Why COVID-19 shouldn’t cancel the annual holiday party

As we approach the holiday season in the wake of rising COVID cases, many businesses may have thought of cancelling the annual holiday get together. But before they write it off, there’s a strong case to be made for bringing the team together – virtually – is more important now than ever.

Canadians’ mental health continues to be significantly more strained than prior to the pandemic. Employers play an important role in supporting employee wellbeing, and this can extend to creating critical opportunities for them to connect and build community – and the holiday party is a good example. With no shortage of companies offering a host of interactive virtual events, there are plenty of solutions for businesses to find fun and engaging ways to provide some much-needed levity and camaraderie for employees working at home or remotely.

The winter season, and the holidays in particular, can already be stressful or even depressing for many people. Add to that the social isolation from work and fears about COVID, and it can really have a negative impact on people’s motivation, productivity and – ultimately – their mental wellbeing.

Why it’s important

This is the one time of year when everyone expects to have a party and -especially now – it’s a good idea to do something fun and different to provide a mental shift. It’s hard to care about the work we do every day if we feel disconnected to the team that surrounds us. The holiday party can be a good reminder of this and add social glue that helps keep teams motivated.

Be inclusive

Whether planning it yourself or outsourcing it to pros, make sure you get some input from employees – it is for them after all. The key is to design events for a virtual environment, which means plenty of interactivity to keep people engaged and having fun. Be inclusive in your planning; consider things like culture, food allergies, disabilities and even time zones if your team is spread out geographically.

Go pro

The holiday party is a ‘thank you’ for employees. Without the need for expensive venue rentals or transportation costs this year, there’s plenty of room to hire professional companies that can deliver amazing virtual experiences – from hosted trivia games or creative activities to holiday-themed cooking and cocktail classes. Unless you’re a wizard at virtual party planning, consider going pro.

There are good reasons why it’s important to keep to tradition and celebrate the season, even if it needs to evolve to accommodate the new normal. Luckily, a virtual holiday party doesn’t need to be particularly stressful. Unlike an in-person party that requires longer lead times and many facets to coordinate, virtual events can be planned and executed quickly and still shows appreciation for your employees.