10 Ideas to build Team Spirit this Holiday Season!

Celebrating the holidays as a team in the office or remotely is always fun and exciting. However, planning interesting activities and games for your employees can be difficult, even complicated. However, these events are essential to corporate life, as they help create team synergy and a sense of belonging. In the long term, they can even help you increase employee engagement.

In this article, I will give you some ideas for activities to make this holiday season memorable for your employees. Let’s go!

1. Hold a contest for the UGLIEST HOLIDAY SWEATER

One of the most fun ideas during the holidays is the famous ugliest sweater contest. Employees can either buy a ready-made sweater or choose a simpler one and dress it up to their liking. Organize a face-to-face parade, or a videoconference meeting so that everyone can present their ugliest sweater and award a prize to the winners!

2. Engage your employees in a WELLNESS SESSION

For many, the holiday season is a stressful time. Between work, the end of the financial year, gifts to buy and numerous parties to organize, employees often find themselves exhausted before the vacations even begin. To reduce the feeling of stress, there’s nothing better than planning moments of well-being. You could arrange for an after work YOGA SESSION or invite a Presenter to talk to your Team about Tips to Manage Stress.

3. Create a PHOTO STATION

This holiday season, why not put together a photo station by creating a Backdrop and by gathering festive accessories such as Santa hats, jingle bells and tinsel around a dedicated stand? And while you are at it, add some Fake snow 😊 Your employees can then come and take photos by themselves or with their colleagues using these accessories. It’s a simple, inexpensive idea that’s sure to create a warm, engaging atmosphere within the company, strengthening the bond between employees.

4. Organize a POTLUCK

Food has always had the power to bring people together. You could have your team members bring a dish to an evening of celebration. Also, you could consider doing a cooking competition, encouraging employees’ hidden talents to express themselves. Whether you’re choosing a specific cooking theme or a potluck formula, this contest will showcase everyone’s culinary skills. Cooking talents will be revealed and appreciated!

5. Treat your employees to a PYJAMA DAY

If your team is working behind the scenes (not client facing) Pyjama days are a holiday classic, so why not organize one at the office? Ask your employees to wear their best pyjamas for a day of comfort and offer them coffee and cookies to add an extra touch of fun to their special day. For remote employees, you could have a special snack delivered to their home office so they can enjoy it too. This special attention demonstrates the importance attached to their well-being and helps reinforce their engagement with the company.

6. DECORATE THE CHRISTMAS TREE together or have Teams decorate their desks/space

The Christmas tree decorating is a classic so try it. This will showcase individual creativity some of which you may not see before. Or you could have teams decorate their individual desks or space to bring the Christmas Spirit. As well as generating enthusiasm and bringing a festive atmosphere to your workplace, this activity can be a great team-builder.

7. Host a Christmas MOVIE EVENING

What better way to spend the holiday season than immersing yourself in classic films like Home Alone! Christmas movies are known for their ability to create a warm and entertaining atmosphere, and this is sure to be reflected in employee engagement and motivation. So, get the popcorn ready and make yourself comfortable!

8. PLAY BOARD GAMES

Whether it’s online or face-to-face, there’s no substitute for playing games as a duo or group. Board games are always popular for bringing people together and creating laughter. Beyond the results, everyone wins by having a good time. By playing together, colleagues get to know each other in a different way, fostering better mutual understanding and team cohesion. Ultimately, team play can help improve work dynamics and increase employee satisfaction, which in turn has a positive impact on their engagement.

9. VOLUNTEER AS A TEAM

It’s always a good time to give back, but the holiday season is a great time to do it as a team. Ask your employees if they’d like to get involved in supporting a cause close to their hearts. Whether it’s collecting donations or offering your time, volunteering as a team will bring a sense of calm and happiness to your employees. What’s more, this activity is proven to improve people’s happiness and mental health through the social connection it offers. It will therefore have an impact on your employees’ well-being, which is sure to be reflected in their motivation and engagement.

10. Organize a CHRISTMAS SCAVENGER HUNT!

Get creative and Host a Scavenger Hunt giving clues about all things Christmas from Bible Verses to General Knowledge etc. This will be sure to bring your team together. They can work in pairs or more to make it fun and be sure to give a prize at the end. Hint Hint…..make sure the Rules are very clear 😊

Creating little moments of happiness during the holidays is not complicated if you have the right ideas to propose to your employees. These activities, although simple, can have a big impact on employee motivation, well-being and engagement. So don’t wait, choose your favorite activity idea (s) from the list and let the magic of the holiday season begin!

Althea Walters is Corporate Trainer, HR Consultant, Productivity and Business Coach at BLAZING BEYOND.

Connect with her at Email: althea@blazingbeyond.com