You might be worried about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. Sometimes, the utmost appreciation that an employee seeks is a promotion in his job role. Contains 5 ml. Remote team games like holiday Bingo, trivia, and scavenger hunts get guests moving and invoke the holiday spirit. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones. 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. This year, the questions are quite different, and nearly all are some variation of What do we even do for the holidays in a pandemic? Many employers are simply canceling holiday celebrations, since theres no way to safely gather. If you can get outside to walk, studies have shown that a brisk walk can make you feel . When you think about having a great company culture, you think about building trust, honesty, and a great team of workers. Coming together this way will help bring your employees closer to you and boost the employee-employer relationship. Themed dress-up days are popular favorites, but they're really just the start. This article is written by Barasha Medhi who is a part of the marketing team at Vantage Circle. This helps your employees feel appreciated on an ongoing basis. Shared items such a candy jars, cereal boxes, and containers of nuts should be removed for the safety of all workers. Remote teammates work together to crack clues and conquer brain teasers before time runs out. Share funny videos, do some riddles and brainsteasers, put music on in the background. 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. Aside from regular appreciation, you can ensure that your employees feel valued on important occasions, such as by sending Thanksgiving messages to employees. 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. Give a prize to the two team members who wear the most well-thought . Home tours are a fun way for remote teammates to invite each other into personal spaces. Some leaders consistently interact with those they most easily connect with but may not as readily think of others. Theyve asked us what charities wed recommend. In this case they will contribute to providing some structure in an unstructured team situation. To establish team norms, ask: What behaviors and practices are most important right now to our teams effectiveness?. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. One of the simplest and most popular solutions has been virtual happy hours. Remote teams can dress up for remote meetings, even if their outfits wont be on display all day. ). You will see that a few words of appreciation can do wonders for the workplace. Heres some of what people reported. Even a small gesture like a "thank you" goes a long way to boost productivity, increase performance and improve morale among the workforce. Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. 2022 Tous droits rservs. Employees who want to learn about new tools, techniques, or topics but have less time on their hands will consider it a fabulous opportunity. 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. Cycling is beneficial for your. 5k+ Downloads Spirit Week ideas for busy offices should include low-maintenance events that require minimal planning from event organizers and the participants. Here are a few examples. They had a selection that included non-alcoholic mixes too (like a ginger lemonade). 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. Letting employees decorate their workspaces plays an active role in building relationships within the company. It can range from conducting regular health check-ups, yoga sessions, dentist appointments, and offering health insurance. For instance, plan a short gentle stretch, a high-intensity cardio routine, and a themed yoga class at different time slots throughout the day. You can even use it as a way to support local businesses: We were able to do family meals for our employees. For more tournament ideas, check out our list of Slack games. Then, have one attendee lead the class, or screen share a video routine. Distance does not have to put a damper on the fun. Perhaps the best gift to give your employees is recognizing your employees publicly for a great job done. Even a simple gesture like an appreciation message or thoughtful gifts on valentines Day or anniversaries can make a huge difference. Make it a fun and memorable experience. Names were swapped, wish lists were made, and gifts from small businesses were delivered to friends and families! 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. For example, Marvel versus DC Comics, the '60s versus the '70s, or Batman and the Joker. Not to mention, care packages add a tactile element to your all-online spirit week. Book an Airbnb virtual experience. 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. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. We safeguard your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. For more ideas, check out our roundup of team building workouts. Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. Get Competitive. By hosting your fundraisers online, you can reach new supporters both near and far from your school without needing to leave your desk. Namely's powerful HR Software is built for mid-sized companies designed to be used by everyone, every day. Keep employees engaged and excited with some friendly competition. Vantage Circle. We also had a really strict limit for spending, like $20. Who doesnt love free food? So, it's essential to consider this less of an idea and more of a thing that you have to do eventually. Usually at this time of year, my inbox fills up with questions about company holiday parties: How many drinks are OK to have there? You may experience anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic if you have to go into work. You could even hold contests to name and reward the best virtual backgrounds for each meeting. Talk about what you appreciate about that particular employee. Whether they worked late to get the job done, blew past their sales goal, or volunteering at a local shelter, give employees the credit they deserve. Then, encourage teammates to square off. Learn more about virtual costume contests. Some employees even showcased their talents liveranging from musical performances to cake baking to cat training. List of virtual spirit week ideas. Many a time, they'll bring that positivity and enthusiasm back to the workplace. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. If your office normally does Secret Santa or Yankee Swap gift exchanges, you can keep it going this year too. Sending care packages to your remote teams builds buzz for the event and lets your employees know you care about them. Call in a local food truck specializing in the cuisine and make it mandatory for people to take a break and eat a taco. These activities also make great spring spirit week ideas for work. A recent study published in Healthcare Design Magazine revealed that "an extreme break room makeover" at one health facility reduced staff "stress and fatigue.". They take place using video call software, online communication platforms, and occasionally social media. Show your employees some love by making sure that the snacks provided are healthy and nutritious. (Source: Team Vantage Circle's Day Excursion). 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. Simply ask, how are we doing living up to our agreements?. We have 30+ experiences to choose from, and thousands of five star reviews. 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. Breakout rooms enable guests to have more intimate conversations, so that no attendee feels like an observer. Here are 10 ideas to consider for your school: 1. 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. Everyone had a week to practice and record their talents before we all watched them together during a special All Hands meeting. All online escape rooms inspire teamwork and critical thinking in a fun and exciting way. 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. Working from home can be lonely and mundane. Its been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. "Everyone meet promptly at 5:30 p.m., and line up your cars by the parking lot next to my house," instructed the texts sent out by Amanda Perez, staff member and University of Miami School of Communication graduate student, and her mother, Wendy Perez. Although workplace benefits help keep employees happy, they rarely tend to spark inspiration. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. Should I bring a date? Interesting work matter only if you have good food while youre doing it. School spirit week is a fun time for everyone to come together and show off their pride. Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond. 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. Make sure you exchange emails with a volunteer coordinator or call before you . 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. They are tasty, convenient, and great for hunger pangs that strike while working. High 53F. The BIG List of School Spirit Week Ideas (80+ Activities!) Host fun team games to play with your team members. Consider downloading a fitness app with curated workout playlists. The best way to decorate virtual offices is by using virtual meeting backgrounds. Here is an example of a graphic you could use for your games. Company retreats are great for celebrating employees after successful project completion or after an outstanding financial year. Most employees love to learn, and taking a virtual class together is a terrific spirit week idea. I am a big believer in team norms which support the team in self managing behaviors, practices and performance. Here come's the most impactful one in our list of employee appreciation ideas. We gathered the top employee morale tips, tricks, and ideas from businesses around the world. Also, they grow more motivated to maintain or improve their good work. You can celebrate the spirit of a challenge in your Spirit Week by hosting a Versus Day. Outdoor days are one of the best summer spirit week ideas for work. Recommended Article: 50 Best Words of Appreciation for Employees. 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. Bring in a songwriter, band, or comedian to perform at your workplace. 1. It is easier than ever to show your appreciation from the monthly Netflix fix to news and magazines. Everything you need to build a better workplace. But there is one occasion that should be praised with the same level of spirit and vigor as the restthe work anniversary. Think small bags of chips, cookies, and candy, displayed so employees can. Recognizing employees is a great way to boost morale and build excitement during spirit week. Virtual spirit weeks bolster team resolve and brightens telecommuters moods. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about virtual spirit weeks. Halloween is the time of year when employees can showcase their creativity and interact with coworkers they may not normally work closely with. Teammates can select a different background for each meeting or theme day, and can even swap backgrounds multiple times per call. For employees, having access to a mentor can add velocity to the workplace learning curve. Spirit weeks are a time-honored tradition, in elementary, middle, and high schools alike. Recommended Article: 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce. 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. First, either mail employees tea and fancy snacks, or ask attendees to bring their own refreshments and reimburse them for the expense. For any employee who loves to be fit or is inclined towards adopting a healthier lifestyle, gym passes make for the ultimate way to help them get started. Guests can dress up too. He expressed that business leaders need to develop a structured and approach to mentoring. Want to enhance employee morale while improving productivity and boosting creativity? The thing that giants like Google and Airbnb have understood is that the physical environment of the office matters. The intensive schedule prevents routine responsibilities from interrupting the fun, and permits employees to focus on recharging and team bonding. 1. The Coronavirus Crisis 9 Ways Schools Will Look Different When (And If) They Reopen 1. It's marketed as "COVID-19 style" since all schools across the state are currently shut down. Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". This prevents you from working to the point of hunger and then scrambling to decide what to eat. Develop team norms. 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. 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). This is a stressful time to say the least. Make the day memorable by organizing outside barbecues or small office parties. Illustration by Supriya Kalidas. Basically, the idea is to boost morale by giving students a collective silly goal. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: Establish virtual coffee chats with individual team members. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. Are they excited to be working for you? Wed all ooooh and ahhh, and laugh. These events typically occur through a series of video meetings, group chats, and collaborative online activities. Because honestly, everyone expects the managers and leaders to be bossy and unreachable.