Creative “TeamsGiving”

Tips for making your office Thanksgiving and upcoming holidays, a unique and rewarding experience

Everyone knows the basic ingredients for a delicious holiday feast. We have all the staples from cranberry sauce to mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and of course turkey- but what about the ingredients for the perfect office Thanksgiving celebration? 

Food is a great component of any get-together or office event, but let’s take it up a notch this year by focusing on the reason for this holiday season - giving thanks and recognition. We have mapped out a few ideas that you can incorporate into your workplace “TeamsGiving” to not only bring everyone together, but also to feed their soul. 

Give Thanks

It’s right there in the name of the holiday itself, but we look over it so often. Maybe it’s the food? Taking time to recognize those that you are thankful for is incredibly important, especially when it involves the workplace and your team. It’s a proven fact that people perform better when they feel appreciated, so leave no man (or woman) behind. Start a movement in the office for everyone to leave notes to those that they want to thank. It could be anything big or small, anonymous or not. Make it the focus for any Thanksgiving event that you host in the office and remind everyone the reason we are celebrating in the first place. 

Wall of Thanks

Justifacts shared their “Wall of Thanks” showing an excellent example of "TeamGiving".

 A favorite activity idea that has been trending recently, is about workplaces creating a “Wall of Thanks”. This can be done throughout the week or days prior to your event, or on the day of. Simply put, it is a wall of Post-its that team members are encouraged to write public praise for anything a coworker has done for them - big or small.

Leave Post-it pads and pens next to a wall space (someplace public enough for everyone to notice it) and start the trend yourself. Write a few notes and post them up. Once the fire is lit, it is roaring - this heartwarming activity catches on very quickly.

 Sidenote: We encourage you to post photos of your completed “Wall of Thanks” with the hashtag #wallofthanks and be sure to tag us on Instagram so we can like and share this amazing trend! @adminuniverse

Story Telling Time

If you have a little more time in your event, this is a wonderful opportunity to allow team members to tell their own stories of thankfulness, inside the office or from their personal lives. This activity is one that really brings everyone closer by helping each other to share their backgrounds and find common ground as human beings. Throughout our busy workdays, rarely do we have the chance to share stories like these.

Give Back as a Group  

It is no secret that giving back to others and your community is a rewarding experience for all involved. Unfortunately, we get busy or are too shy to venture out on our own to participate in these various types of opportunities. Making it a group function will generate a huge impact on all involved. Feeding the homeless, organizing a canned food drive, bringing holiday baskets to those in the hospital, participating in local charity events - there are so many options when it comes to helping. 

Use your expertise

You haven’t made it to the role you are in without education, experience and trials - that makes you an expert. A great way to reach out to your community and give back to others is getting involved in a program that mentors students who are aiming for your profession or industry. Whether it is a one-time speaking engagement or a continuous one-on-one commitment, being able to share your journey and your gems is a perfect way to contribute to the community during the holiday season and throughout the year. Find a cause that resonates with you and your team and do it together! 

From AdminUniverse? and myself, sending you warm wishes for a healthy and fun holiday. Thank You for reading my blogs and posts, your likes and shares really do inspire me to push myself to be the best Servant Leader to our Administrative Profession.