Bring Your Remote Team Together for a Jolly Good Time
It’s the best time of the year, but it can also be the most tricky to navigate. There’s no better opportunity to boost your team unity, but for remote workers it can all feel a little hollow. Let’s talk about how to make the holidays happy for everyone.
Give Remote Workers a Happy Holiday Season
Holiday festivities are simply the best. From white elephant gift exchanges to gingerbread house-building contests, it’s a great time to escape the grind and connect with one another. But there’s often one group of employees who feel left out despite your best efforts -- remote workers. How can you make sure every team member can get into that holiday spirit, regardless of where they are? Let’s work it out! Here are some tips to jollify (totally a word, don’t bother looking it up) the whole team, wherever they are.
Have a Virtual Holiday Party
Whether you host an in-person shindig or not, you should also have a virtual holiday party. Ideally this will be structured with plenty of activities to give everyone a chance to participate. Have a few games, share holiday recipes and talk about your traditions. It’s a great chance to learn about cultural differences if you have employees from non-Judeo Christian backgrounds, if they’re comfortable sharing. And most important, this has to be done during work hours, or nobody will show up willingly. This is your chance for remote folks to feel on equal footing with in-person staff.
Gift Exchange
Secret Santa gift exchanges are a fun way for people who might not ordinarily hang out to do something for one another. Have people fill out a short questionnaire, listing some of their favorite treats and hobbies, then randomly assign someone to get a few small gifts for each of them. Note that participation needs to be optional to keep it from becoming a financial burden on anyone, and there should of course be a dollar limit.
Send Goodies
Everyone wants a Christmas bonus, but whatever your policy on extra money, your remote workers in particular should feel a little extra love. Send them a care package, or have a local business deliver them some fresh treats and a card thanking them for being a part of the team. A small investment can make a big difference in morale.
Hold Contests
Who doesn’t love a little friendly competition? For your meetings in December you can have some creative contests. A few suggestions: the best/ugliest holiday-themed sweater, fun hats, or virtual backgrounds. Small variations in the daily routine can help the team come together in new ways, and you just might learn who has a thing for holiday horror movies.
Game Time
In addition to (or instead of) a holiday party, you can schedule some time for group gaming. This is another great way to learn more about what your coworkers enjoy doing. It could be online cooperative games, trivia contests, or whatever else people are interested in. Try asking people what their favorite games are and see if you can work them in.
Holiday Slack
Keeping things strictly business has its place, but the holidays are a time we remember what we’re working for. Your team members all have lives outside the office, so why not create a safe space for them to share about the important things in their lives? A dedicated Slack channel might be just the place to blow off some steam.
Offer Flexible Schedules
Finally, show a little extra compassion for your remote workers by letting them know that for a few weeks they can take some extra time for their family, personal traditions, etc. December in particular is full of activities, and that means people might need to work odd hours to get things done and still maintain a semblance of a personal life.
There you have it. As you plan your end-of-year activities, don’t forget the faces you don’t see every day. They’ll appreciate it, and you’ll benefit from a more cohesive team for the next year.
This time of year can be happy or lonely, and you don’t always know who might be having a hard time with it. Taking a little more thought for remote employees can help them if they’re struggling or just strengthen an already solid dynamic for your staff. It’s a small investment that is absolutely worth it, and you just might see a different side of your employees.