It becomes less of a break and more of a disappointment. Get to know your employees and find out what they like so you can give gift cards that are tailored to their interests. Check out our list of the best online murder mysteries. Hosting online costume contests is one of the best spirit week dress up ideas for work. Not to fear: There are plenty of Halloween-inspired crafts to go around. The team that plays together bonds better. Take off your coat. You might be worried about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. Some good virtual spirit week ideas include virtual talent shows, Zoom spirit week backgrounds, online award shows, and theme days. Streaming service subscriptions. 31. Regardless of your age, some physical activity is better than none. This is a time to focus only on the people sitting before you. 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. The Very Worst Kind of Bad Boss Just Wont Go Away. Celebrating employee birthdays never gets old. Spirit weeks often involve games. And what could be better for this purpose than to offer E-Learning options? That can be too intimidating for your employees. We safeguard your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. For example, hold a Zoom ugly sweater contest, host a virtual Secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange, and sing Christmas carols. When employees feel that their work is valued, their satisfaction and productivity rise. Letting employees decorate their workspaces plays an active role in building relationships within the company. Now 48% Off. Also, it doesnt have to be expensive. For example, new employees should receive a buddy to learn the ropes. 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 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. Look at yourself in the mirror. Aside from regular appreciation, you can ensure that your employees feel valued on important occasions, such as by sending Thanksgiving messages to employees. The cost of commuting is heavily influenced by the location of the workplace relative to where the employee lives. High 53F. Priorities. California-based Chowbotics, has seen an uptick in demand for its fresh food robot "Sally.". Find ways to start each day with positive energy and a sense of community. This calculation is based on it costing about six to nine months . Ensure time is spent checking in on the teams main priorities - any urgent issues that need to be addressed? When you think about having a great company culture, you think about building trust, honesty, and a great team of workers. 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. Typical activities include theme days, costume contests, and online parties. 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. This peer-to-peer employee recognition idea is about encouraging everyone from the organization to recognize good work. 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. You can even use it as a way to support local businesses: We were able to do family meals for our employees. It is working together that will get us through this time. Many teams are waking up to a new reality of working remotely. 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!). Hence, "Employee of the month" programs are a great way to show your best employees that you see their hard work and appreciate the efforts they are putting in. They take place using video call software, online communication platforms, and occasionally social media. December is the most obvious time to throw a virtual holiday party. You get the best effort from others, not by lighting a fire beneath them but by building a fire within. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. Thus, make it easier for team members to congratulate each other on a job well done. At checkout the price was zero and you couldnt even enter a tip. They are tasty, convenient, and great for hunger pangs that strike while working. Photos by Getty Images Plus. Finally going on a picnic with their loved ones. 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. 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. You can supplement your on-the-clock remote spirit week activities with fun social media challenges. Yet now is a time when communication actually needs to be ramped up. Cycling is beneficial for your. Online retreats are company gatherings that take place online. Attempt a self portrait with pencil and paper. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. 2. Have office happy hours and hire a bartender to mix them a drink or two. This is one of the most underrated employee appreciation ideas out there. From relaxing countryside walks to exciting challenges, your staff will have the time of their lives. To establish team norms, ask: What behaviors and practices are most important right now to our teams effectiveness?. Ask your remote team members to describe their day so far with an emoji or a string of emojis. 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. They had a selection that included non-alcoholic mixes too (like a ginger lemonade). Open windows, increase circulation, and keep room density as low as possible with fewer people in one space. Home tours are a fun way for remote teammates to invite each other into personal spaces. Mention about their desirable quirks like always being on time or such. The top reason why the people enjoyed coming to work was because of "feeling appreciated.". All rights reserved. Why not see which team has the most steps or ran the furthest distance this week? Simply post a different game or prompt on the company social channels every day, and instruct employees to respond using a special hashtag. 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. Teammates could also give a short slideshow presentation of their home cities. How to advocate for yourself at work during COVID-19. 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. Virtual talent shows work best when there is a predetermined act order and an emcee to manage the flow. By planning an online retreat for spirit week, you block out employees time and free staff to enjoy the festivities. The Ultimate Guide to Employee Rewards and Recognition. So, it's essential to consider this less of an idea and more of a thing that you have to do eventually. These events are the online equivalent of spirit week, and are examples of virtual employee engagement activities and virtual team celebrations, and often take place on virtual event platforms. Are they excited to be working for you? Its been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: Establish virtual coffee chats with individual team members. But with 29% of Americans reporting that they never drink alcohol, it is time for businesses to think of more inclusive activities. To make your company memorable in a sea of forgettable mugs. Thoughtful ways to build community and pride. 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. Do the bragging on behalf of your employees, and show your whole team how fantastic everyone is. 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. Get the resources. Its a way for us to provide food and a gathering without being on-site and in groups. 1. Consider sending your top ten performers off for a day or two at a spa to provide an incentive for continued outstanding performance. You could either play a facilitated murder mystery where a host guides the game and gives out clues, or follow a script for a self-guided murder mystery. In turn, healthier employees produce better results for their companies. Feel free to customize it with your companys logos. One idea that keeps popping up on our Principal Life Facebook group is the concept of a virtual theme week. 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 an employee above and beyond on a project at work or accomplishes a personal goal, give them a shoutout on social media to commend their hard work. You might find that employee appreciation becomes a tad bit easier and a whole lot more fun. Add some seriously "tricked out" kitchens on each floor of their facilities. WeAreTeachers Staff on September 20, 2022. 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. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your team is to enable them to let off some steam without the pressure to perform. 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. This helps your employees feel appreciated on an ongoing basis. Bring in a songwriter, band, or comedian to perform at 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. One-Word Check-ins. Virtual spirit weeks are weeklong events that consist of a series of fun and interactive online activities. Host fun team games to play with your team members. Trivia leaders can create questions and teams can decide on their favorite themes or trivia topics. A UK study finds workers job attitudes can be bolstered by allowing them to personalize their office. Get Chinese food somewhere. 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. For example, theme days, virtual talent shows, and costume contests. Employees thrive at work when they know their contributions have meaning. Typical spirit weeks involve decorating contests. Not my cup of tea but a lot of people seemed to like it! Engage in active family play time. Humans have an inherent need to get appreciated for their work. And of course folks could also just log off if they wanted to, with no pressure to spend the rest of the day working. Often, in the case of. 5k+ Downloads Go for a walk. Teams complete comic-book-themed riddles and puzzles and virtual minute-to-win-it challenges to climb the leaderboard and save the world. 32. Talking about making employees feel valued, a great way to do so is by involving them in the decision-making process, wherever possible. While personalizing spaces at work to fit the geographic locale or the personal tastes of employees has become common. 33 Amazing Employee Appreciation Ideas [2023 Update], The Ultimate Guide To Employee Rewards and Recognition, 50 Best Words of Appreciation for Employees, Gift Cards Make For The Perfect Employee Rewards, Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards, 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce, 25 Employee Recognition Statistics You Shouldn't Ignore, Top 102 Employee Recognition Quotes To Celebrate Their Endeavours, 23 Awesome Ways To Make Every Employee Work Anniversary Memorable, All You Need To Know About Sales Incentive Programs In 2023, 10 Intrinsic Rewards That Your Employees Look Forward To, Empower the Workforce With A Culture of Peer-to-Peer Recognition. Usually at this time of year, my inbox fills up with questions about company holiday parties: How many drinks are OK to have there? 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. These small everyday gestures can come off as a pleasant surprise and make employees feel valued. It is a small token of appreciation, but our employees have expressed that they really appreciate the recognition. - Darryl Smith, Founding Partner at Florida Car Accident Lawyer Team, Because of the coronavirus, Kickstand recently implemented more flexible work schedules, including a few mental health hours per week to encourage employees to step away from their computers and recharge during the workday. Harvard Business Review reports that "the most impactful driver of employee engagement is recognition.". Interesting work matter only if you have good food while youre doing it. Whats the Word on The Street? Next, check our our list of ideas to celebrate Pride at work, online fun Friday ideas, and intern orientation activities. By hosting your fundraisers online, you can reach new supporters both near and far from your school without needing to leave your desk. 3 Ways Tech Company Sysomos Transformed Employee Experience, 5 Tips to Implement Summer Work Schedules, 6 Design Ideas to Create an Inspiring Work Environment. 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. We also have a list of the best remote team outing ideas. Contains 5 ml. 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. I also personally feel that it's boosting my wellbeing and brightening my day. In this case they will contribute to providing some structure in an unstructured team situation. Virtual Fun Run Cost: $$ Difficulty: 4 Earning Potential: Keep Little Hands Busy. Learn more about virtual costume contests. Successful fundraising during a recession is two-pronged: Focus hard on donor engagement and retention, and The chocolate tasting person is mailing out the tasting kits to all of us and will lead us through the tasting via Zoom. Team members can challenge each other voluntarily. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. 1. If your office normally does Secret Santa or Yankee Swap gift exchanges, you can keep it going this year too. Sometimes, the utmost appreciation that an employee seeks is a promotion in his job role. Getty Images/PeopleImages. 2022 Todos los derechos reservados. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 1. Another good team-building activity is a virtual workshop or workout class. They are the first to arrive. On beach day, participants post virtual backgrounds of tropical locations and sip mock mai tais. This article is written by Barasha Medhi who is a part of the marketing team at Vantage Circle. The Kaiser Family Foundation found . Outdoor days are one of the best summer spirit week ideas for work. All online escape rooms inspire teamwork and critical thinking in a fun and exciting way. These events typically occur through a series of video meetings, group chats, and collaborative online activities. 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. Our division is doing a holiday drive-in movie and renting out a drive-in theater for the evening. 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. Virtual spirit week ideas are ways to celebrate the occasion with remote teams. In uncertain times, one thing is certain with fundraisingthe more you plan, the better off you will be. Having direct access to a mentor gives junior professionals valuable one-on-one training. This time has been invaluable to the team as they had been feeling scattered, stressed, and disconnected. Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. Between the confetti, balloons, and cake, office birthday parties are always fun to organize. Ventilation and air circulation are your friends. It definitely is the easiest and quickest Zoom icebreaker out there. Offering a corporate wellness program within a vibrant culture of thriving well-being can significantly enhance that connection. Toilet paper and Netflix memes are very popular right now. 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. Everything you need to build a better workplace. "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. But providing a good employee experience is the future. Give a prize to the two team members who wear the most well-thought . Honestly, Im really pleased with this decision over trying to make a Zoom party happen. Teammates can select a different background for each meeting or theme day, and can even swap backgrounds multiple times per call. This amazing app pairs the blind and visually impaired with volunteers via a video call in order to assist with everyday tasks (think reading a recipe on the back of a box or selecting a . Wed have the holiday party on Zoom, where folks would open what they had received from their gift giver. I didnt even stay until the end and used half the amount of tequila in my margarita because Im not used to drinking, but it was a lot of fun, we all learned something and had a good laugh. Here's what you might be missing- employee appreciation ideas. 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! Make Sure You're COVID Safe. Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus, This is a BETA experience. Its common knowledge that people love gift cards. Teammates can vote using the poll feature in your video meeting platform, and you can send the winner a prize. 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. Plan out your meals and snacks ahead of time, such as at the beginning of the week or workday. Online escape rooms are online versions of thematic puzzle-solving games. Simply schedule a Zoom meeting and ask attendees to join from an outdoor spot such as backyards, parks, or beaches. But they are the last to leave. Halloween is the time of year when employees can showcase their creativity and interact with coworkers they may not normally work closely with. This year, theyre sending a food related gift to our homes and giving us the afternoon off. There is also the threat of a recession. Here are 10 ideas to consider for your school: 1. We All Hate It. Remote team games like holiday Bingo, trivia, and scavenger hunts get guests moving and invoke the holiday spirit.