Everything is impacted by COVID-19 in some way, including our work. 2022 Alle rechten voorbehouden. The consulting group McKinsey & Co. surveyed 1,000 employers , and 90 percent reported that the pandemic was affecting the behavioral health of their employees. Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. We've had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. We, humans, are emotional creatures. Teams complete comic-book-themed riddles and puzzles and virtual minute-to-win-it challenges to climb the leaderboard and save the world. When you incorporate social media into your online spirit week scheduling, you make it easier for colleagues to find and friend each other. Put up fun office anecdotes on the bulletin board. Trivia can be a good way to help teams relax, inspire conversation and build relationships. Team costumes Whether you're a team of two or twenty, you can dress up in team costumes for Halloween. Children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity daily. In turn, healthier employees produce better results for their companies. Our division is doing a holiday drive-in movie and renting out a drive-in theater for the evening. 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. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com. Many teams are waking up to a new reality of working remotely. 2. Unique SWAG ideas have the power to set your company apart. Plus, we decided there will be a prize for the tallest sunflower, so it's turning into quite the competition. - Rose Jinks, Digital PR Specialist at Online Mortgage Advisor, As a way to boost morale and encourage teamwork while were apart, my company has been hosting virtual trivia nights every week. Instead, health promotion ensures that your staff actually want and like to be at work. Challengers can play the games directly in the channel, or via direct message. But providing a good employee experience is the future. Reward employees with a token or gift of appreciation from your side. Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus, This is a BETA experience. Starting a business during COVID-19 may seem impossible, but these 15 types of businesses can help you launch a business and even help others during the pandemic. Ventilation and air circulation are your friends. 2022 Todos os direitos reservados. You can celebrate the spirit of a challenge in your Spirit Week by hosting a Versus Day. 1. For some, it's Christmas and Valentine's Day; for others, it's a birthday. The care packages were tailored for each individual, and they included self-care items such as cozy socks, chocolate, herbal tea, craft kits, puzzles, books, and board games. Show your employees some love by making sure that the snacks provided are healthy and nutritious. -Bob Nelson, In the United States, 20,000 workers were surveyed by the Boston Consulting Group. The Internet might be intermittent in these spots, so you can also give teammates the option of joining via phone audio instead of mobile video app. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. How to manage COVID-19 risks when organizing meetings and events 3. This is one of the most underrated employee appreciation ideas out there. Also, busy workdays are where lunches are spent with a sad sandwich while staring at the computer. It becomes less of a break and more of a disappointment. Team members can challenge each other voluntarily. 5k+ Downloads Gift cards allow people to purchase whatever they want from their favorite brands. You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. You will see that a few words of appreciation can do wonders for the workplace. Next, install game apps like rock paper scissors, tic tac toe, and trivia. Also, it doesnt have to be expensive. Heightened communication is necessary, not only to keep your remote team productively focused, but because the sudden move from the workplace to a home space can take an emotional toll on people when they no longer have the social contact with work friends and colleagues. ). 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). Streaming service subscriptions. You can even turn your staff into the bartending experts: We had a party earlier this year where there was one big Zoom call, and then we broke out into a set of breakout rooms where colleagues had volunteered to teach others how to make their favorite cocktail. Clarify expectations, for example, of performance, workflow or performance management. Virtual spirit week ideas are ways to celebrate the occasion with remote teams. Once the votes are in, book the top ranking classes. Do the bragging on behalf of your employees, and show your whole team how fantastic everyone is. The cost of commuting is heavily influenced by the location of the workplace relative to where the employee lives. 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. Pike13 Spirit Week highlights: This calculation is based on it costing about six to nine months . A crisis like this can either break ateamdown and widen any cracks in its foundation, or it canresult in the emergence of true greatness. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 2. We all know that employees are the most valuable asset for a business. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. I also hired a local small business to make some custom iced cookies for us. During the COVID-19 crisis, you can do a lot more from your couch than you may realize. You can even snap a photo and create your own hashtag for when employees achieve something especially commendable. Clear your schedule for at least an hour. Some of these challenges involve participants play-acting and using props during Zoom calls, while simpler versions consist of a series of riddles on Google Forms. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. Gather the kids and create Paper Mice, Halloween skull jewelry, and more. One of the best ideas for spirit care packages is to pack supplementary materials for the weeks activities. Slack game tournaments are great ideas for virtual spirit weeks. It might sound kind of silly, but when the right company SWAG is used- it can have a big impact on building a positive workplace culture. The week before your work at home spirit week, mail boxes full of goodies to team members. Online retreats are company gatherings that take place online. These small everyday gestures can come off as a pleasant surprise and make employees feel valued. 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. (Source: Team Vantage Circle's Day Excursion). Spirit weeks are a time-honored tradition, in elementary, middle, and high schools alike. 3 Ways Tech Company Sysomos Transformed Employee Experience, 5 Tips to Implement Summer Work Schedules, 6 Design Ideas to Create an Inspiring Work Environment. Not just practical job skills, but behavioral and cultural skills as well. 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. Some good virtual spirit week ideas include virtual talent shows, Zoom spirit week backgrounds, online award shows, and theme days. Recommended Article: Gift Cards Make For The Perfect Employee Rewards. Even after COVID-19, hand sanitizers are a welcomed gift, no matter your customer base or your business. Subjects should be fun and non-work related. Dress-up days are one of the main events during spirit days at schools and offices. Have regular check ins with individual team members. 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. Getty Images/PeopleImages. An escape room Escape room activities are available virtually and in person. If you are looking to reward your employees with a little something extra. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. Successful fundraising during a recession is two-pronged: Focus hard on donor engagement and retention, and It all started with a group chat. 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. We All Hate It. Better still, if this praise comes in front of their team members, colleagues, and peers. Do I really have to go at all? For example, book-binding, instrument-building, ravioli-making, or makeup lessons with a drag queen. 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. Because honestly, everyone expects the managers and leaders to be bossy and unreachable. Credit: HMH Books for Young Readers. Talk about what you appreciate about that particular employee. Or, if you hold virtual escape rooms or similar games, then include puzzles. Who doesnt love free food? Some leaders consistently interact with those they most easily connect with but may not as readily think of others. Dress-up days find a niche at busy offices; employees can show up in costume but still get tons of work done. They are the first to arrive. 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. Wool socks, very plushy fleece blankets, playing cards, mugs, etc. 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. Its been close to two months since the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus an official pandemic. Or you might feel concerned about the health of others, such as those who you care for or live with. 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. When the class arrives, learn together, and be sure to snap plenty of screenshots. Having direct access to a mentor gives junior professionals valuable one-on-one training. Get the latest news from Namely about HR, Payroll, and Benefits. Simmonds was blown away by . There are few things that employees feel more love for than an extra day of freedom aside from the weekend. Virtual Breakout Rooms are ideal for teams that need to brush up on their collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills. The BIG List of School Spirit Week Ideas (80+ Activities!) Gathering via video call and online communication platforms gives groups a chance to relax, re-energize, and reconnect with teammates. Spirit week attendees can either make their own backgrounds using Canva or Photoshop, or can download one from online. 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. This prevents you from working to the point of hunger and then scrambling to decide what to eat. Its a way for us to provide food and a gathering without being on-site and in groups. No, not the executive lunchroom. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: Establish virtual coffee chats with individual team members. 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. After your holiday meal, go on a virtual group walk through your respective neighborhoods to work off the food. 5. Should I bring a date? 3. 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. First, create a Slack channel for the games. 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 . Consider sending your top ten performers off for a day or two at a spa to provide an incentive for continued outstanding performance. One employee's commute could be inexpensive, while for another, it could be prohibitive. Employee appreciation is meant to make the workplace feel a little bit like home. For example, Marvel versus DC Comics, the '60s versus the '70s, or Batman and the Joker. You can also use GeoGessr to play a destination-guessing game, or take virtual tours of museums, zoos, and parks together. This is a stressful time to say the least. The effectiveness of office snacks is that major companies like Google use them as a perk to attract the top employees. Every year there are days we look forward to. We have these events called campfires that take place twice a week. 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. Want to enhance employee morale while improving productivity and boosting creativity? Lifestyle contests that encourage employees to exercise or try a new activity can also help boost morale. Spirit weeks often involve games. I write about how to improve team and leadership performance. Here are instructions on changing virtual backgrounds in Zoom, GoogleMeet, and Microsoft Teams. We also had a really strict limit for spending, like $20. 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. 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. Simply gear each day's activities around a particular topic. 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. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Legal. From open enrollment to building a benefits package, we've got you covered. 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. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. Theyve asked us what charities wed recommend. 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. Hear clients' stories and learn how they're building a better workplace with Namely. Mask up. This helps your employees feel appreciated on an ongoing basis. The cups were all the same so no one could tell what you were drinking unless you commented on it. It is easier than ever to show your appreciation from the monthly Netflix fix to news and magazines. At checkout the price was zero and you couldnt even enter a tip. Hosting this year has been no small featand the biggest party season of all is almost here. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Throughout the evening or afternoon, read awards off one by one, and give each winner 30 seconds to give a victory speech. Moreover, you can drop an appreciation mail to the employees so that it stays with them forever. Superhero Academy is equal parts fun, intellectual, and competitive. This activity won't cause too much distraction or mess. Give your entire team a chance to express their creativity with baby pumpkins, acrylic paints, and free pumpkin stencils. Keep Little Hands Busy. 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. The key is making exercise a daily priority, and the holidays are no different. Find out how to attract and retain your employees through their entire lifecycle. Recommended Article: The Ultimate Guide To Employee Rewards and Recognition. 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. 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. Reading a book on the sofa is a cozy way to get in the Christmas spirit. Walking not only counts as physical activity, but also provides some mental health benefits. How to be a good coworker and leader during this crisis. Typical activities include theme days, costume contests, and online parties. They had a selection that included non-alcoholic mixes too (like a ginger lemonade). We regularly share the progress our sunflowers are making. Talking about making employees feel valued, a great way to do so is by involving them in the decision-making process, wherever possible. Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: One-Word Check-ins. Are your employee motivated to come to work every single day? 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. 6. 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. Ensure that everyone gets that attention. SWAG stands for "stuff we all get." 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. 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. Its hard to replicate daily interactions with co-workers, casual encounters by the water cooler, or after-work drinks, but we are encouraging our employees to find time for virtual coffees, lunches, or even happy hours with their colleagues. - William Taylor, Career Development Manager at Velvetjobs, Something that has really helped us keep spirits up is our Slack 'meme' channel where we encourage everyone to post the best memes they find throughout the day. 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. 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. Content Expert at teambuilding.com. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". Even a simple gesture like an appreciation message or thoughtful gifts on valentines Day or anniversaries can make a huge difference. These events help boost company pride. Another good team-building activity is a virtual workshop or workout class. Then, send invites to the team. Heres some of what people reported. 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. 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. With trick-or-treating officially considered a high-risk activity, you may be scrambling to find something for your little goblins to do on the 31st. Teammates can select a different background for each meeting or theme day, and can even swap backgrounds multiple times per call. While personalizing spaces at work to fit the geographic locale or the personal tastes of employees has become common. Since healthier employees are more productive, happy, and energetic, the company will benefit from this form of appreciation. PopCap, the company behind legendary Facebook games like Bejeweled, offers some fantastic break rooms for its 400 odd employees. Vantage Circle. These activities also make great spring spirit week ideas for work. Explore them here: On Fridays, our team puts on ridiculous outfits to make each other laugh during virtual meetings. Some ideas include: Characters from a favorite movie 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. These activities broaden employees global and cultural horizons while also delighting the teams travel lovers. How to advocate for yourself at work during COVID-19.