The day-to-day work life might get hectic and tedious for everyone in the office. Every company has its own perks: fully stocked kitchens, corporate team events, and the latest MacBook Pro. You can even snap a photo and create your own hashtag for when employees achieve something especially commendable. The purpose of online spirit weeks is to boost employee engagement and morale. Here are a few examples. A dynamic host facilitates this 90 minute virtual team building event with a trusty virtual sidekick. Offering a corporate wellness program within a vibrant culture of thriving well-being can significantly enhance that connection. Ask your remote team members to describe their day so far with an emoji or a string of emojis. To help your employees stay active and get a break from working inside, suggest that they take conference calls that don't require sitting in front of a screen outdoors. Virtual Fun Run Cost: $$ Difficulty: 4 Earning Potential: Illustration by Supriya Kalidas. Host fun team games to play with your team members. One employee's commute could be inexpensive, while for another, it could be prohibitive. Then, have one attendee lead the class, or screen share a video routine. Themed gift boxes are another popular idea: Were sending winter-y stay-at-home gift boxes. Hands-on Experiences: 1. 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. 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. You can also use GeoGessr to play a destination-guessing game, or take virtual tours of museums, zoos, and parks together. Every year there are days we look forward to. Not to fear: There are plenty of Halloween-inspired crafts to go around. Credit: HMH Books for Young Readers. Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. 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. Vantage Circle. Online workouts serve the dual purpose of adding exercise and peer-to-peer interaction into remote workers sedentary, solitary workdays. 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. Next, install game apps like rock paper scissors, tic tac toe, and trivia. Kicking their feet up on the couch and zoning out in front of the TV could be just what the essential workers in your life need after dealing with the public . Many a time, they'll bring that positivity and enthusiasm back to the workplace. Consider sending your top ten performers off for a day or two at a spa to provide an incentive for continued outstanding performance. Think small bags of chips, cookies, and candy, displayed so employees can. While employee appreciation may seem a bit heavy on the pockets, the bottom line is that it will lead to several long-term benefits. Planning Your Holidays During the COVID-19 Pandemic 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. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. After the bartender presentation (which was short) everybody got to chat and enjoy their drinks for some time before saying goodbye. Throwing a virtual holiday party is one of the best Christmas spirit week ideas for work. For three hours per week, staff can sign off anytime during the workday for rest and wellbeing, no questions asked. Humans have an inherent need to get appreciated for their work. It can range from conducting regular health check-ups, yoga sessions, dentist appointments, and offering health insurance. Record and report COVID-19 infections and deaths: Under mandatory OSHA rules in 29 CFR part 1904, employers are required to record work-related cases of COVID-19 illness on OSHA's Form 300 logs if the following requirements are met: (1) the case is a confirmed case of COVID-19; (2) the case is work-related (as defined by 29 CFR 1904.5); and . 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. 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. For more tournament ideas, check out our list of Slack games. The week before your work at home spirit week, mail boxes full of goodies to team members. How to create effective, engaged workplace teams after the 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. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com. During this time, one team member has 60 minutes to talk about their favorite subject while others listen and ask questions. During the call, participants can chat and play fun games, or co-work while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Spirit weeks often involve games. To set the mood, you can encourage attendees to dress up and don fancy virtual backgrounds. But with 29% of Americans reporting that they never drink alcohol, it is time for businesses to think of more inclusive activities. Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. Because honestly, everyone expects the managers and leaders to be bossy and unreachable. Offering them a handsome salary is one aspect. Everything you need to build a better workplace. Top 33 Amazing Employee Appreciation Ideas For 2023 - Vantage Circle The essence of spirit week is enthusiasm, not physical proximity. There are many fun online activities that suit an international or travel-themed spirit week or spirit day. Everything is impacted by COVID-19 in some way, including our work. Largest-ever genetic analysis of grapevine va | EurekAlert! Or it just might be a beautiful day to sleep in. Classroom Routines Must Change. Here's What Teaching - Education Week 2. 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. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones. To host these virtual workouts, have participants join a Zoom call. While personalizing spaces at work to fit the geographic locale or the personal tastes of employees has become common. For this event, ask team members to pick a side of a classic rivalry game and dress to match. Spirit Week ideas for busy offices should include low-maintenance events that require minimal planning from event organizers and the participants. When employees feel that their work is valued, their satisfaction and productivity rise. You may experience anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic if you have to go into work. Thus becoming one of the best employee engagement activities that you can invest in. Virtual talent shows work best when there is a predetermined act order and an emcee to manage the flow. Home tours are a fun way for remote teammates to invite each other into personal spaces. PDF Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19 - World Health Organization WeAreTeachers Staff on September 20, 2022. Keep Little Hands Busy. So, it's essential to consider this less of an idea and more of a thing that you have to do eventually. 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. 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. The Five Keys to a Successful Team Retreat in the Age of COVID When you think about having a great company culture, you think about building trust, honesty, and a great team of workers. Were all pretty pumped about it. Finally going on a picnic with their loved ones. When you incorporate social media into your online spirit week scheduling, you make it easier for colleagues to find and friend each other. Ways to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 - Namely Add some seriously "tricked out" kitchens on each floor of their facilities. For the main event, meet up on a video call to sip tea, chat, and play games. Vantage Circle. 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. Not to mention that birthday parties are an opportunity to appreciate peers. 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! Check out our list of the best online murder mysteries. 2022 Todos los derechos reservados. Earth Day activities that are good for you and the planet during the If your office normally does Secret Santa or Yankee Swap gift exchanges, you can keep it going this year too. Talking about making employees feel valued, a great way to do so is by involving them in the decision-making process, wherever possible. Keep employees engaged and excited with some friendly competition. 20 Valentine's Day Ideas During Coronavirus | ApartmentGuide.com Virtual Theme Weeks Can Bring Students and Faculty Together 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. 2022 Tous droits rservs. Find ways to start each day with positive energy and a sense of community. She had such a creative way for putting a holiday spin on our corporate branding, and theyre going to be a big hit! It is especially meaningful when the appreciation comes from their bosses. Do it privately-ish. Here come's the most impactful one in our list of employee appreciation ideas. Successful fundraising during a recession is two-pronged: Focus hard on donor engagement and retention, and Team Norms. Take a bubble bath (bonus: Add a glass of. Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond. Gather the kids and create Paper Mice, Halloween skull jewelry, and more. Instead of the usual tables and activities, they had booths set up where treats were handed through the window. If done in person, they provide a safer pandemic option because you share the room only with the people in your party. Letting employees decorate their workspaces plays an active role in building relationships within the company. There's a lot you can do to be helpful from home. 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. In stock now. Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other for support. Your employees are amazing people with undisclosed talents. The disease is extremely contagious, yet many infected people are asymptomatic, and patterns of transmission are not always clear. But while you're indoors, there's no reason you can't explore your fun and creative side. Dress-up days find a niche at busy offices; employees can show up in costume but still get tons of work done. 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. 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. I cannot wait. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. 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. Superhero Academy is equal parts fun, intellectual, and competitive. Elaine Pearton - Tarrytown, New York, United States - LinkedIn Photos by Getty Images Plus. Why not see which team has the most steps or ran the furthest distance this week? Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. Slack game tournaments are great ideas for virtual spirit weeks. Recommended Article: 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce. The best way to decorate virtual offices is by using virtual meeting backgrounds. For example, hold a Zoom ugly sweater contest, host a virtual Secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange, and sing Christmas carols. You can also make sure you take at least a 30-minute lunch break. Then, encourage teammates to square off. Pike13 Spirit Week highlights: This helps your employees feel appreciated on an ongoing basis. 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. We, humans, are emotional creatures. Working from home can be lonely and mundane. At checkout the price was zero and you couldnt even enter a tip. All This Talk About Quiet Quitting Is Absurd. How to be a good coworker and leader during this crisis. The Kaiser Family Foundation found . Team members can challenge each other voluntarily. By planning an online retreat for spirit week, you block out employees time and free staff to enjoy the festivities. Get the latest news from Namely about HR, payroll, and benefits. Its a really cool way to connect with your coworkers and find out more about their life outside of work. #StayStrongWF Spirit Week | Town of Wake Forest, NC The Town of Wake Forest and the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department want you to stay safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic by honoring Wake County's stay at home order. 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. 1. The benefit of virtual dress up days is that employees can don elaborate costumes without worrying about travel, comfort, or attracting strange stares in Starbucks. These events can help virtual offices grow closer. The cost of commuting is heavily influenced by the location of the workplace relative to where the employee lives. 6 Virtual Team Building Activities | LBMC EP 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. And amid stay-at-home orders. Employees who want to learn about new tools, techniques, or topics but have less time on their hands will consider it a fabulous opportunity. Cycling is beneficial for your. That can be too intimidating for your employees. Find out how to attract and retain your employees through their entire lifecycle. I am a big believer in team norms which support the team in self managing behaviors, practices and performance. 2020 Namely, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. This year, theyre sending a food related gift to our homes and giving us the afternoon off. Virtual workout or meditation classes. 3. The best online holiday parties encourage interaction. 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. 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. It was a huge hit, and we're already scheduled another! - Ryan Law, Content Strategist at Animalz, We sent care packages to our employees homes to help them adjust to remote work.