New Quest Coaching & Consulting provides leadership consulting and training for teams and organizations throughout BC. We currently have consultants in Vancouver, Kelowna, and Kamloops working to provide clients with strategies that will increase profitability as well as employee satisfaction and retention.
One of the simplest ways to do this is to make sure your employees and/or team members feel appreciated. During the holiday season juggling responsibilities and creating joy for loved ones often brings extra stress into people’s lives, and so boosting morale becomes even more important. Recognizing the added stress of COVID-19, now more than ever employees need to feel appreciated. We want our employees to work hard for us, and they do, but they will work even harder and with more passion if they feel valued and appreciated.
The pandemic of 2020 shut down traditional parties, but there are still many great virtual options to consider that will provide a great time for everyone in any season. Consider organizing a party on Zoom or another platform such as Skype, or Discord. Even if it’s too late for 2020, consider hosting a welcome to 2021 party, or keep these ideas close at hand for next year, or anytime you want to provide a social opportunity for your team. Below are several online Christmas party ideas, but you do not have to only use them at Christmas. Any reason to party is a good reason.
If you want to add a personal touch to the virtual party, consider sending out or dropping off holiday gift boxes before the event, with holiday goodies, or supplies to be used at the party, such as photo props for a virtual photo booth or cookie decorating supplies.
Here are a few of the endless party ideas you might consider:
*Feel free to pick one or several to get you through the night’s festivities
Christmas is only one of many holidays celebrated around the world. Embrace the diversity of your team by inviting team members to share a bit about their culture’s annual celebrations. You could even ask them to provide a recipe that is special to them and share a simple game that can be played virtually. You will want to provide some notice, so everyone is prepared. Celebrating different occasions makes everyone feel special at a time when we are desperately needing to feel connected.
Everyone loves a scavenger hunt. Make up a list of holiday-inspired items found in a) most houses, such as tinsel, ice skates, or a holiday card, b) online, such as a photo of the Grinch, extraordinary light display, or a pet dressed in holiday clothing, c) quiz team members on things like who has, watched the New Year’s Eve ball drop, puts up a real Christmas tree, celebrates Hanukkah, or leaves cookies for Santa. Provide extra points for guests who can complete certain challenges, like best Christmas carol rendition, the best impression of Ebenezer Scrooge, ability to name five different monikers for Santa Claus. At the end of the game, have everyone tally their points and celebrate the winner.
Consider providing cookie decorating supplies to each team member before the party, and then log on together to have a decorating party. Make sure and blast your holiday playlist while guests get to work decorating cookies. In the end, vote on the winner via poll function and celebrate by eating even more cookies.
Holidays are a time for giving, and for giving back to those less fortunate. Instead of hosting an expensive gathering on the company dime, pick a charity, or several, and then have guests answer trivia questions and complete simple challenges. Each time a correct answer is given, or a challenge completed, points will be added up with a monetary value attached. At the end of the night tally the numbers and let everyone know how much they have earned towards contributions. At the same event, encourage team members to share stories of how they choose to help the less fortunate and explain why certain charities are important to them.
Encourage attendees to dress up in ugly Christmas sweaters, Santa hats, elf costumes, or other holiday-inspired attire. Consider swapping favourite cocktail recipes and taking turns demonstrating how to make the perfect cocktail. Guests are encouraged to create beverages as simply or elaborately as they like. You could even make it a friendly challenge, voting for top costumes and top beverages with small prizes to the victors.
Who doesn’t love presents? And when they are given anonymously it’s even more fun. You can pick names using a gift exchange generator (found online) or ask a helper to choose names. Make sure you set a fair price limit and decide if gifts will be secretly dropped off at each recipient’s home, or if it’s a better idea to provide gifts that can be distributed electronically, such as online gift cards or internet subscriptions. Then have everyone wait for party time to reveal their presents and have fun guessing who their Secret Santa is.
These are only a few of endless ideas on how to create a memorable virtual holiday party for your team. The sky is the limit, and if the idea of organizing an event leaves you feeling daunted, search online for party hosts and have them do the work for you.
Working from home has its benefits, but it also makes staying connected to a challenge. Contact us today to have New Quest help your team succeed together no matter where everyone is working and learn more information on how we tailor our team building services.
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Shane Jensen