For example, book-binding, instrument-building, ravioli-making, or makeup lessons with a drag queen. Are they excited to be working for 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. Letting employees decorate their workspaces plays an active role in building relationships within the company. of 70-75% ethyl alcohol. It is capped at $200 per day, and $2,000 in total, for employees who have a family member affected by COVID-19 or a child staying at home because their school is closed. Show Your Appreciation. For instance, take their opinion during decisions like on-boarding new technology or a specific project. To begin with, publicly recognizing great employees reflects well on your company for customers, investors, and your team. They had a selection that included non-alcoholic mixes too (like a ginger lemonade). One of the simplest and most popular solutions has been virtual happy hours. Online retreats are company gatherings that take place online. Go for a walk. Team costumes Whether you're a team of two or twenty, you can dress up in team costumes for Halloween. Virtual talent shows double as entertainment and team bonding. -Bob Nelson, In the United States, 20,000 workers were surveyed by the Boston Consulting Group. 2023 teambuilding.com, all rights reserved | Terms | Privacy, virtual tours of museums, zoos, and parks, list of free virtual team building activities for work, list of the best remote team outing ideas, Post a picture from your first year at the company vs now, Take a screenshot in the unlikeliest Zoom meeting spot, Film a 30-second work from home snack cooking lesson, Dress-up accessories, like sunglasses, boas, and novelty headbands, Create a collaborative world map showing which countries team members have lived in or traveled to, Ask participants to compile top 5 travel bucket lists of the destinations they would most like to visit, and pair up teammates with similar interests for a video chat, Video chat with screen pals in different countries, Compile a photo slideshow of the teams collective travels, Most likely to forget to mute/unmute the mic, Lightning fingers, aka fastest Slack replies, Most likely to binge cat videos during the workday. 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. Ensure that everyone gets that attention. 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. Reward employees with a token or gift of appreciation from your side. 2022 Todos los derechos reservados. 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. Instead, health promotion ensures that your staff actually want and like to be at work. Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". What Readers Want During COVID-19: Content Ideas for Every Niche. When you incorporate social media into your online spirit week scheduling, you make it easier for colleagues to find and friend each other. The packages were delivered to our doors in the afternoon of our event. Some employees even showcased their talents liveranging from musical performances to cake baking to cat training. Ventilation and air circulation are your friends. The disease is extremely contagious, yet many infected people are asymptomatic, and patterns of transmission are not always clear. 5. Shared items such a candy jars, cereal boxes, and containers of nuts should be removed for the safety of all workers. While employee appreciation may seem a bit heavy on the pockets, the bottom line is that it will lead to several long-term benefits. Consider sending your top ten performers off for a day or two at a spa to provide an incentive for continued outstanding performance. That can be too intimidating for your employees. Get Competitive. This activity involves solving puzzles and finding clues to "escape" a themed room. Considering the health boosts, climbing aboard a two wheeler for exercise is easy on your joints, for one, as your weight rests on your pelvis and not your legs. Elaine is a true partner in every sense of the word and would be a huge asset to any company. See: How Indoor Ventilation Systems Can Help Prevent or Permit the Spread of COVID-19 . Just to say hi and check how they are doing. Check out more more aboutonline retreat ideas. Get to know your employees and find out what they like so you can give gift cards that are tailored to their interests. 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. Talking about making employees feel valued, a great way to do so is by involving them in the decision-making process, wherever possible. This will allow team members to truly appreciate each other, leading to better team building. 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. You can supplement your on-the-clock remote spirit week activities with fun social media challenges. Part of the fun of spirit week is pretending, and murder mysteries cast participants in the roles of cunning detectives. 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. Dress-up days are one of the main events during spirit days at schools and offices. Whats Working/Whats Not? 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. It's marketed as "COVID-19 style" since all schools across the state are currently shut down. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: Establish virtual coffee chats with individual team members. Keep Little Hands Busy. Online escape rooms are online versions of thematic puzzle-solving games. Its expensive to recruit a new worker. 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. Engage in active family play time. Whats Really So Wrong About Secretly Working Two Full-Time Jobs at Once? The week before your work at home spirit week, mail boxes full of goodies to team members. A viral photo with suggestions for "Homeschool Spirit Week" has been circling social media. 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 . Do it privately-ish. Simply post a different game or prompt on the company social channels every day, and instruct employees to respond using a special hashtag. 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. No, not the executive lunchroom. 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. Keep employees engaged and excited with some friendly competition. Take a bubble bath (bonus: Add a glass of. Promoting health is no longer seen as an initiative that yields 'soft' results. Plan out your meals and snacks ahead of time, such as at the beginning of the week or workday. Check out our list of the best online murder mysteries. You can also make sure you take at least a 30-minute lunch break. On beach day, participants post virtual backgrounds of tropical locations and sip mock mai tais. 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. 1. Snacks are a fantastic food item that doesn't require you to get out of your desk when you want to eat something light. COVID-19 is expected to last for many months, with a potential resurgence in the fall. Taking care of your employees' health is the most prominent form of appreciation that you can show. Hosting this year has been no small featand the biggest party season of all is almost here. Throughout the evening or afternoon, read awards off one by one, and give each winner 30 seconds to give a victory speech. 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. First, create a Slack channel for the games. The intensive schedule prevents routine responsibilities from interrupting the fun, and permits employees to focus on recharging and team bonding. In turn, healthier employees produce better results for their companies. Virtual spirit weeks bolster team resolve and brightens telecommuters moods. Simmonds was blown away by . In advance we were all given a link to a store that sells cocktail making kits. These activities broaden employees global and cultural horizons while also delighting the teams travel lovers. You can even use it as a way to support local businesses: We were able to do family meals for our employees. Now 48% Off. 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. 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. Beyond bestowing traditional awards like extraordinary performance, team player, or rookie of the year, you can also create fun award categories. First, give teammates a few options for online courses and ask them to vote for their favorite. Make the day memorable by organizing outside barbecues or small office parties. Virtual spirit weeks are weeklong events that consist of a series of fun and interactive online activities. to Launch During a Pandemic. In times of isolation it can be very difficult to stay on top of where everyone is at. These activities also make great spring spirit week ideas for work. The purpose of online spirit weeks is to boost employee engagement and morale. We've had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. Virtual talent shows work best when there is a predetermined act order and an emcee to manage the flow. Superhero Academy is a perfect fit for a hero or villain themed online spirit day. Your team can decorate their jack-o'-lanterns during break, lunch, or while you hold a team meeting. Not to mention there's the option of booking an entertainer - choices include singer Jimmy Barnes and comedy duo Hamish and Andy - to spice up a webcam-based party. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. Simply gear each days activities around a particular topic. 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. You might be worried about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. Basically, the idea is to boost morale by giving students a collective silly goal. You might find that employee appreciation becomes a tad bit easier and a whole lot more fun. Check out our list ofonline escape rooms. But when you thank them for their efforts, it can be a heart-melting moment to inspire respect for you and the business. From relaxing countryside walks to exciting challenges, your staff will have the time of their lives. It could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. You. According to Harvard Business Review writer Anthony K. TJan: Company leadership should embrace, promote and value mentoring programs to realize a return on investment. Offering a corporate wellness program within a vibrant culture of thriving well-being can significantly enhance that connection. Weve had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. Then, after that, we had the opportunity to go into breakout roomslast year, one room did Schitts Creek trivia (it was a favorite among many staffers), another did Pictionary using the annotate functions of Zoom. Even a small gesture like a "thank you" goes a long way to boost productivity, increase performance and improve morale among the workforce. Being a boss, every positive word from you will act as a huge morale booster for your employees. But while you're indoors, there's no reason you can't explore your fun and creative side. I also personally feel that it's boosting my wellbeing and brightening my day. 2022 Todos os direitos reservados. A team lunch is a great way through which everyone can bond with each other and with you. This is one of the most underrated employee appreciation ideas out there. 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. 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. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Instead of the usual tables and activities, they had booths set up where treats were handed through the window. How to manage COVID-19 risks when organizing meetings and events 3. You can also use GeoGessr to play a destination-guessing game, or take virtual tours of museums, zoos, and parks together. Sending care packages to your remote teams builds buzz for the event and lets your employees know you care about them. Why not put a reminder in your diary when you plan to finish working? Getty Images/PeopleImages. When showtime arrives, gather on a Zoom call. 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. We All Hate It. 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. 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. Hands-on Experiences: 1. Next, install game apps like rock paper scissors, tic tac toe, and trivia. We also had a really strict limit for spending, like $20. 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. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. Or it just might be a beautiful day to sleep in. Doesnt necessarily have to be alcohol or coffeeyou could do a juice tasting, or maybe a food tasting. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones. Team Norms. Every year there are days we look forward to. Spirit Week ideas for busy offices should include low-maintenance events that require minimal planning from event organizers and the participants. First, either mail employees tea and fancy snacks, or ask attendees to bring their own refreshments and reimburse them for the expense. Do the bragging on behalf of your employees, and show your whole team how fantastic everyone is. Vantage Circle. Things to consider when you and your employees travel 4. Vantage Circle. 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. 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. Some teams are secretly supervillains who try to sabotage other teams, and players must also identify these sinister alter-egos to ensure evil does not prevail. To keep our employees motivated, we are encouraging and hosting virtual social time. We started this challenge at Booster. Once the votes are in, book the top ranking classes. Often, in the case of. Want to submit a guest post? Recommended Article: 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce. Not to mention, care packages add a tactile element to your all-online spirit week. Namely's powerful HR Software is built for mid-sized companies designed to be used by everyone, every day. About how his/her contributions have aided to a projects successful completion. These small everyday gestures can come off as a pleasant surprise and make employees feel valued. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. The box also had a few ingredients, fresh produce, and a list of recipes you could make with everything. 1. Half of the box contained things like hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, and other health-related products to help us stay safe. 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. And what could be better for this purpose than to offer E-Learning options? Use virtual coffee breaks to: Limit e-mail, insteaduse real-time, in person communication tools such as Skype, Zoom, etc., or even the old fashioned phone. The thing that giants like Google and Airbnb have understood is that the physical environment of the office matters. 31. Aside from regular appreciation, you can ensure that your employees feel valued on important occasions, such as by sending Thanksgiving messages to employees. Have office happy hours and hire a bartender to mix them a drink or two. Lifestyle contests that encourage employees to exercise or try a new activity can also help boost morale. The Coronavirus Crisis 9 Ways Schools Will Look Different When (And If) They Reopen 1. Guests can dress up too. Not every office can shut down for a full week, but even just an afternoon off usually goes over well: Our end-of-year celebration is usually a big lunch and then we get the rest of the afternoon off. Its a way for us to provide food and a gathering without being on-site and in groups. Paint Pumpkins. A great employee appreciation idea that gives day-to-day benefits is providing assigned parking spaces. To host an online award show, first create award categories. Employees thrive at work when they know their contributions have meaning. These events help boost company pride. High 53F. 9. Adults need 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking for health benefits. Many a time, showing some employee appreciation may seem hard. Subjects should be fun and non-work related. Theres nothing quite like desserts and ice cream to alleviate stress. You get the best effort from others, not by lighting a fire beneath them but by building a fire within. As we are a small team, we used to track this daily on a whiteboard in the office, but now we just check in each morning to see what each team member is planning to do that day. - Napala Pratini, Co-Founder at Habitual, We started including crosswords with internal jokes and references in our internal weekly newsletter. The consulting group McKinsey & Co. surveyed 1,000 employers , and 90 percent reported that the pandemic was affecting the behavioral health of their employees.