Virtual Celebrations: Virtual Office Parties That Are Safe

Office gatherings and celebrations have changed while working from home

Everyone has been working very hard and have dealt with extreme circumstances, so an office celebration can be a good way to show appreciation to staff and to unwind. Many companies are looking at their office celebration differently this year and that’s okay.

Different does not mean that it won’t be successful. It just means that different ways to communicate and have fun, as a team, is going to happen. Virtual office celebrations might mean a few new ideas like; an earlier day, trivia, charity work or a simple conversation.

We have some ideas for you and your virtual celebration if help is needed to help spread the excitement. Have a look at our suggestions below to gather inspiration for what to do for your virtual office celebration this year.

An All-Day Party

A fun way to spend a day at home is having an all-day party! Tell employees to grab their comfy clothes and for everyone to come up with one party idea. This can also help with continuously building rapport among team members because it’s been hard to make those meaningful connections through virtual meetings.

So, have everyone come to the party with a game in mind. That way there will be a variety and everyone will join in. Another thing you can do is create trivia because no office party is complete without trivia. Tell employees to have their favorite snacks and drinks on the ready as well because finger food is a must – even during a virtual celebration.

If you’re feeling very generous then you could just give everyone half a day off as well! Maybe you want to give them the morning off, so people can sleep in or maybe the afternoon because individuals will enjoy an earlier finish. This means it won’t be a full day of online office fun, but it can be a short and sweet day before the holidays!

A Simple Activity

The full day of partying virtually isn’t for everyone, so a simple activity is a good idea as well. After the confusion and the hardships of the past two years means that people just want to connect. Have a simple day where there is nothing too complicated. A simple sweater contest or just having a fun and relaxed conversation can be a good way to have everyone connect over the holidays.

It’s important to remember that employees don’t want extravagant parties at the moment – a lot of people just want time to talk in an informal and friendly way. Sometimes the best interactions we have with our coworkers are organic, so allowing conversation to flow naturally will allow people to have those moments.

Give Back

When people think of the holidays, many think of giving back during this season. That shouldn’t change when we’re all virtual. Have your team pick a charity they think deserves some help and then make everyone do a vote for a charity. The charity that gets the most votes will be the charity that your team donate to. Make a money pot for everyone to send in their donations, so it’s a team effort.

Don’t want to deal with money? Then think about a charity that would benefit from receiving items instead. Whether it’s canned food or feminine products, many charities are looking for donations during the holiday season. Members of the team could all mail in their donations to the charity, so it’s a more personal submission than money.

Gift Cards

Gift cards are always popular during the holidays. You can opt for sending your team gift cards this season, so it’s a nice surprise in the mail for them! Don’t worry if you’re not sure what store someone likes – there are gift cards that are usable at many different stores, so just pick one of those!

If a gift card doesn’t seem like a personal enough gift then order a food box to your teams’ homes. Ask for any food allergies and then buy a simple food box that can be filled with crackers, chocolate and dips. Employees would love to have a thoughtful gift like this as well for the holidays. It shows that they are appreciated and that they are recognized for all of their hard work over the past year.

Gratitude

People understand that companies are strapped for cash at the moment. When it comes to making a profit, many people have lost out on sales during the pandemic. If this is you then just tell your team how grateful you are to them during these difficult times. Individuals want to know that their bosses understand that this year has been hard on everyone, so having them express their gratitude goes a long way.

Ways that you can do that is by verbally saying your gratitude to the employee or have it written.

• When addressing a team virtually during a meeting, take this opportunity to speak to your team and express your gratitude. Have a list ready to go through it and mention one thing for each person, so everyone is included.
• Also, you can back this up with an email to your team – express how hard they’ve worked and how you’ve noticed this.
• Mention a few ‘spotlight’ memories that stick out for you, so maybe a presentation that went well or a funny memory during a team meeting.

This can go a long way for staff and making them feel important. Remember, the holiday season is also about spreading joy and giving gratitude to others.

For more ways to show gratitude, we published a post highlighting ways to build connection while working remotely.

In Conclusion

This holiday season will look different to many companies, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t make any effort to bring the holiday spirit. There are many different ways to make your employees feel the cheer because everyone deserves a little bit of extra fun this holiday season. Grab your festive clothing and get ready for that team trivia because it’ll bring laughter and joy to your desk while working from home.