competition. You might be worried about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. 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. Ive gotten a lot of reports of teams doing remote crafting sessions togetheroften around seasonal themes, like gingerbread houses: Our office is planning two optional events. 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. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. You can supplement your on-the-clock remote spirit week activities with fun social media challenges. See: How Indoor Ventilation Systems Can Help Prevent or Permit the Spread of COVID-19 . You can also use GeoGessr to play a destination-guessing game, or take virtual tours of museums, zoos, and parks together. 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. Employee Appreciation Day is a semi-formal holiday in the United States. Subjects should be fun and non-work related. Help make kindness the norm at school, home and work by using the links below! Plus, you could throw virtual parties for any holiday. If you have to be indoors, consider air flow. Simmonds was blown away by . Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: One-Word Check-ins. Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. Then, encourage teammates to square off. Here are three ways employers can reduce panic and keep employee morale up during the coronavirus outbreak. 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 this case they will contribute to providing some structure in an unstructured team situation. 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. At the end of the week, count up the wins, and have the victors face off against each other for the championship. 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. This prevents you from working to the point of hunger and then scrambling to decide what to eat. Thoughtful ways to build community and pride. A great employee appreciation idea that gives day-to-day benefits is providing assigned parking spaces. First, either mail employees tea and fancy snacks, or ask attendees to bring their own refreshments and reimburse them for the expense. Wellness Resources First, give teammates a few options for online courses and ask them to vote for their favorite. 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. Unique SWAG ideas have the power to set your company apart. Host fun team games to play with your team members. Moreover, you can drop an appreciation mail to the employees so that it stays with them forever. Theyve asked us what charities wed recommend. Online board games or trivia challenges are a great way to bring a team together for something besides work. Team Norms. Adults need 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking for health benefits. Typical spirit weeks involve decorating contests. For instance, on sports day, staff can wear jerseys, square off in competitive games, and participate in an online pep rally. One idea that keeps popping up on our Principal Life Facebook group is the concept of a virtual theme week. Talk about what you appreciate about that particular employee. Simply post a different game or prompt on the company social channels every day, and instruct employees to respond using a special hashtag. 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. 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. If done in person, they provide a safer pandemic option because you share the room only with the people in your party. Reward employees with a token or gift of appreciation from your side. In stock now. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. Virtual Fun Run Cost: $$ Difficulty: 4 Earning Potential: This time has been invaluable to the team as they had been feeling scattered, stressed, and disconnected. A lot. Dessert buffets are fun and positively addicting. 1. 31. Regardless of your age, some physical activity is better than none. The Very Worst Kind of Bad Boss Just Wont Go Away. First, create a Slack channel for the games. Employees thrive at work when they know their contributions have meaning. Streaming service subscriptions. Honestly, Im really pleased with this decision over trying to make a Zoom party happen. Be Intentional About Communications It's crucial that leaders don't get sucked into the. Chances are, your company has one too. Instead, health promotion ensures that your staff actually want and like to be at work. It definitely is the easiest and quickest Zoom icebreaker out there. Walking not only counts as physical activity, but also provides some mental health benefits. Food has a way of being a catalyst to bring people together. Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other for support. Book an Airbnb virtual experience. And what could be better for this purpose than to offer E-Learning options?