spirit week ideas for work during covid

You can even display this social media recognition on your offices digital displays to make sure the whole team sees it. Explore them here: On Fridays, our team puts on ridiculous outfits to make each other laugh during virtual meetings. Online escape rooms are online versions of thematic puzzle-solving games. Even after COVID-19, hand sanitizers are a welcomed gift, no matter your customer base or your business. Many teams are waking up to a new reality of working remotely. Clarify expectations, for example, of performance, workflow or performance management. 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. It is especially meaningful when the appreciation comes from their bosses. Want to give someone the gift that keeps on giving? Trivia can be a good way to help teams relax, inspire conversation and build relationships. Why not see which team has the most steps or ran the furthest distance this week? If you developed team norms to stay on top of (as above), then ensure you check-in on them. Perhaps to no ones surprise, drinking seems to be quite popular this year, and some companies have figured out how to incorporate it into remote events. Check out our list ofonline escape rooms. This article is written by Barasha Medhi who is a part of the marketing team at Vantage Circle. Simply gear each day's activities around a particular topic. Promoting health is no longer seen as an initiative that yields 'soft' results. Children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity daily. Employee appreciation is meant to make the workplace feel a little bit like home. It's run by a different division each week to encourage everyone to get involved and has been a fun way to spend a few hoursand a welcome distraction. - Anna Barker, Founder at LogicalDollar, I arranged a remote talent show for our team. More than a manager, an employee's peers are more likely to know about their good qualities. A viral photo with suggestions for "Homeschool Spirit Week" has been circling social media. These events typically occur through a series of video meetings, group chats, and collaborative online activities. Moreover, you can drop an appreciation mail to the employees so that it stays with them forever. Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight PDF Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19 - World Health Organization 1. This is how COVID-19 will change the office lunch - Fast Company Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 2. Coronavirus Will Change the World Permanently. Here's How - POLITICO 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. Keeping a workplace safe during the COVID-19 pandemic can be challenging. Declaring theme days is one of the easiest spirit week ideas for work from home. If you are looking to reward your employees with a little something extra. Learn how to set new boundaries, ask for support, and re-strategize with your partner about what you need. 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. It definitely is the easiest and quickest Zoom icebreaker out there. 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. That's why it's vital to spread your actions around multiple methods of transports to appeal to the broadest proportion of your workforce. When showtime arrives, gather on a Zoom call. For example, Marvel versus DC Comics, the '60s versus the '70s, or Batman and the Joker. Being a boss, every positive word from you will act as a huge morale booster for your employees. Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. From theme days to care packages to costume contests, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate spirit weeks in remote offices. Get the resources. Why not expend the effort necessary to retain the staff that you have already painfully recruited and hired? Coffee or tea tastings work as well: We had a virtual coffee tasting where they sent those who RSVP'd a free AeroPress and. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". Your employees are amazing people with undisclosed talents. 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. Keep Teamwork Alive Working From Home During Coronavirus | Wirecutter 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. The Kaiser Family Foundation found . First, choose a date and send a video meeting link to your colleagues. Or, you could start a gallery on social media or a cloud-based photo album, and invite teammates to vote on their favorite uploads throughout the week. Then, have one attendee lead the class, or screen share a video routine. The best thing about birthdays is cake. Experiences, not cash, are the new corporate bonus. 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. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com. Outdoor days are one of the best summer spirit week ideas for work. Anxiety. Get advice from seasoned professionals about all your compliance questions and concerns. In stock now. 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. Employees should be free to decide where they want to work and when they want to work whenever possible. Now 48% Off. I also hired a local small business to make some custom iced cookies for us. For more ideas, check out our roundup of team building workouts. It's not only a nice little project to focus on, but gives us something to talk about that's not work or coronavirus. 3 Ways To Keep Employee Morale Up During The Coronavirus Outbreak - Forbes Either way, ask participants to record results by posting them to the channel in a @WIN/@LOSS format. Offering them a handsome salary is one aspect. 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. Dress-up days are one of the main events during spirit days at schools and offices. 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. Priorities. The events should also not take too long to do. Appreciation from one's peers has more significance than from one's manager. 5 Radical Ideas For Schooling During Coronavirus : NPR For many of us, sheltering at home and staying healthy to help " flatten the curve " of the coronavirus spread may be the most important way we can help others right now. Work-Life Challenges and Integration in the Context of COVID - OHSU 9 Ways to Help Others During the Coronavirus Pandemic Shared items such a candy jars, cereal boxes, and containers of nuts should be removed for the safety of all workers. Also, they grow more motivated to maintain or improve their good work. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. Employees who want to learn about new tools, techniques, or topics but have less time on their hands will consider it a fabulous opportunity. 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. Names were swapped, wish lists were made, and gifts from small businesses were delivered to friends and families! With higher motivation comes better engagement, happiness, and ultimately retention. Next, check our our list of ideas to celebrate Pride at work, online fun Friday ideas, and intern orientation activities. The Coronavirus Crisis 9 Ways Schools Will Look Different When (And If) They Reopen 1. 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. To set the mood, you can encourage attendees to dress up and don fancy virtual backgrounds. 15 gifts to give essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic Distance does not have to put a damper on the fun. Here are 15 office ideas for Halloween: 1. The tours could happen on a single day, or throughout the week. When employees feel that their work is valued, their satisfaction and productivity rise. Remote teams often work on staggered schedules, meaning that the whole crew may not be available at game time. Company-branded swag can be simple everyday things like t-shirts, mugs, or even pen drives. This time has been invaluable to the team as they had been feeling scattered, stressed, and disconnected. However, Slack games offer more flexibility, as teammates can play on their own schedules. Celebrate "Employee Appreciation Day" With Pomp And Show Employee Appreciation Day is a semi-formal holiday in the United States. Ventilation and air circulation are your friends. Unique SWAG ideas have the power to set your company apart. Therefore it's a win-win situation. Innovative Holiday and Winter Gatherings in the Time of COVID-19 After all, who doesn't like a couple of free snacks? 18 Parent-Teacher Association Fundraising Ideas For During (And After As a leader, having the right mindset, structure and strategies to enhance communication and build team cohesion will help you ensure the latter is true for you and your team. 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! Then, plan festive activities to enjoy together during the call. Sometimes, the utmost appreciation that an employee seeks is a promotion in his job role. Saint Lucia has more than a dozen COVID-19 regulations for hotels, and visitors must get a negative COVID-19 test within a week of their arrival on the island. The best online holiday parties encourage interaction. This calculation is based on it costing about six to nine months . I thought this was a great way for the company to show its appreciation for staff, and it provided us with plenty of new recipes to try out just in time for the weekend. - Adam Lumb, EN Site Manager at Cashcow, One of our perks is that we give employees up to an hour each day to do something positive for their physical or mental health, such as going on a walk, reading a book, taking an exercise class, or doing a meditation (no admin or work allowed!). 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. Illustration by Supriya Kalidas. Wellness Resources This is a great way to begin your team meetings. I write about how to improve team and leadership performance. Here are a few examples. Were all pretty pumped about it. But with 29% of Americans reporting that they never drink alcohol, it is time for businesses to think of more inclusive activities. Simply post a different game or prompt on the company social channels every day, and instruct employees to respond using a special hashtag. 20 Fun Virtual Spirit Week Ideas, Games & Activities for Work All in all, make the day about them, i.e., your employees. This activity involves solving puzzles and finding clues to "escape" a themed room. Research says that the primary cause of employees leaving their jobs is the lack of appreciation. 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. 3 Ways Tech Company Sysomos Transformed Employee Experience, 5 Tips to Implement Summer Work Schedules, 6 Design Ideas to Create an Inspiring Work Environment. Recommended Article: Gift Cards Make For The Perfect Employee Rewards. 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. Beyond bestowing traditional awards like extraordinary performance, team player, or rookie of the year, you can also create fun award categories. 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. Why not recognize these incredible non-work achievements in front of their peers? Gather the kids and create Paper Mice, Halloween skull jewelry, and more. 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. Not my cup of tea but a lot of people seemed to like it! With these 33 employee appreciation ideas, you will see reduced turnover and retain your top talents. One such example that predates COVID-19 (if you follow our newsletter, you already know that it's a personal favorite of mine) is the Be My Eyes app. Why not put a reminder in your diary when you plan to finish working? Online workouts serve the dual purpose of adding exercise and peer-to-peer interaction into remote workers sedentary, solitary workdays. Company retreats are great for celebrating employees after successful project completion or after an outstanding financial year. My Boss Loves Planning an Elaborate Holiday Extravaganza. 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). Companies with a corporate health plan are more likely to see more engaged employees. 31. 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. You can even use it as a way to support local businesses: We were able to do family meals for our employees. 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. Subjects should be fun and non-work related. "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. She had such a creative way for putting a holiday spin on our corporate branding, and theyre going to be a big hit! For example, book-binding, instrument-building, ravioli-making, or makeup lessons with a drag queen. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses. For inspiration, check out our lists of online cooking classes and online art classes. He expressed that business leaders need to develop a structured and approach to mentoring. Simmonds was blown away by . Simply schedule a Zoom meeting and ask attendees to join from an outdoor spot such as backyards, parks, or beaches. Even a small gesture like a "thank you" goes a long way to boost productivity, increase performance and improve morale among the workforce. You can even snap a photo and create your own hashtag for when employees achieve something especially commendable. Teams complete comic-book-themed riddles and puzzles and virtual minute-to-win-it challenges to climb the leaderboard and save the world. Ensure that everyone gets that attention. For instance, if you host a murder mystery, then include character cards in the boxes. 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. We have these events called campfires that take place twice a week. Its a really cool way to connect with your coworkers and find out more about their life outside of work. So far, people have hosted presentations on their favorite hobby, sports team, family, the country they come from, favorite food, favorite lockdown activity, etc. Elaine is a true partner in every sense of the word and would be a huge asset to any company. It offers employees a brief respite from their daily work. An escape room Escape room activities are available virtually and in person. Our division is doing a holiday drive-in movie and renting out a drive-in theater for the evening. 5. Talk about what you appreciate about that particular employee. We also had a really strict limit for spending, like $20. Perhaps the best gift to give your employees is recognizing your employees publicly for a great job done. Employees respond to appreciation expressed by recognizing their good work because it confirms that their work is valued by others. You found our list of unique virtual spirit week ideas. Instead, health promotion ensures that your staff actually want and like to be at work. Barasha can be found either searching for interesting HR buzzwords to write about or looking at pictures of cozy Bel Air mansions. 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. Coronavirus NC: Virtual spirit weeks unite school communities | Raleigh to Launch During a Pandemic. Not to fear: There are plenty of Halloween-inspired crafts to go around. A recent study published in Healthcare Design Magazine revealed that "an extreme break room makeover" at one health facility reduced staff "stress and fatigue.". Plan out your meals and snacks ahead of time, such as at the beginning of the week or workday. When you incorporate social media into your online spirit week scheduling, you make it easier for colleagues to find and friend each other. These events are the online equivalent of spirit week, and are examples of virtual employee engagement activities and virtual team celebrations, and often take place on virtual event platforms. 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 . 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. Offering a corporate wellness program within a vibrant culture of thriving well-being can significantly enhance that connection. Encourage healthy work-life balance by modeling healthy boundaries around time spent working and time off. Wool socks, very plushy fleece blankets, playing cards, mugs, etc. It might sound cliche, but small courtesies like a boss saying thank you to the team members can make a huge difference. 1. From digital marketing to online delivery services, there are several needs that the pandemic has sparked among consumers. 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. Slack game tournaments are great ideas for virtual spirit weeks. 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. Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. Chances are, your company has one too. Spirit week attendees can either make their own backgrounds using Canva or Photoshop, or can download one from online. 7 Summer Spirit Week Ideas for the Office | Lands' End According to Harvard Business Review writer Anthony K. TJan: Company leadership should embrace, promote and value mentoring programs to realize a return on investment. 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. These activities broaden employees global and cultural horizons while also delighting the teams travel lovers. Simply gear each days activities around a particular topic. If the show is a competition, then at the end of the performance have the audience vote for a winner via poll, or send a panel of judges into a breakout room to deliberate. Their diaries are told in words and. Whats Really So Wrong About Secretly Working Two Full-Time Jobs at Once? Who doesnt love free food? We gathered the top employee morale tips, tricks, and ideas from businesses around the world. Give a prize to the two team members who wear the most well-thought . If theyd just put an extra $100 in my paycheck and said we cant have a party this year so get yourself a nice treat, Id have appreciated that too. Theres nothing quite like desserts and ice cream to alleviate stress. Breakout Rooms! 2. I also personally feel that it's boosting my wellbeing and brightening my day. This peer-to-peer employee recognition idea is about encouraging everyone from the organization to recognize good work. Virtual spirit week ideas are ways to celebrate the occasion with remote teams. How to Boost Employee Morale During COVID-19 - Namely Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other for support. Call in a local food truck specializing in the cuisine and make it mandatory for people to take a break and eat a taco. Today's employees seek recognition and rewards based on the career advancement that they want. Make it more special by hosting a "Make Your Own Taco" competition where the winner gets some form of employee reward. We also have a list of the best remote team outing ideas. For any employee who loves to be fit or is inclined towards adopting a healthier lifestyle, gym passes make for the ultimate way to help them get started. Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. For example, hold a Zoom ugly sweater contest, host a virtual Secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange, and sing Christmas carols. What Readers Want During COVID-19: Content Ideas for Every Niche. Make it a fun and memorable experience. 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. How to Be Physically Active While Social Distancing I think that well continue doing this even after the pandemic is goneits such a cool way to learn more about the people you work with every day. - Dennis Vu, CEO and Co-founder of Ringblaze, We hired a magician to put on a virtual magic show for our staff, clients, and vendors to watch with their families. Make Sure You're COVID Safe. However, you could include a holiday theme in your virtual spirit week during any time of the year. At checkout the price was zero and you couldnt even enter a tip. 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. Teachers' Mental Health Has Suffered in the Pandemic. Here's How Honestly, Im really pleased with this decision over trying to make a Zoom party happen. You can take the first step in promoting the importance of health. But there is one occasion that should be praised with the same level of spirit and vigor as the restthe work anniversary. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. Better still, if this praise comes in front of their team members, colleagues, and peers. 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. Throwing a virtual holiday party is one of the best Christmas spirit week ideas for work. Share funny videos, do some riddles and brainsteasers, put music on in the background. Here's what you might be missing- employee appreciation ideas. Its expensive to recruit a new worker. Want to submit a guest post? If done in person, they provide a safer pandemic option because you share the room only with the people in your party. Virtual tea parties are calm yet quirky online events to hold with remote teams. In order to position your company as one where people really want to work, your company SWAG items had better reflect that. 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. In this case they will contribute to providing some structure in an unstructured team situation. The Ultimate Guide to Employee Rewards and Recognition. 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. Recommended Article: 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce. 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. Plentiful sunshine. Daily Dose of Kindness (sent daily) Weekly Kindness Idea (sent weekly) General Newsletter (for everyone) General Newsletter (for educators) 1. You can also offer a myriad of health benefits. Gift cards allow people to purchase whatever they want from their favorite brands.

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