Holiday office parties are a time-honored tradition in businesses around the world, and for good reason. They’re opportunities for teams to laugh, connect, and make fun memories together. They’re also a way for companies to show their appreciation for the effort and achievements of their employees. Are you lost for holiday office party ideas?
The pandemic is complicating office parties everywhere this year, but you shouldn’t let it stop you from hosting a great (virtual) party at your company.
Why do you need to plan a virtual holiday party? This video offers the answer to this question and some holiday party ideas you can implement with little to no money and time.
Watch Our Virtual Office Holiday Planning For Ideas:
Why you need to still have a (virtual) party
With ongoing safety concerns and many people working remotely, it might be tempting to just forego an office party altogether this year, but that would be a big mistake.
As humans, we crave connection in our work relationships just as we do everywhere else. One of the terrible things about COVID-19 is that it separates us, so rather than being a reason not to have a party at all, the pandemic is actually a reason to prioritize one.
With your employees seeing each other much less than normal this year, it’s more important than ever to create opportunities for them to connect outside of meetings and projects.
If you’re skeptical about how well a virtual office party can work, think about how meaningful a FaceTime or Skype call with a friend can be. People want connection, and while virtual parties might not be ideal, that doesn’t mean they can’t be a great time.
In-person parties can be lame, and virtual parties can be a blast. At the end of the day, it’s the planning, passion, and people that go into a party that makes it fun—not the platform.
Ideas for your virtual holiday party
Holiday parties can be one of two things: a fun and memorable bonding experience, or a dreaded obligation that becomes just another piece of work.
The video covers general principles on how to make your party fun and creative without becoming another to-do for employees. It also provides a long list of virtual holiday party ideas you can copy and implement immediately, even if you only have a few days to plan!
Here’s a sampling of some of the ideas:
- Ugly Christmas sweater 2.0: Take the classic ugly Christmas sweater contest to the next level with a “best homemade ugly Christmas sweater” contest. You can provide employees with an allowance to buy materials and make their own.
- Charades: Several people take turns acting things out while everyone else tries to guess. Click here for rules!
- Show and tell: People take turns sharing their favorite holiday recipe, most embarrassing Christmas moment, or a family tradition that’s meaningful.
Listen to the podcast for many more ideas:
Virtual holiday parties during COVID don’t have to be complicated, expensive, or boring. No matter what you decide to do for your remote work party this year, the most important thing is creating an opportunity for your team to come together and do something fun.
After all, that’s what the magic of this season is all about—being together, even if it has to be over Zoom.
Check out our work from home bingo template for more virtual office connection ideas:
