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

Ensure time is spent checking in on the teams main priorities - any urgent issues that need to be addressed? Research says that the primary cause of employees leaving their jobs is the lack of appreciation. A crisis like this can either break ateamdown and widen any cracks in its foundation, or it canresult in the emergence of true greatness. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. Plus, you could throw virtual parties for any holiday. There are few things that employees feel more love for than an extra day of freedom aside from the weekend. You can also use GeoGessr to play a destination-guessing game, or take virtual tours of museums, zoos, and parks together. 1. Open windows, increase circulation, and keep room density as low as possible with fewer people in one space. Revamp your break room. Be Intentional About Communications It's crucial that leaders don't get sucked into the. "We're encouraging employees to stay active by challenging their coworkers. Decatur, IL (62521) Today. Then, send invites to the team. 2022 Todos los derechos reservados. It's not only a nice little project to focus on, but gives us something to talk about that's not work or coronavirus. 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. 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. A recent study published in Healthcare Design Magazine revealed that "an extreme break room makeover" at one health facility reduced staff "stress and fatigue.". The best thing about birthdays is cake. It is working together that will get us through this time. First, give teammates a few options for online courses and ask them to vote for their favorite. This helps us all get out of our heads to have a little fun during the workday. - Sam Williamson, co-owner of CBDiablo, Were encouraging employees to stay active by challenging their coworkers. 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. 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. Elaine has in-depth knowledge of digital, social, and websites both from a strategic and user . Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond. For instance, on sports day, staff can wear jerseys, square off in competitive games, and participate in an online pep rally. Let the kids pick out a book and read it to them while . You might be worried about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. Remote teammates work together to crack clues and conquer brain teasers before time runs out. By planning an online retreat for spirit week, you block out employees time and free staff to enjoy the festivities. You get the best effort from others, not by lighting a fire beneath them but by building a fire within. But some employers have devised celebrations that will keep people safe and actually sound fun (even to this curmudgeon). Team building content expert. Hosting this year has been no small featand the biggest party season of all is almost here. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Whats Really So Wrong About Secretly Working Two Full-Time Jobs at Once? Ask each person to share one word to describe how they are feeling in. You will see that a few words of appreciation can do wonders for the workplace. 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. To make your company memorable in a sea of forgettable mugs. Illustration by Supriya Kalidas. Shared items such a candy jars, cereal boxes, and containers of nuts should be removed for the safety of all workers. Some "lush" couches. If you have to be indoors, consider air flow. 2020 Namely, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Next, check our our list of ideas to celebrate Pride at work, online fun Friday ideas, and intern orientation activities. The amount of pay is capped at $511 per day, and $5,110 in total, for employees who are sick or quarantined or who have symptoms. For example, book-binding, instrument-building, ravioli-making, or makeup lessons with a drag queen. First, either mail employees tea and fancy snacks, or ask attendees to bring their own refreshments and reimburse them for the expense. They are great team members. Once the awards end, you can email digital certificates and e-gift cards to recipients, or mail trophies and paper awards to their houses. You can celebrate the spirit of a challenge in your Spirit Week by hosting a Versus Day. According to Harvard Business Review writer Anthony K. TJan: Company leadership should embrace, promote and value mentoring programs to realize a return on investment. Aside from regular appreciation, you can ensure that your employees feel valued on important occasions, such as by sending Thanksgiving messages to employees. Give a prize to the two team members who wear the most well-thought . Coming together this way will help bring your employees closer to you and boost the employee-employer relationship. This prevents you from working to the point of hunger and then scrambling to decide what to eat. Be sure to grab plenty of screen shots throughout the afternoon or evening. Offering extra time off pretty much never goes amiss, especially at this time of year: In lieu of bonuses and parties and all sorts of things, my employer is just closing for the week in between Christmas and New Years and giving everyone the time offits been a hit, because thats usually a huge use of vacation days for folks. Without a doubt, getting a specially curated box of snacks will make employees feel happy and contented. 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. Jamaica Or you might feel concerned about the health of others, such as those who you care for or live with. We All Hate It. Halloween is the time of year when employees can showcase their creativity and interact with coworkers they may not normally work closely with. Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. Video game consoles. 2022 Todos os direitos reservados. But employees with a few years of experience should be matched with a career mentor to help them grow in their position. Some good virtual spirit week ideas include virtual talent shows, Zoom spirit week backgrounds, online award shows, and theme days. -Bob Nelson, In the United States, 20,000 workers were surveyed by the Boston Consulting Group. Team Norms. The best online holiday parties encourage interaction. Remote team games like holiday Bingo, trivia, and scavenger hunts get guests moving and invoke the holiday spirit. 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. No, not the executive lunchroom. Since healthier employees are more productive, happy, and energetic, the company will benefit from this form of appreciation. Take a bubble bath (bonus: Add a glass of. Make it a fun and memorable experience. 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. The essence of spirit week is enthusiasm, not physical proximity. The chocolate tasting person is mailing out the tasting kits to all of us and will lead us through the tasting via Zoom. Develop team norms. 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. Many of us now look forward to Mondays because of these hilarious crosswords! You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. At checkout the price was zero and you couldnt even enter a tip. Coronavirus has put a particular national spotlight on unmet needs of the growing older population in our country, and the tens of millions of overstretched family and professional caregivers they . One-Word Check-ins. Make Sure You're COVID Safe. Hands-on Experiences: 1. 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. One idea that keeps popping up on our Principal Life Facebook group is the concept of a virtual theme week. It could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. Being a boss, every positive word from you will act as a huge morale booster for your employees. And amid stay-at-home orders. 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. Themed dress-up days are popular favorites, but they're really just the start. Challengers can play the games directly in the channel, or via direct message. Typical activities include theme days, costume contests, and online parties. 1. For instance, plan a short gentle stretch, a high-intensity cardio routine, and a themed yoga class at different time slots throughout the day. Once the votes are in, book the top ranking classes. Every company has its own perks: fully stocked kitchens, corporate team events, and the latest MacBook Pro. But to make them feel valued is what employees think is the most important. Encourage team members to do the same. Appreciation from one's peers has more significance than from one's manager. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about virtual spirit weeks. Adults need 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking for health benefits. Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. When showtime arrives, gather on a Zoom call. A client of mine, whose team of 15 people are now all working from home, established daily 30-minute morning team check-ins to stay connected and on top of the priorities of the team, which have shifted given COVID-19. 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. Are your employee motivated to come to work every single day? Get Competitive. Want to submit a guest post? 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. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. Simply gear each day's activities around a particular topic. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 2. Or it just might be a beautiful day to sleep in. There are many fun online activities that suit an international or travel-themed spirit week or spirit day. Everything you need to build a better workplace. Virtual Fun Run Cost: $$ Difficulty: 4 Earning Potential: Regardless of your age, some physical activity is better than none. Working remotely creates a new set of challenges that arebeing amplified by the added stress of school closures andby the anxiety many are facing during this pandemic. With these 33 employee appreciation ideas, you will see reduced turnover and retain your top talents. In advance we were all given a link to a store that sells cocktail making kits. Have office happy hours and hire a bartender to mix them a drink or two. Want to give someone the gift that keeps on giving? If done in person, they provide a safer pandemic option because you share the room only with the people in your party. Why not recognize these incredible non-work achievements in front of their peers? Talk about what you appreciate about that particular employee. 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. Spirit week attendees can either make their own backgrounds using Canva or Photoshop, or can download one from online. But providing a good employee experience is the future. Simply post a different game or prompt on the company social channels every day, and instruct employees to respond using a special hashtag. Therefore it's a win-win situation. 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. The team that plays together bonds better. Some leaders consistently interact with those they most easily connect with but may not as readily think of others. List of virtual spirit week ideas. 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. I hope this article has in some small way helped your and your teams trek through this extraordinary time. At the end of the week, count up the wins, and have the victors face off against each other for the championship. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. The consulting group McKinsey & Co. surveyed 1,000 employers , and 90 percent reported that the pandemic was affecting the behavioral health of their employees.