Christmas is coming and after so much remote working, our culture has changed. And so has the way we celebrate Christmas. This year remote workers Christmas celebrations is more of a safer choice. If you think that a virtual Christmas party cannot be a success, that’s because you haven’t read this post yet.
We want to give you some new ideas for employees to have fun and share good times at this year’s company Christmas virtual celebration.
We’ve already given you ten tips for a fun Christmas party at work in those days when most of the time was spent in the office. The company Christmas dinner was face-to-face. This year things are different and due to the Covid-19 pandemic, remote working has become almost compulsory as a business continuity solution. We know that you can enjoy this time of year in a safe way. For this reason, we’re giving you 7 ideas for remote workers Christmas celebrations.
#1 Organise a rocking virtual Christmas party
The advantage of organising a virtual event is that we can put a face to all those colleagues with whom we share a project but who often cannot be there physically. Certainly there may be people who miss the office working times as well as socialising with colleagues and celebrating something together. A good time to organise a virtual Christmas party can be after a few days of teamwork to plan the marketing and business strategy. Party ideas can be very diverse: A party can include a Christmas jumper or a pyjama contest. Sharing the same food, drinking and entertainment with the best carols or other music chosen by popular vote are more options. The best way to organize it is on your internal social media platform and its idea management system. (Each “like” is an anonymous vote of course).
#2 Continue the party with a virtual Christmas dinner
Another idea is to organise a virtual dinner with happy hour from your kitchen or lounge to change the “workplace” and give your event a more Christmas-like feel. It is important to have several organizers of the remote workers Christmas events. And use your communication platform. The idea of your party is always to improve the communication and motivation of your teams.
#3 Send a box with remote workers Christmas party material
You can send your colleagues or employees a box with everything they need for the party. It can be sent a week before the party so that they know what the programme and all its various activities will be like. Some ideas are:
- Chocolates, biscuits or some Christmas candy
- A nice Christmas cake with an inspirational touch
- Hats, glasses or T-shirts
- Puzzles, games with instructions
- Web gift cards for online registration services, etc
Sending your employees the typical Christmas basket with some unique and special detail will make them feel special and appreciated. It’s the thought that counts.
#4 Organize an online game tournament
Playing in a collaborative way helps bring your employees closer together. It also allows them to develop intellectual skills that are not easily achieved individually. There are many games such as Bingo, Cluedo, Monopoly, riddles, hobbies, board or action games, cooperative or non-cooperative games. The easiest way to choose the best Christmas-inspired game is to ask them directly. If none of this works, there is always the typical Secret Santa game with virtual gifts or business development benefits to cheer up your teams.
#5 Virtual contests (Family and friends come first)
You can create a Team in MS Teams or a group in WhatsApp to share the best photos, articles or fun moments from the past year. Use these to make other contests more fun. Taking advantage of the remote workers Christmas party, other competitions can be organised related to the decoration or the Christmas clothing of your employees. The competition for the best decorated Christmas tree or the most traditional nativity scene can be organised. You can vote using any Idea Management software. For example Valo Ideas. The winners of the competition can enjoy gifts such as gift cards so that they can go to dinner at Christmas with their friends and family (I’m sure this dinner is more appreciated than the typical company Christmas dinner).
#6 Take this opportunity to give a positive surprise to your team
At some point during the virtual Christmas party you can release some good news now that you have everyone connected and happy to share a special moment. Keep that surprise to yourself and take advantage of the right moment to launch your message. It’s sure to be much more appreciated by your entire team and the feeling of belonging is increased. Only you know what your colleagues and employees need to improve in their work. Christmas is a time to share, help and recover all those dreams that we have left to fulfill.
#7 Send virtual Christmas cards to all employees
Use the surprise factor and create a fun and inspiring atmosphere during the organisation of the virtual company Christmas party. You have almost everything organised and nothing can go wrong. Once the Christmas party programme, games and competitions have been designed, it’s time to design the invitation to the event and take advantage of the opportunity to send the typical Christmas card and letter of instructions for a party that promises to be as fun as unforgettable.
The fact that we lack the face-to-face is no excuse to celebrate like we do every year. Remote workers can celebrate Christmas in many different ways depending on many factors. It is essential to organise your event well and give some hints of the various surprises that can come along during the virtual event. Getting your employees into a simple coffee with biscuits can be a unique and special experience to share special moments also at work. Strengthening the unity of your employees and colleagues is as important as wishing them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in the best possible way.