4 rules employers should consider when planning a virtual holiday party

December 9, 2020 5:30 AM

As the year comes to an end, employers are rethinking the traditional holiday office party to respond to the limitations of COVID-19 and the reality of their remote workplace. But there are still ways to express appreciation without an end-of-year bash.

“In the past, the workplace has been a social outlet for people and a sense of community that they had incorporated into their life,” says Erika Zauner, CEO of HealthKick, a digital health company. “In large part, that’s changed with everyone going virtual and interacting over Zoom. The more you can facilitate community and connect people, that’s important to maintaining morale and supporting employees' mental well-being.”

Fifty-nine percent of employees say they would appreciate a company holiday party this year, according to Monster, though more than two-thirds of employers are not planning a virtual get-together. In a separate survey by LinkedIn, more than half of employees want a year-end bonus over a holiday party, and 1 in 3 employees want more paid time off instead.

This year may be the time to rethink the traditional gathering and opt for more creative ways to celebrate the challenges of 2020, Zauner says. She shares four ways to rethink traditional end-of-year gatherings during COVID-19.

Consider virtual alternatives to traditional holiday activities

Instead of a virtual party, think of other virtual activities, like a cooking and wine class. Employers are sending a meal kit out to employees and having someone lead them in preparing a meal together. It’s not a holiday outing, but it’s still a fun way for people to bond. Companies are doing a white elephant gift exchange, which you could still do virtually. Or just gather with your kids or pets to make it a more inclusive virtual gathering.

Don’t force employees to participate

It's always good to give people the option to participate if they want to. There's a lot of serious stuff going on and the more levity you can bring to holiday gatherings is probably optimal. Companies have employee well-being at top of mind, so the more ways they can support employees get into the holiday spirit in a way that works for them, the better.

Celebrate employees year-round

Companies can incorporate appreciation throughout the year and not just make it this big, once a year holiday gathering. One thing [Healthkick is] doing for Samsung is an employee appreciation week with different wellness programming throughout the week. It’s a nice way to cap the year with some self care. There are different ways to share appreciation that aren’t a boozy holiday party.

Allocate unused party money

A lot of money is thrown at fancy venues, and that can be reallocated in ways that are more personalized and make an impact on employees. Some companies are giving employees stipends that they can use on childcare or groceries or whatever would benefit that employee. You could also allocate the budget through team leaders and managers, who could do something more intimate with their team.