(Source: Team Vantage Circle's Day Excursion). Lifestyle contests that encourage employees to exercise or try a new activity can also help boost morale. Engage in active family play time. 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. 2022 Todos los derechos reservados. Elaine is a true partner in every sense of the word and would be a huge asset to any company. Virtual Breakout Rooms are ideal for teams that need to brush up on their collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills. We also have a list of the best remote team outing ideas. Coffee or tea tastings work as well: We had a virtual coffee tasting where they sent those who RSVP'd a free AeroPress and. 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. Real world elements make virtual exercises more engaging and interactive. Bring in a songwriter, band, or comedian to perform at your workplace. This is a great way to begin your team meetings. We've had a few teams compete in virtual relays, races, or step challenges using free apps to log steps, distance ran/cycled, etc. As much as we'd like for things to be "business as usual" this holiday, planning for Christmas 2021 requires a little more work to keep guests happy and healthy. Having direct access to a mentor gives junior professionals valuable one-on-one training. Put up fun office anecdotes on the bulletin board. We safeguard your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. These events can help virtual offices grow closer. Not my cup of tea but a lot of people seemed to like it! Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. 7. Develop team norms. Virtual spirit weeks bolster team resolve and brightens telecommuters moods. 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. 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 . Let the kids pick out a book and read it to them while . When you incorporate social media into your online spirit week scheduling, you make it easier for colleagues to find and friend each other. 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. This is one of the most underrated employee appreciation ideas out there. With these 33 employee appreciation ideas, you will see reduced turnover and retain your top talents. Classroom Routines Must Change. Here's What Teaching - Education Week Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. Breakout rooms enable guests to have more intimate conversations, so that no attendee feels like an observer. Offering free meals and caffeine is actually a highly effective and cost-effective means of motivating and controlling young employees. Top 10 Ways to Grow School Spirit From Afar - PTA Take a bubble bath (bonus: Add a glass of. "Everyone meet promptly at 5:30 p.m., and line up your cars by the parking lot next to my house," instructed the texts sent out by Amanda Perez, staff member and University of Miami School of Communication graduate student, and her mother, Wendy Perez. Simmonds was blown away by . Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other for support. Either way, ask participants to record results by posting them to the channel in a @WIN/@LOSS format. 14 Spirit Week Ideas That Kids Of All Ages Can Get Into - Romper This activity involves solving puzzles and finding clues to "escape" a themed room. 2022 Tous droits rservs. 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. 1. They are great team members. Harvard Business Review reports that "the most impactful driver of employee engagement is recognition.". Hands-on Experiences: 1. What every woman needs to know during COVID-19 - Lean In 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. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. Planning Your Holidays During the COVID-19 Pandemic It is especially meaningful when the appreciation comes from their bosses. 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. After your holiday meal, go on a virtual group walk through your respective neighborhoods to work off the food. Research says that the primary cause of employees leaving their jobs is the lack of appreciation. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about virtual spirit weeks. 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 . The consulting group McKinsey & Co. surveyed 1,000 employers , and 90 percent reported that the pandemic was affecting the behavioral health of their employees. 10 Fun Halloween Activities to Try With Employees For inspiration, check out our lists of online cooking classes and online art classes. Ask each person to share one word to describe how they are feeling in that moment. Why not expend the effort necessary to retain the staff that you have already painfully recruited and hired? We do a Champagne toast at our holiday party every year, and theres some rumors about mini bottles being shipped out for a Zoom toast, but Im not sure! Staff members find creative ways to celebrate during COVID-19 - Miami 3. Humans have an inherent need to get appreciated for their work. Wellness Resources You might be worried about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. The employee experience is better, and the company's outcome stronger. Have regular check ins with individual team members. 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. After the bartender presentation (which was short) everybody got to chat and enjoy their drinks for some time before saying goodbye. The essence of spirit week is enthusiasm, not physical proximity. Things to do: 100 indoor activities if you're not feeling social yet The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. At the end of the week, count up the wins, and have the victors face off against each other for the championship. If your office normally does Secret Santa or Yankee Swap gift exchanges, you can keep it going this year too. Then, encourage teammates to square off. Thoughtful ways to build community and pride. 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). 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. I am going to go out on a limb here to say to you something vital. Also, they grow more motivated to maintain or improve their good work. Being a boss, every positive word from you will act as a huge morale booster for your employees. The best thing about birthdays is cake. 1. On beach day, participants post virtual backgrounds of tropical locations and sip mock mai tais. 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. Want to enhance employee morale while improving productivity and boosting creativity? 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. Often, in the case of. Support families to. 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 . 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. He expressed that business leaders need to develop a structured and approach to mentoring. All in all, make the day about them, i.e., your employees. 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. 6. 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. They had a selection that included non-alcoholic mixes too (like a ginger lemonade). For instance, plan a short gentle stretch, a high-intensity cardio routine, and a themed yoga class at different time slots throughout the day. 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. Thus becoming one of the best employee engagement activities that you can invest in. PDF COVID-19 Developing Resilience in the Workplace For three hours per week, staff can sign off anytime during the workday for rest and wellbeing, no questions asked. Find out how to shape a culture that attracts, engages, 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. 9 Date Night Ideas During the Coronavirus Pandemic - AARP 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. Believe it or not, such small stuff really sees a positively impacted company culture. Unique SWAG ideas have the power to set your company apart. Teammates can select a different background for each meeting or theme day, and can even swap backgrounds multiple times per call. You may experience anxiety during the coronavirus pandemic if you have to go into work. The lobby at Googles Sydney office makes visitors feel like theyre about to embark on a safari expedition rather than drown in a concrete jungle. Along with trivia nights and snack boxes, some enterprising folks have floated the idea of virtual cocktail parties, costume contests or craft workshops to spice up virtual holiday celebrations.. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. Your employees are amazing people with undisclosed talents. 9 Ways to Help Others During the Coronavirus Pandemic 31. By hosting your fundraisers online, you can reach new supporters both near and far from your school without needing to leave your desk. Online fundraising allows you to make a big impact even if your team is limited in members or budget. 5k+ Downloads Chances are, your company has one too. Working from home can be lonely and mundane. 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. 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. Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. Dessert buffets are fun and positively addicting. Talking about making employees feel valued, a great way to do so is by involving them in the decision-making process, wherever possible. After face masks, custom hand sanitizers are the next health and safety giveaway idea on our list. Namely's powerful HR Software is built for mid-sized companies designed to be used by everyone, every day. 20 Valentine's Day Ideas During Coronavirus | ApartmentGuide.com Next, install game apps like rock paper scissors, tic tac toe, and trivia. Spirit week shakes up the normal routine and gives dispersed teammates a chance to get together and have fun. The other half consisted of beer (or non-alcoholic drinks), snacks, tea, and homemade salsa. Be sure to grab plenty of screen shots throughout the afternoon or evening. Spirit week is a week-long event that promotes company pride and employee engagement through fun activities. Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond. When showtime arrives, gather on a Zoom call. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones. That's why it's vital to spread your actions around multiple methods of transports to appeal to the broadest proportion of your workforce. During this time, one team member has 60 minutes to talk about their favorite subject while others listen and ask questions. Teammates could also give a short slideshow presentation of their home cities. To host a virtual talent show, invite teammates to sign up for slots. All online escape rooms inspire teamwork and critical thinking in a fun and exciting way. You can arrange for office taxis or subsidized bus fares so that commute becomes a tad bit easier on their pockets. 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. But we must also address the negative impact of isolation loneliness, fatigue or even . To keep our employees motivated, we are encouraging and hosting virtual social time. Its common knowledge that people love gift cards. Think small bags of chips, cookies, and candy, displayed so employees can. California-based Chowbotics, has seen an uptick in demand for its fresh food robot "Sally.". Team members can challenge each other voluntarily. Company-branded swag can be simple everyday things like t-shirts, mugs, or even pen drives. For instance, take their opinion during decisions like on-boarding new technology or a specific project. The purpose of online spirit weeks is to boost employee engagement and morale. Want to give someone the gift that keeps on giving? Vantage Circle. During the COVID-19 crisis, you can do a lot more from your couch than you may realize. Ive found its a great way to know more about what a persons workday and life outside of work are like, as well as to better understand coworkers even those who work across the country. - Angela Ceresnie, CEO at Climb Credit. Remote teams can dress up for remote meetings, even if their outfits wont be on display all day. Some employees even showcased their talents liveranging from musical performances to cake baking to cat training. 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. High 53F. Teammates can vote using the poll feature in your video meeting platform, and you can send the winner a prize. Video game consoles. You can supplement your on-the-clock remote spirit week activities with fun social media challenges. Team Norms. 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. Whether they worked late to get the job done, blew past their sales goal, or volunteering at a local shelter, give employees the credit they deserve. And of course folks could also just log off if they wanted to, with no pressure to spend the rest of the day working. The team that plays together bonds better. Challengers can play the games directly in the channel, or via direct message. 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. The BIG List of School Spirit Week Ideas (80+ Activities!) They take place using video call software, online communication platforms, and occasionally social media. We made an example virtual spirit week agenda: Creating a visually appealing spirit week announcement can help your crew be more excited and attentive towards the event. 20 Fun Virtual Spirit Week Ideas, Games & Activities for Work Vantage Circle. 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. Today's employees seek recognition and rewards based on the career advancement that they want. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. 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. Slack game tournaments are great ideas for virtual spirit weeks. This amazing app pairs the blind and visually impaired with volunteers via a video call in order to assist with everyday tasks (think reading a recipe on the back of a box or selecting a . Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus, This is a BETA experience. Wed all ooooh and ahhh, and laugh. One employee's commute could be inexpensive, while for another, it could be prohibitive. 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. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". Feel free to customize it with your companys logos. 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 think about having a great company culture, you think about building trust, honesty, and a great team of workers. Simply gear each day's activities around a particular topic. We gathered the top employee morale tips, tricks, and ideas from businesses around the world. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 2. In stock now. Superhero Academy is equal parts fun, intellectual, and competitive. Or, if you hold virtual escape rooms or similar games, then include puzzles. Largest-ever genetic analysis of grapevine va | EurekAlert! Aside from regular appreciation, you can ensure that your employees feel valued on important occasions, such as by sending Thanksgiving messages to employees. 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. Remote teammates can enjoy a show while learning more about coworkers special skills and abilities. 2022 Alle rechten voorbehouden. Virtual Theme Weeks Can Bring Students and Faculty Together Successful fundraising during a recession is two-pronged: Focus hard on donor engagement and retention, and Your objectives for the meeting will be to: Note: This is not a meeting to be rushed. For example, book-binding, instrument-building, ravioli-making, or makeup lessons with a drag queen. The disease is extremely contagious, yet many infected people are asymptomatic, and patterns of transmission are not always clear. Find out how to attract and retain your employees through their entire lifecycle. 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. 2022 Todos os direitos reservados.