Just because companies find themselves in a remote setting doesn’t mean they still can’t have fun. Virtual holiday party ideas for work are becoming more popular as we enter a post-pandemic era, allowing industry leaders to host virtual holidays and virtual parties in order to maintain their company culture and a sense of community.
Virtual holiday party ideas during COVID will become a necessity if companies want to keep their teams together and cultivate a vibrant corporate culture. In this article we'll introduce several virtual holiday office party ideas and how you can keep your business together even when you’re apart.
Reasons to have a virtual holiday party
There are a lot of good reasons to get into the practice of hosting a virtual holiday party. Even beyond the immediate needs of virtual connection because of the pandemic, there are other ways to benefit from virtual company holiday party ideas.
- Holiday parties during the pandemic
- With the advent of the Omicron variant and how quickly it has spread and continues to spread, one thing remains certain: COVID is here to stay for the time being. Organizations can be more prepared for an elongated pandemic by generating virtual holiday party ideas during COVID. This, like much of what we’ve seen from our workforce, is about adaptation and the central need for companies to stay connected and maintain their cultures.
- Remote team members inclusion
- If the hybrid and remote work environment are truly here to stay, then it’s worthwhile for employers to get into the habit of hosting their own work holiday party. For employees who remain in the remote or hybrid setting, it can be very easy for them to feel left out and not a part of the company. When employees feel disconnected from their workplace, you run the risk of decreasing employee morale and satisfaction. For international companies, this is also a good way to keep employees connected who live in different cities, states, and countries.
- You have more creative freedom and scalability
- With in-person settings, we have the benefit of face-to-face human interaction, which is hard to replace. In virtual settings, however, you aren’t limited to a venue or physical setting, and you can scale your activities in a more seamless manner. You don’t have to worry about setting up the food, audio services, or seating arrangements, which provides you with a lot of time, money, and resources to think of creative virtual party ideas.
The bottom line is that companies need to stay connected, regardless of the challenges that the pandemic presents. Virtual holiday parties are one essential way to stay connected.
Ideas for virtual holiday parties
The good news for industry leaders is that there are no shortage of fun ideas for virtual holiday parties. Below we’ll get into some of our favorite virtual holiday parties that you could try hosting today.
- Virtual karaoke – what you might be surprised to find is that more employees will be willing to break out of their shells and try a round of Karaoke without a crowd around them. There are plenty of Karaoke programs and guides out there that can make your virtual event simple and seamless.
- Talent show – Talent shows are fun, easy to run, and get everybody involved. And employees will likely have more of an opportunity to show off their talents because they don’t need to haul in their 1,500 pound piano into the office.
- Secret Santa – Secret Santa is just as fun over live video as it is in person. It might require some coordination to either mail or drop off presents at the office, but with a bit of logistical work, you won’t have to miss out on this coveted office-holiday event.
- Movie night – Streaming services often come with watch-party features, which allows streaming subscribers to watch something at the same time, that will make movie nights more fun and easier than ever. Watch party chats also allow your employees to comment throughout the movie, making for a more interactive movie-watching experience.
- Cocktail parties – The best thing about virtual cocktail parties? You don’t have to worry about driving home. Invite your employees to show off their cocktail making skills and host a fun party where employees can let loose from the comfort and safety of their own homes.
While these are some of our top virtual holiday party ideas, there’s an endless list to choose from. You can host a themed costume party, create virtual scavenger hunts, dormitory or educational screenings, and more!
How Grokker can contribute to a healthy company culture
Along with virtual party ideas, you can tap into the power of virtual health and wellbeing. Employees can benefit from thousands of videos centered around health and fitness, sleep, financial wellbeing, nutrition, mental health, and more!
Deepen your sense of community with Grokker’s digital gamification and challenge features that allow employees to support one-another and track their progress together.
Keep your business healthy and connected with Grokker today.
