5 easy ways to celebrate a virtual Thanksgiving

This year has been full of risks and changes that took everyone by surprise. Your employees have been working hard to push your organization through these unprecedented times, all while fighting their own struggles. Their work-life balance may have suffered heavily due to remote work and the lack of boundaries between their professional and personal life. While your employees work continuously to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, it’s a good idea to engage them and help them take a much-needed break from work. The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect opportunity for this. With Thanksgiving celebrations, you can show your employees how much you appreciate their hard work. Regardless of whether your employees are working remotely or not, it’s a good idea to organize virtual Thanksgiving activities to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. This may sound very different from your usual celebrations, but the fun that comes with it is no different. Here are five simple ways to celebrate Thanksgiving with your employees virtually:

• Food-related activities

No Thanksgiving celebration is ever complete without delicious food. As the spread of COVID-19 is at an all-time high in many places, it’s better to avoid in-person dinner parties at work. But that doesn’t mean you can’t organize a virtual Thanksgiving dinner for your employees. You can also do a virtual cooking party. Cooking while interacting with peers makes this activity super fun. You can either decide on a single dish or allow employees to cook any of their favorites. This can then be followed by a team dinner where your employees eat the food they cooked together.

• Quizzes, contests, and games

If you don’t want to or are unable to conduct food-related activities, there are several other fun options, too. Try a virtual Thanksgiving quiz contest to help employees understand the true purpose of Thanksgiving. You can also go for easy activities like a Thanksgiving art contest, sharing best Thanksgiving memories, or Thanksgiving bingo. If all else fails, throw an office happy hour to help employees unwind. This allows your employees to talk, play, eat, and have fun together.

• Share notes of gratitude

Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for the blessings in our life. Because work plays such a huge role in an individual’s life, it’s good to embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving at work. Encourage your managers to host a fun virtual meeting where they talk about how each of their team member’s contributions have added to the overall growth of the organization. After this, each team member can share how their manager and colleagues have helped them grow and succeed. A simple thank you can do wonders. If not a virtual meeting, enable your employees to share virtual notes of gratitude, thanking their peers or manager for their support. This will strengthen the relationship between members of your team, helping them work together better. This will also improve your employees’ emotional well-being, which helps them to be happy, satisfied, healthy, and more productive at work.

• Distribute Thanksgiving gifts

Sharing gifts is an innate part of any celebration, Thanksgiving included. You can show your gratitude to your employees by distributing useful gifts to them. This could really cheer them up and make them feel valued and respected. If you aren’t able to decide on the gifts, consider sending virtual gift cards. This way, your employees can use it to buy anything that they want to. If you think this may not be personal enough, send gifts that are related to Thanksgiving such as themed T-shirts or mugs, holiday pies, or personalized Thanksgiving cards.

• Encourage virtual volunteering

There’s no better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than by giving back to society. try offering volunteering opportunities to your employees. There are many ways to volunteer virtually if you don’t want your employees to physically volunteer during these times. All your employees have to do is commit some of their valuable time and skills to contribute to a better cause. After volunteering, it will hopefully create a more united and compassionate atmosphere among your team. Provide small gifts as a token of appreciation for taking time off their busy schedule for a good cause.

While your employees are working hard to get accustomed to the new normal, organizing virtual Thanksgiving celebrations can go a long way toward improving their morale and motivation. Be sure to let employees know about the celebrations a week before so that they plan their work accordingly. This will also allow them to purchase any necessary gifts or items. Try not to organize these activities after work hours so more team members can participate. If there are presentations involved, do a quick rehearsal with a few employees to avoid any technical glitches during the party. Are there any other interesting ways to celebrate Thanksgiving virtually? Share your answers in the comments section below!

Also read:6 virtual team-building activities for your remote employees