10 Ways to Celebrate Your Workforce This Holiday Season

This holiday season is the best time to celebrate all of the hardships we've endured, and obstacles we've overcome, during a historic pandemic in combination with a recession. If there was ever a time to bring your workers together, show them that you care, and promote your workplace communities, it's right now. But, the way in which we celebrate our workforce has to reflect our circumstances. Simply put, we need to have employees' safety and sensitivities accounted for before engaging in any celebratory activities. Only 23 percent of companies are planning to hold holiday parties this year compared to 76 percent in 2019, and 74 percent will hold virtual events compared to just over 1 percent that will be in-person without any precautions. But, workers would appreciate it if their company hosted a virtual holiday party even though it may be a more informal video call.

This year more workers will experience isolation as they put off their annual holiday travel plans. It is expected that 34 million fewer Americans plan to travel over the Christmas and New Year's holidays than last year, a drop of 30 percent. Companies, and their leaders, have a unique opportunity to provide an additional support system to employees who are going to feel lonely, disconnected, and even forgotten during the holidays. In addition, holiday parties serve as the perfect "excuse" to recognize individuals workers, and teams for their extraordinary efforts, facilitate (virtual) social connections and increase a sense of belonging that they are yearning for. Even if attendance is low, throwing a holiday party reinforces your company values, communicates that you care, and acknowledges the pain they've experienced.

Ideas for company-wide or team holiday celebrations

1. Give your employees a cash bonus or paid time off. The most important and best gift you can give your employees is money and a break because salaries have been stagnant this year and your employees are overworked. A Huffington Post study found that employees would be enthusiastic to receive a cash bonus (83%) and extra paid time off (72%) over having a holiday party (21%).
2. Have an all-day celebration. Instead of a traditional office party, PayPal is hosting a full day party broken down into eight different destinations across the world with activities such as cooking classes to live entertainment like circus performers and bands. All PayPal employees will be able to tune in for as much or as little of the extravaganza as they wish, with no social pressure whatsoever. Employees can access the virtual event wherever they are.
3. Send gifts to employees. Instead of being yet another eCard in your employee's inbox, try sending them a physical gift. A gift can range from a custom baked good like a cake or cookie, to a swag box with branded products like masks, water bottles, t-shirts, and backpacks. These gifts are fun, memorable, and can leave a lasting impression on your workforce.
4. Hold a virtual wine tasting or DIY cocktails. You can have a virtual blind wine taste test or send cocktail kits to your employees. Someone on your team or an outside expert can teach the team how to create their favorite cocktails or you can taste wines together. You can also pair these experiences with catered food from a local restaurant, one or more gifts, and a holiday card.
5. Play online games. There are countless online team building games that are fun, engaging, and allow you to connect in a more personal way. My favorite team activity is The Escape Game and now they offer "remote adventures" for small or large groups. You can also do a virtual scavenger hunt as a break from remote working. Your teammates are more likely to want to participate in a fun game than another typical Zoom meeting.
6. Use virtual reality to create a unique experience. Companies like Intel are using virtual reality software so employees can engage with each other in a modern (and goofy!) way with avatars. Your team won't ever forget having a virtual dance party where everyone will be able to show their moves without having to embarrass themselves.
7. Watch a holiday movie with them. You can put on a movie from Zoom using a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime, or Disney Plus and your teammates can join so you can watch it together. Some of my suggestions are The Grinch, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Home Alone, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, or Elf. As an addition, you can send your team popcorn, candy, or a dessert as part of the remote watching experience.
8. Engage in an outdoor activity. In parts of the world where it's warmer during the wintertime, you can use technology to organize your team and go for a hike, walk, or run. AllTrails gathered it's employees into small groups for a hike, mountain bike, and trail run, letting them bring their pets as part of the experience.
9. Fundraise together for a charity. At a time of great economic and social pain, there's ample opportunity to give back. By having your organization run a competition to raise money for charity, and then matching the amount raised, you are bringing your employees together for a good cause while increasing connectivity throughout your organization. Consumer Reports found that 19 percent of Americans have used a food pantry, food bank, or community food distribution at some point since the pandemic began. Pick your local food bank to donate to and then rally your team to donate.
10. Participate in a "Secret Santa" or a "Yankee Swap". Use a gift exchange organizer and generator to draw random co-workers' names for gift sharing. Everyone will be assigned a co-worker to buy a gift for and then send it to them through the mail on a specific day or week. You can choose to limit how much each person spends on gifts to under $25 or $50. This is a fun way for co-workers to get to know each other better.

End the year with your workers in mind

As you close out the year, shift your focus from your financial statements and to ensuring that your employees feel both secure and appreciated. Remember that there is no company, or team, without individual efforts. It doesn't take a lot of time or money to recognize the hard work of the people who have worked hard to build and sustain your company during a pandemic. Your employees are expecting you to do more, and be more because they need more from you during this extremely difficult time. Be the employer that is thoughtful, intentional, and personal with your employees during this holiday season because the more you recognize and support them, the more successful your company will be.

- Dan Schawbel

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