spirit week ideas for work during covidspirit week ideas for work during covid

One employee's commute could be inexpensive, while for another, it could be prohibitive. 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. For the main event, meet up on a video call to sip tea, chat, and play games. The tours could happen on a single day, or throughout the week. 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. A few more things that made it special: The best part about it was everyone participating posting a small list of likes and dislikeswe all got to know each other better through reading those lists and connect over shared interest. So far, people have hosted presentations on their favorite hobby, sports team, family, the country they come from, favorite food, favorite lockdown activity, etc. There is also the threat of a recession. Learn more: 25 Employee Recognition Statistics You Shouldn't Ignore. 7. Give a prize to the two team members who wear the most well-thought . 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. One-Word Check-ins. The purpose of online spirit weeks is to boost employee engagement and morale. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. Consider sending your top ten performers off for a day or two at a spa to provide an incentive for continued outstanding performance. Shared items such a candy jars, cereal boxes, and containers of nuts should be removed for the safety of all workers. Remote teams can dress up for remote meetings, even if their outfits wont be on display all day. Its a really cool way to connect with your coworkers and find out more about their life outside of work. Be Intentional About Communications It's crucial that leaders don't get sucked into the. Things to consider when you and your employees travel 4. List of virtual spirit week ideas. Team costumes Whether you're a team of two or twenty, you can dress up in team costumes for Halloween. Some ideas include: Characters from a favorite movie Simply post a different game or prompt on the company social channels every day, and instruct employees to respond using a special hashtag. At the end of the week, count up the wins, and have the victors face off against each other for the championship. Distance does not have to put a damper on the fun. Why not see which team has the most steps or ran the furthest distance this week? Typical activities include theme days, costume contests, and online parties. Virtual Fun Run Cost: $$ Difficulty: 4 Earning Potential: Encourage team members to do the same. 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. $10 at Amazon. Offering free meals and caffeine is actually a highly effective and cost-effective means of motivating and controlling young employees. Photo illustration by Slate. It doesnt have to be cocktail focused. 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. Getting your own parking space is a highly coveted idea to really recognize your employees for doing a great job. 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. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. Offering a corporate wellness program within a vibrant culture of thriving well-being can significantly enhance that connection. Home tours are a fun way for remote teammates to invite each other into personal spaces. Breakout rooms enable guests to have more intimate conversations, so that no attendee feels like an observer. On beach day, participants post virtual backgrounds of tropical locations and sip mock mai tais. 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. You could even hold contests to name and reward the best virtual backgrounds for each meeting. Book an Airbnb virtual experience. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". You can even use it as a way to support local businesses: We were able to do family meals for our employees. Few people are as knee-deep in our work-related anxieties and sticky office politics as Alison Green, who has been fielding workplace questions for a decade now on her website Ask a Manager. Online fundraising allows you to make a big impact even if your team is limited in members or budget. I also personally feel that it's boosting my wellbeing and brightening my day. Simply designate a theme for each day or meeting, then choose the best dressed for each category. The chocolate tasting person is mailing out the tasting kits to all of us and will lead us through the tasting via Zoom. Not to mention that birthday parties are an opportunity to appreciate peers. Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. The author's views are entirely his or her own (excluding the unlikely event of hypnosis) and may not always reflect the views of Moz. 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. The cost of commuting is heavily influenced by the location of the workplace relative to where the employee lives. Unorthodox corporate perks such as trips to hike near a volcano or dive with dolphins are an increasingly powerful way to attract, retain and motivate top talent. Either way, ask participants to record results by posting them to the channel in a @WIN/@LOSS format. Wed all ooooh and ahhh, and laugh. Virtual spirit weeks bolster team resolve and brightens telecommuters moods. A team lunch is a great way through which everyone can bond with each other and with you. 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. The day-to-day work life might get hectic and tedious for everyone in the office. When the class arrives, learn together, and be sure to snap plenty of screenshots. 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. Support families to. 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. Coffee and Chocolate Tastings It doesn't have to be cocktail focused. Virtual talent shows double as entertainment and team bonding. 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. Here is our take on enhancing employee motivation with the below 33 exceptional employee appreciation ideas. You can also offer a myriad of health benefits. It becomes less of a break and more of a disappointment. 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. Why not put a reminder in your diary when you plan to finish working? Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. Getting your workplace ready in case COVID-19 arrives in your community. 31. Sending care packages to your remote teams builds buzz for the event and lets your employees know you care about them. 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? Recommended Article: Gift Cards Make For The Perfect Employee Rewards. Once the votes are in, book the top ranking classes. 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. There is no discussion in this exercise, it is simply a way for team members to connect with how others are feeling in the moment. It could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. What Readers Want During COVID-19: Content Ideas for Every Niche. 4. With these 33 employee appreciation ideas, you will see reduced turnover and retain your top talents. Every company has its own perks: fully stocked kitchens, corporate team events, and the latest MacBook Pro. 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. of 70-75% ethyl alcohol. For some, it's Christmas and Valentine's Day; for others, it's a birthday. Real world elements make virtual exercises more engaging and interactive. You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. 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. Teams complete comic-book-themed riddles and puzzles and virtual minute-to-win-it challenges to climb the leaderboard and save the world. Make the day memorable by organizing outside barbecues or small office parties. Need more tips for how to keep your employees happy during COVID-19? You will see that a few words of appreciation can do wonders for the workplace. Its common knowledge that people love gift cards. Be thoughtful with your messages of appreciation. 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. 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. Half of the box contained things like hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, and other health-related products to help us stay safe. 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. Some employees even showcased their talents liveranging from musical performances to cake baking to cat training. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 2. 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. Next, check our our list of ideas to celebrate Pride at work, online fun Friday ideas, and intern orientation activities. 3 Ways Tech Company Sysomos Transformed Employee Experience, 5 Tips to Implement Summer Work Schedules, 6 Design Ideas to Create an Inspiring Work Environment. Toilet paper and Netflix memes are very popular right now. 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. They are tasty, convenient, and great for hunger pangs that strike while working. A UK study finds workers job attitudes can be bolstered by allowing them to personalize their office. Why not recognize these incredible non-work achievements in front of their peers? 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. Vantage Circle. The effectiveness of office snacks is that major companies like Google use them as a perk to attract the top employees. When showtime arrives, gather on a Zoom call. More than a manager, an employee's peers are more likely to know about their good qualities. 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. To set the mood, you can encourage attendees to dress up and don fancy virtual backgrounds. Team Norms. Virtual spirit weeks are weeklong events that consist of a series of fun and interactive online activities. COVID-19 is expected to last for many months, with a potential resurgence in the fall. Weve had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. 5. This calculation is based on it costing about six to nine months . Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Recommended Article: Top 102 Employee Recognition Quotes To Celebrate Their Endeavours. Thus becoming one of the best employee engagement activities that you can invest in. There are many fun online activities that suit an international or travel-themed spirit week or spirit day. This is a great way to begin your team meetings. Plan out your meals and snacks ahead of time, such as at the beginning of the week or workday. My Boss Loves Planning an Elaborate Holiday Extravaganza. 3. However, Slack games offer more flexibility, as teammates can play on their own schedules. Therefore it's a win-win situation. Lifestyle contests that encourage employees to exercise or try a new activity can also help boost morale. You found our list of unique virtual spirit week ideas. Keep employees engaged and excited with some friendly competition. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: Establish virtual coffee chats with individual team members. After all, who doesn't like a couple of free snacks? This prevents you from working to the point of hunger and then scrambling to decide what to eat. If your crew would rather perform just for fun, then end the show by giving participants a well-deserved round of virtual applause. Celebrating employee birthdays never gets old. We also had a really strict limit for spending, like $20. These activities broaden employees global and cultural horizons while also delighting the teams travel lovers. Plentiful sunshine. Online retreats are company gatherings that take place online. 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. Photos by Getty Images Plus. She had such a creative way for putting a holiday spin on our corporate branding, and theyre going to be a big hit! Want to give someone the gift that keeps on giving? 1. Also, it doesnt have to be expensive. When Kirkman first had the idea, she posted about it in her social club Facebook group and on her Instagram story, in case a few close friends wanted to join. These events typically occur through a series of video meetings, group chats, and collaborative online activities. An escape room Escape room activities are available virtually and in person. Teammates can vote using the poll feature in your video meeting platform, and you can send the winner a prize. Metal Pen and Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer. Names were swapped, wish lists were made, and gifts from small businesses were delivered to friends and families! Check out our list of the best online murder mysteries. These events help boost company pride. 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. 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. 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. 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. Vantage Circle. For more ideas, check out our roundup of team building workouts. Bring in a songwriter, band, or comedian to perform at your workplace. I recently asked Ask a Manager readers to share how their teams are observing the holidays in lieu of in-person parties this year, and it turns out companies have gotten really creative. Coming together this way will help bring your employees closer to you and boost the employee-employer relationship. See: How Indoor Ventilation Systems Can Help Prevent or Permit the Spread of COVID-19 . Or, you can use an app like Donut to match up opponents, and pairs can play games instead of scheduling a video chat. About how his/her contributions have aided to a projects successful completion. Clarify expectations, for example, of performance, workflow or performance management. The box also had a few ingredients, fresh produce, and a list of recipes you could make with everything. Ensure that everyone gets that attention. 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. First, either mail employees tea and fancy snacks, or ask attendees to bring their own refreshments and reimburse them for the expense. 2. Employees thrive at work when they know their contributions have meaning. 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. But with 29% of Americans reporting that they never drink alcohol, it is time for businesses to think of more inclusive activities. Virtual tea parties are calm yet quirky online events to hold with remote teams. Hand Sanitizers. Instead of the usual tables and activities, they had booths set up where treats were handed through the window. 2. Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. The disease is extremely contagious, yet many infected people are asymptomatic, and patterns of transmission are not always clear. I am going to go out on a limb here to say to you something vital. 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. 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. Check out more more aboutonline retreat ideas. #StayStrongWF Spirit Week April 6-10. Think small bags of chips, cookies, and candy, displayed so employees can. 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. InDirect Report, she spotlights themes from her inbox that help explain the modern workplace and how we could be navigating it better. Show your employees some love by making sure that the snacks provided are healthy and nutritious. Here are 10 ideas to consider for your school: 1. 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. 5k+ Downloads To host an online award show, first create award categories. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace Many teams are waking up to a new reality of working remotely. These small everyday gestures can come off as a pleasant surprise and make employees feel valued. We regularly share the progress our sunflowers are making. That's why it's vital to spread your actions around multiple methods of transports to appeal to the broadest proportion of your workforce. Even a simple gesture like an appreciation message or thoughtful gifts on valentines Day or anniversaries can make a huge difference. But they are the last to leave. For example, Marvel versus DC Comics, the '60s versus the '70s, or Batman and the Joker. It is working together that will get us through this time. 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. 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. 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. Avoid the cafeteria as it can be very distracting. Click here to find out how. Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other for support. Wool socks, very plushy fleece blankets, playing cards, mugs, etc. 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. We started this challenge at Booster. But while you're indoors, there's no reason you can't explore your fun and creative side. Also, of the cocktails on offer, there were a few non-alcoholic punch ideas, for people who dont drink or who wanted to share with a kid, etc. Make it a fun and memorable experience. But heres the thing. This is a stressful time to say the least. Here are instructions on changing virtual backgrounds in Zoom, GoogleMeet, and Microsoft Teams. How to be a good coworker and leader during this crisis. 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. Anxiety. Or take a field trip to the local entertainment venue. We have these events called campfires that take place twice a week. I wont be able to attend as COVID-19 gave me the chance to move out of state and go full-time remote, but I actually think its a great idea. 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 . Everything you need to build a better workplace. Not just practical job skills, but behavioral and cultural skills as well. 6. Walking not only counts as physical activity, but also provides some mental health benefits. To host these virtual workouts, have participants join a Zoom call. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. The top reason why the people enjoyed coming to work was because of "feeling appreciated.". From relaxing countryside walks to exciting challenges, your staff will have the time of their lives. Recognizing employees is a great way to boost morale and build excitement during spirit week.

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