During these Walk-and-Talk meetings, employees can stroll around their neighborhoods, nearby parks, or even backyards for a change of scenery and some fresh air. 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. Eight Fun Student Engagement Ideas During COVID-19 and Beyond The effectiveness of office snacks is that major companies like Google use them as a perk to attract the top employees. 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. 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. Slack game tournaments are great ideas for virtual spirit weeks. Decatur, IL (62521) Today. How to create effective, engaged workplace teams after the 21 Fun Quarantine Christmas Ideas 2020 - Good Housekeeping 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. Plentiful sunshine. This time has been invaluable to the team as they had been feeling scattered, stressed, and disconnected. How to Engage And Retain Your Employees During Covid - LinkedIn Recommended Case Study: Indias Largest Telecom Company Boosts their Global Employee Engagement with Vantage Rewards. Harvard Business Review reports that "the most impactful driver of employee engagement is recognition.". 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. The charm of subscription boxes is that theres something for everyone! Also, busy workdays are where lunches are spent with a sad sandwich while staring at the computer. For instance, on sports day, staff can wear jerseys, square off in competitive games, and participate in an online pep rally. The disease is extremely contagious, yet many infected people are asymptomatic, and patterns of transmission are not always clear. For our workers who have never worked from home, social isolation is deeply felt. To host an online award show, first create award categories. For instance, take their opinion during decisions like on-boarding new technology or a specific project. Team building content expert. 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. Book an Airbnb virtual experience. Or, you can use an app like Donut to match up opponents, and pairs can play games instead of scheduling a video chat. You can celebrate the spirit of a challenge in your Spirit Week by hosting a Versus Day. Want to enhance employee morale while improving productivity and boosting creativity? Petit fours, miniature cupcakes, and macarons are the best tea party desserts, and finger sandwiches are another staple. 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. 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. 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. #StayStrongWF Spirit Week | Town of Wake Forest, NC Many a time, showing some employee appreciation may seem hard. Food has a way of being a catalyst to bring people together. 20 Valentine's Day Ideas During Coronavirus | ApartmentGuide.com Its a really cool way to connect with your coworkers and find out more about their life outside of work. 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. Promoting health is no longer seen as an initiative that yields 'soft' results. Teachers' Mental Health Has Suffered in the Pandemic. Here's How Or, if you hold virtual escape rooms or similar games, then include puzzles. As the coronavirus continues to spread and confine people largely to their homes, many are filling pages with their experiences of living through a pandemic. Recommended Article: 50 Best Words of Appreciation for Employees. What every woman needs to know during COVID-19 - Lean In Hear clients' stories and learn how they're building a better workplace with Namely. 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. I also personally feel that it's boosting my wellbeing and brightening my day. Find out how to attract and retain your employees through their entire lifecycle. By planning an online retreat for spirit week, you block out employees time and free staff to enjoy the festivities. In stock now. With more than 30 million people filing for unemployment in the past six weeks, the U.S. is predicted to experience a coronavirus-induced recession through 2021. Spirit week attendees can either make their own backgrounds using Canva or Photoshop, or can download one from online. If done in person, they provide a safer pandemic option because you share the room only with the people in your party. Company-branded swag can be simple everyday things like t-shirts, mugs, or even pen drives. You signed up for your preferred one beforehand and received a list of ingredients, then once the drinks were made, people came back to the big room and there were a couple of facilitated games and stuff (like trivia). From relaxing countryside walks to exciting challenges, your staff will have the time of their lives. 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. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight 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. Donut is an app in our Slack channel that randomly pairs up coworkers together, encouraging them to set up a coffee meeting (of course, in this case, a virtual coffee meeting) in order to get to know each other better. Recognizing hard work and achievement in the workplace increase employee morale, encourage healthy competition, and creates a positive atmosphere. Just be sure to offer nonalcoholic options too: We had a celebration that even I (a person averse to holiday parties and Zoom calls) liked. 1. When the class arrives, learn together, and be sure to snap plenty of screenshots. Photo illustration by Slate. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation | Random Acts of Kindness Day 2023 Even after COVID-19, hand sanitizers are a welcomed gift, no matter your customer base or your business. This peer-to-peer employee recognition idea is about encouraging everyone from the organization to recognize good work. Having direct access to a mentor gives junior professionals valuable one-on-one training. December is the most obvious time to throw a virtual holiday party. We regularly share the progress our sunflowers are making. The best thing about birthdays is cake. Here is our take on enhancing employee motivation with the below 33 exceptional employee appreciation ideas. Every company has its own perks: fully stocked kitchens, corporate team events, and the latest MacBook Pro. Employees respond to appreciation expressed by recognizing their good work because it confirms that their work is valued by others. 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. List of virtual spirit week ideas. Communication in remote teams, whether casual chats or work related discussions, cant easily happen as spontaneously as it does when people are sitting next to each other at work. We also have a list of the best remote team outing ideas. Whats Working/Whats Not? Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: Establish virtual coffee chats with individual team members. Heres some of what people reported. In times of isolation it can be very difficult to stay on top of where everyone is at. Celebrate "Employee Appreciation Day" With Pomp And Show Employee Appreciation Day is a semi-formal holiday in the United States. 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. Talking about making employees feel valued, a great way to do so is by involving them in the decision-making process, wherever possible. Social Media is the biggest influencer of our generation. More than a manager, an employee's peers are more likely to know about their good qualities. What Readers Want During COVID-19: Content Ideas for Every Niche Next, install game apps like rock paper scissors, tic tac toe, and trivia. For more ideas, check out our roundup of team building workouts. Sally can whip up a variety of cold meals, including salads, grain bowls and yogurt. Humans have an inherent need to get appreciated for their work. Virtual talent shows double as entertainment and team bonding. High 53F. 29. Even a simple gesture like an appreciation message or thoughtful gifts on valentines Day or anniversaries can make a huge difference. Your team can decorate their jack-o'-lanterns during break, lunch, or while you hold a team meeting. Company retreats are great for celebrating employees after successful project completion or after an outstanding financial year. California-based Chowbotics, has seen an uptick in demand for its fresh food robot "Sally.". Check out BoostEducatorsChallenge.com for details. 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. Although workplace benefits help keep employees happy, they rarely tend to spark inspiration. You can arrange for office taxis or subsidized bus fares so that commute becomes a tad bit easier on their pockets. Clarify expectations, for example, of performance, workflow or performance management. You. For inspiration, check out our lists of online cooking classes and online art classes. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Legal. Or take a field trip to the local entertainment venue. Before the . Anxiety. 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. Recommended Article: Top 102 Employee Recognition Quotes To Celebrate Their Endeavours. Coronavirus - how to cope with going into work - Mind It might sound cliche, but small courtesies like a boss saying thank you to the team members can make a huge difference. Simply ask, how are we doing living up to our agreements?. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace 2. As anyone whos tried to organize any office activity knows, its hard, if not impossible, to find something that everyone will like, so some offices are offering a whole buffet of choices to pick from: My company couldnt find an online activity that worked for 40 people, so theyre offering a few different options. Feel free to customize it with your companys logos. Check out our list of the best online murder mysteries. Shared items such a candy jars, cereal boxes, and containers of nuts should be removed for the safety of all workers. During this time, one team member has 60 minutes to talk about their favorite subject while others listen and ask questions. 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. Revamp your break room. Clear your schedule for at least an hour. A lot. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Be Intentional About Communications It's crucial that leaders don't get sucked into the. To truly show your employees that they are doing a great job, bring in some fun office traditions like "Taco Tuesday.". But there is one occasion that should be praised with the same level of spirit and vigor as the restthe work anniversary. All online escape rooms inspire teamwork and critical thinking in a fun and exciting way. Participate in the Boost Educators Challenge Encourage each student's family to challenge the rest of your school's families to give their teacher (s) a shout out or thank you over the school's social channels. Some good virtual spirit week ideas include virtual talent shows, Zoom spirit week backgrounds, online award shows, and theme days. Were all pretty pumped about it. 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. 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. Simply gear each days activities around a particular topic. Why not see which team has the most steps or ran the furthest distance this week? Ensure that everyone gets that attention. Breakout rooms enable guests to have more intimate conversations, so that no attendee feels like an observer. Doesnt necessarily have to be alcohol or coffeeyou could do a juice tasting, or maybe a food tasting. The thing that giants like Google and Airbnb have understood is that the physical environment of the office matters. Letting employees decorate their workspaces plays an active role in building relationships within the company. Walking not only counts as physical activity, but also provides some mental health benefits. Encourage healthy work-life balance by modeling healthy boundaries around time spent working and time off. 1. Get to know your employees and find out what they like so you can give gift cards that are tailored to their interests. You might be worried about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus. This is a great way to begin your team meetings. 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. Here are list of themes to use for online spirit weeks. Planning Your Holidays During the COVID-19 Pandemic 15 Ideas To Celebrate Halloween in the Workplace | Indeed.com These small everyday gestures can come off as a pleasant surprise and make employees feel valued. 2020 Namely, Inc. All rights reserved. Get Competitive. 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. You will see that a few words of appreciation can do wonders for the workplace. But they are the last to leave. In order to position your company as one where people really want to work, your company SWAG items had better reflect that. A dynamic host facilitates this 90 minute virtual team building event with a trusty virtual sidekick. 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. Virtual spirit weeks are weeklong events that consist of a series of fun and interactive online activities. Want to give someone the gift that keeps on giving? Coming together this way will help bring your employees closer to you and boost the employee-employer relationship. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the federal government (OSHA) has provided detailed guidelinesfor workplace safety policies. Take a bubble bath (bonus: Add a glass of. But when you thank them for their efforts, it can be a heart-melting moment to inspire respect for you and the business. Make it more special by hosting a "Make Your Own Taco" competition where the winner gets some form of employee reward. 1. 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. Vantage Circle. 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 . Chances are, your company has one too. This will allow team members to truly appreciate each other, leading to better team building. 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. Attempt a self portrait with pencil and paper. No, not the executive lunchroom. 5k+ Downloads Some ideas for your 30-minute morning check-ins include: One-Word Check-ins. These activities also make great spring spirit week ideas for work. 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. 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. Theme Days. This year, the questions are quite different, and nearly all are some variation of What do we even do for the holidays in a pandemic? Many employers are simply canceling holiday celebrations, since theres no way to safely gather. You can even use it as a way to support local businesses: We were able to do family meals for our employees. Plus, the posts are a great way to advertise your companys culture to a wider audience. We also had a really strict limit for spending, like $20. How and Where to Volunteer During the Coronavirus Pandemic Also, its really great to take your mind off the news that we are surrounded with every day. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, it pays homage to each employee's contribution to their company. The Coronavirus Crisis 9 Ways Schools Will Look Different When (And If) They Reopen 1. This is a stressful time to say the least. Coronavirus NC: Virtual spirit weeks unite school communities | Raleigh 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. Appreciation from one's peers has more significance than from one's manager. 1. He expressed that business leaders need to develop a structured and approach to mentoring. Ive gotten a lot of reports of teams doing remote crafting sessions togetheroften around seasonal themes, like gingerbread houses: Our office is planning two optional events. Beyond bestowing traditional awards like extraordinary performance, team player, or rookie of the year, you can also create fun award categories. Innovative Holiday and Winter Gatherings in the Time of COVID-19 The Kaiser Family Foundation found . Cycling is beneficial for your. Typical spirit weeks involve decorating contests. Team members can challenge each other voluntarily. How to Be Physically Active While Social Distancing To play a murder mystery online, first find a game or script, and then invite teammates to a Zoom meeting to play out the scenario. For example, theme days, virtual talent shows, and costume contests. After the bartender presentation (which was short) everybody got to chat and enjoy their drinks for some time before saying goodbye. There are many fun online activities that suit an international or travel-themed spirit week or spirit day. Explore them here: On Fridays, our team puts on ridiculous outfits to make each other laugh during virtual meetings. Breakout Rooms! Have regular check ins with individual team members. Your employees are amazing people with undisclosed talents. 7. Hand Sanitizers. We also had a gift wrapping contest as part of itwe were a creative bunch with lots of backgrounds in the arts, so some gifts were a person making a donation to a charity in the recipients honor, but making a video that fit their interest to share that with them, or a homemade puzzle, or other similar fun announcements. 2022 Tous droits rservs. Hosting online costume contests is one of the best spirit week dress up ideas for work. Then, encourage teammates to square off. Not just practical job skills, but behavioral and cultural skills as well. Try a subscription box. Virtual workout or meditation classes. 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. Online workouts serve the dual purpose of adding exercise and peer-to-peer interaction into remote workers sedentary, solitary workdays. Top Pandemic-Friendly Business Ideas - U.S. Chamber Photos by Getty Images Plus. Staff members find creative ways to celebrate during COVID-19 - Miami Basically, the idea is to boost morale by giving students a collective silly goal. Many of us now look forward to Mondays because of these hilarious crosswords! You could even hold contests to name and reward the best virtual backgrounds for each meeting. You might find that employee appreciation becomes a tad bit easier and a whole lot more fun. Health & Safety Giveaways: Ideas amid COVID-19 - National Pen 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. Once the awards end, you can email digital certificates and e-gift cards to recipients, or mail trophies and paper awards to their houses. of 70-75% ethyl alcohol. Instead of the usual tables and activities, they had booths set up where treats were handed through the window. 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 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. But we must also address the negative impact of isolation loneliness, fatigue or even . Not to mention that birthday parties are an opportunity to appreciate peers. 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. 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. Have office happy hours and hire a bartender to mix them a drink or two. Keep Little Hands Busy. They take place using video call software, online communication platforms, and occasionally social media. Virtual tea parties are calm yet quirky online events to hold with remote teams. Remote teammates can enjoy a show while learning more about coworkers special skills and abilities. Earth Day activities that are good for you and the planet during the The games last 90 minutes, giving remote colleagues plenty of time to bond and have fun together. Throughout the evening or afternoon, read awards off one by one, and give each winner 30 seconds to give a victory speech. How to be a good coworker and leader during this crisis. 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. PopCap, the company behind legendary Facebook games like Bejeweled, offers some fantastic break rooms for its 400 odd employees. The knowledge that there is a whole day dedicated to employee appreciation should let you know its significance. Everything you need to build a better workplace. 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. Offering a corporate wellness program within a vibrant culture of thriving well-being can significantly enhance that connection. Remote teams can dress up for remote meetings, even if their outfits wont be on display all day. Instead, health promotion ensures that your staff actually want and like to be at work. 20 Fun Virtual Spirit Week Ideas, Games & Activities for Work Spirit week is a week-long event that promotes company pride and employee engagement through fun activities. Elaine has in-depth knowledge of digital, social, and websites both from a strategic and user . Recommended Article: 25 Employee Engagement Activities To Reinvent Your Workforce. If your office normally does Secret Santa or Yankee Swap gift exchanges, you can keep it going this year too. WeAreTeachers Staff on September 20, 2022. Theres nothing quite like desserts and ice cream to alleviate stress. COVID-19 is expected to last for many months, with a potential resurgence in the fall. We safeguard your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. InDirect Report, she spotlights themes from her inbox that help explain the modern workplace and how we could be navigating it better.