Connection is more important now than it has ever been. Small businesses have typically showed their appreciation for their employees by hosting a holiday party, but this year in most of the world, that is not possible (or safe). It’s important, no matter what your budget, that small businesses make the effort to provide connections this holiday season. Below is our guide to help you bring ‘virtual’ connection, engagement and some holiday cheer this season to your loyal employees.
The four things you must do to make your ‘virtual’ party a success are the following:
Be clear on your objective. What is the purpose of the party (fun, bonding, networking or learning)?
Know your audience. What does this audience enjoy doing and feel comfortable with?
Size matters. Any group over 12-15 you will need an MC for the event.
Budget
Entertainment
A party needs some entertainment! Your employees want to have fun and relax like they would at an office party. Reach out and book a singer or group to sing some festive carols. Hiring a comedian for the event would be a great idea too! Another suggestion is to hire a motivational speaker for part of the evening.
Look into a digital photo booth! This is a great way to make some fun memories and get everyone laughing with the humorous digital filters and backgrounds.
Interactive
Once you have started the party with some fun entertainment, move into an interactive portion of the evening to keep the festive spirits high.
There are great resources for a virtual murder mystery game. Host a trivia night! There are a thousand themes to choose from and it will be fun to divide into teams and make a competition out of it. Have prizes that can be sent electronically or mailed later to the winners of the team.
Another fun recommendation is to have a virtual tour of a foreign city. There are holiday decorations all over the world and since most people will be staying at home, it might be fun to show what the holidays look like in New York City or Berlin.
Food and Drinks
What is a party without food and drinks? While everyone should stay in their respective homes this year, sending out a voucher for an online delivery of food and maybe even wine, would make everyone feel like it is a regular party.
Some fun interactive ideas you can do would be hosting a virtual wine tasting or a cocktail making class. You can find a virtual cooking class to make some festive appetizers together. Make sure to send out the recipes ahead of time so that everyone can buy the ingredients.
Appreciation
This is also the time of year to show your employees some appreciation. It has been quite a year so something that will demonstrate just how thankful you are to everyone’s hard work would be a wonderful way to end the year.
Having video messages from senior staff members played throughout the event will make employees feel recognized. How about hosting an awards show? You can collect nominations beforehand and send out electronic awards like starbucks cards or virtual wellness class vouchers.
Theme Example
If you want to make the party a little extra this year, why not have a theme. We know it can be hard to think of a theme so here is an idea: European Christmas.
Have your team take a virtual tour of the Vienna Christmas Market or walk down Oxford Street in London to see all the lights. Schedule in a German Soft Pretzel Bite cooking class or make some gingerbread cookies so everyone can feel like they are walking past all of the stalls with delicious food. Get into the spirit by having someone demonstrate how to make a twist on hot cocoa or a Mulled Wine cocktail for your employees so they can enjoy a festive drink while taking in all of the beautiful lights.
We hope that you have found some inspiration for your holiday parties and a few last minute ideas that you can implement to give your employees some festive energy!
We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!
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