Wearing masks all the time, not greeting with hugs and handshakes has indeed become normal now. The term ‘new normal’ seems to be quite justified, everyone has understood that staying confined to the four walls would do no good and so have started going out more than before with precautions. This new laid back and fearful life have become acceptable for us, but what saddens the most is that we all at some point in time actually thought that by the season of festivities, the world will see a triumph over COVID-19.
As far as the year-end party at the workplace is concerned- Remember the time when some of us used to find reasons to not attend it, this year absence of it is making us all gloomy. But, don’t worry, we have something to bring a smile to your face.
Unlike the last year when the rage of COVID-19 was just too hard to bear, this year’s wrath and fear in the air is much less. So, this calls for the party! However, still, our uninvited guest (OMICRON) is staying with us, so here are some exciting ways to celebrate both Christmas and New Year Eve while staying cautious.
Top 5 Ideas for Virtual Party at Year’s End
1. Organize a Trivia Night
- Utilize interesting apps to organize gaming sessions like Trivia, Charades, Flappy Lives, and much more for your employees
- Use the scribble feature on the Zoom app to have a little Pictionary session with team members
- Make arrangements for small groups rather than the whole office coming all together to celebrate.
- Book some outdoor location, hire a caterer or ask employees to bring their own food and bottle. This way small picnic groups could be created
- Outdoor movie screening would be a great add-on for your employees
Tip: Use HR software in India like HROne to make the announcement, invite your employees, and even for taking suggestions to celebrate this festive time of year.
2. Have a Virtual Award Ceremony
- Based on the performance and R&R received, organize a virtual award ceremony to recognize the winners with awards.
- Apart from the professional skills, create some new award titles like, ‘Best WFH desk’, ‘Best Watercooler Person’, ‘Most entertaining one’ to add the tinge of fun and excitement.
- Get creative with the titles. For instance- ‘The one with the most badges’ and so on! ( Some inspiration from EMPLOYEES won’t hurt as well.)
- Explore the hidden talent of your employees and invite them for becoming masters of ceremony, hosting games, singing, and much more
Tip: Start countdown, share updates on enterprise wall, and invite employees to showcase talents on HRMS software implemented in your organization.
3. Initiate a CSR program
- Doing something good for your society can be a way of celebrating this year’s festive mood. Initiate virtual online fun teaching sessions for needy people living in the vicinity of your employees
- Categorize your employees as per their geographical locations and dedicate them tasks related to CSR activities as per their locations
- Celebrate festivity by sharing smiles with deprived ones. Request employees to organize game sessions for the guards of their societies, home-maids, and others
- Reward your employees on New Year’s Eve for CSR activities they performed between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Thank, them for their sheer dedication
Tip: To encourage your employees, engage with them creatively, release special badges and reward points for them, and recognize them on social media pages with the help of HR software.
4. Be your Employees’ Secret Santa
- Everyone would not be comfortable celebrating in person, so Secret Santa could be the best way to gift and share the spirit
- Assign Secret Santas for everyone by everyone or send gifts on your behalf to everyone. Take the help of their respective managers
- Randomly gather the wish list of your employees to re-shuffle further for conducting Secret Santa
- Organize virtual meet for gift opening sessions after all your employees received their gifts
Tip: Conduct a Pulse Survey using HR software in India like HROne wherein you can request the employees for suggesting ways to celebrate Secret Santa.
5. Conduct a Virtual Tour
- Compile the best videos of New year’s celebrations across the globe and conduct a virtual session for your employees to enjoy the compilation together
- Tour your employees virtually by sending them surveys for the place they want to visit on New Year and set a vibe virtually by sending them customized invites to attend video sessions of dances, heritage places, in short, a virtual tour
- Motivate your employees by requesting their photos and videos of the places they visit and create a compiled creative video to let them enjoy with team members
Tip: Share teaser videos with team members to grab their attention and encourage them to attend with your HR software
Wrapping Up
Needless to say, you can embed ‘raise a toast session’ or have a happy hour during any of the virtual celebration events. There’s still hope from next year things will go back to the ‘actual normal’ soon. So, this probably would be your last virtual celebration, why frown for not having the usual celebration when you can make it special in different ways.
Make a Merrier + Cautious And a Blastful New Year!