Work holiday celebrations have always been an interesting part of corporate culture; from Christmas parties a la The Office or a small gathering at lunch, these times are great for getting to know your coworkers while having fun with the whole team. But since the onset of the coronavirus, events in the workplace have become a thing of the past (at least temporarily) as social distancing and working from home have taken precedence over in-office time. Even though we may not be doing as many activities with our team as we were before, there are still safe and enjoyable ways for us to celebrate holidays with our crew. And in our opinion, every holiday is worth celebrating whether it be something as big as Christmas or something as low key as Crunchy Taco Day.
Since many of us are still working from home, a virtual holiday celebration may be our only option. But luckily, we have some great solutions for at-home events that will take your upcoming remote party to the next level.
Schedule a Virtual Happy Hour
Happy hours used to be the pinnacle of post-work fun, but since the pandemic has forced us to forgo mingling with the masses, getting drinks with your team seems like a far-off fever dream. But it doesn’t have to be.
With everything being done via Zoom nowadays, why can’t we take our holiday happy hours online too? Many businesses have done exactly that; companies like Cater2.me have partnered with some amazing vendors that can provide holiday happy hour kits for the whole team to enjoy!
You can opt to do something like a St. Patrick’s Day beer tasting for those teams who are less hands-on or go all-in and create your own Valentine’s Day cocktail (or mocktail, whatever you’re into).
Plan a Group Game
Who doesn’t love a good team-building activity? Even though we can’t all get together for a fun (and sometimes competitive) game night in person, that doesn’t mean we can’t show your skills online. Many teams have been using free online platforms to create fun trivia nights for their teams, but why not save yourself time and stress by booking with a vendor that can set up a full-service trivia night complete with yummy snacks or drinks. The best part? You actually get to participate in the event and are not in charge of running the whole thing!
Trivia not really your team’s thing? You can put your employees’ problem-solving skills to the test by scheduling something like a virtual escape room or murder mystery challenge. Who knew you could have so much fun while improving your culture?
Bond Over Some Food
Food is at the heart of many holiday celebrations, so it’s definitely a great solution perfect for bringing your team together regardless of their location. You could have a fully catered Thanksgiving spread delivered right to your employee’s doors, and even send a box full of fun snacks for them to enjoy on Halloween.
If your team wants more of an interactive experience, consider hosting a baking contest or send everyone cookie icing kits for holidays like Valentine’s Day or Christmas. There are even vendors that offer full cooking classes so everyone can make a festive meal to enjoy together for lunch!
Schedule a Show
Scheduling a show for your team to enjoy is one of the easiest ways to bring everyone together; all you need to do to participate is simply show up (or login), sit back, and relax. And seeing how it’s been a lonnnggg time since any of us have been out to see a real show, we deserve to enjoy a little live entertainment from our couch!
Magic shows are a fun option for a Halloween gathering. Or you can take it up a notch: you can book a real live shark scientist to put an educational spin on the next Shark Week.
Schedule a Wellness Activity
What’s better than a scheduled time to just chill with your team in the middle of a stressful afternoon?
For a more relaxed celebration on holidays like Earth Day and World Health Day, you can schedule a guided meditation, art therapy, or yoga class perfect for getting everyone to unwind together. No gym membership or crowded cycling class necessary. For a more hands-off approach, you can also book with a company like NatureBox to send your team some yummy, CBD snacks to commemorate the day!
Which virtual holiday celebration is right for my team?
When it comes down to deciding which virtual event option your team would enjoy, it’s important to remember how your employees operate; are they more hands-on, or do they prefer to sit back and enjoy the ride? Are they willing to engage with the group for an activity like an escape room, or do you want to give them this time to unplug and unwind?
Regardless of your team type, we’re sure that at least one of the ideas above are great solutions for at-home celebrations no matter the holiday. For a customized virtual experience, head here to learn more. And be sure to join the Office Heroes League in your city to keep up with any virtual events happening soon!
