Virtual work Christmas parties for remote workers
The work Christmas party is a chance for workers to relax and enjoy themselves at the end of the year. However, it isn’t as easy to host a great Christmas party when some or all your employees are based a considerable distance away from the office – in other words, working remotely.
Fortunately, the last year has shown that it’s possible to have fun at virtual parties, and there are more creative and cost-effective ideas for virtual work Christmas parties than ever. Here are just a few of them.
Virtual wine tasting
Many of us love a glass of wine at the office Christmas party. If your remote team members do too, a virtual wine tasting, over a videoconferencing platform like Zoom, can be a fun thing to do for a work Christmas party.
You can send a list of wines to each member of your team to buy before the party, or you could look into options provided by others for virtual wine tasting in the UK, and have an online store or bar arrange to post the wines out for you.
Christmas quiz
If your remote staff enjoy pub quizzes or trivia game shows, a Christmas quiz is another fun way to celebrate together and encourage some friendly competition.
If you’re writing the quiz yourself, mix in some Christmas quiz questions with general knowledge and even some trivia about your company. Try not to make the quiz too long or too difficult, and perhaps offer a small prize for the winner, such as a gift voucher.
Party boxes
Normally, a work Christmas party would have plenty of food, drink, and decorations. But when your workers are celebrating from their own home, there’s the risk that it might not feel as special.
So, to upgrade your virtual work Christmas party, why not spend money that would normally be spent on an in-person event on some party boxes for each employee? These could have nibbles, party hats and decor, Christmas crackers, and even a mini bottle of wine from your favourite wine bar in Bristol or wherever you are based.
Crafty party
If your remote workers aren’t as interested in a food or drink focused Christmas party, perhaps because they are geographically dispersed and will be joining from different time zones, you could opt for a crafty Christmas party instead.
This would involve sending your employees a box with arts and crafts materials in it, and for your party, you would all make something. Christmas work parties of this nature can involve employees making their own Christmas crackers, wreaths, tree decorations, or cards.
Secret Santa
Your staff may be based remotely, but you could still run a Secret Santa with them this year! Secret Santas are easy to set up, work well for remote teams, and will get everyone in the festive spirit.
Use an online Secret Santa generator to assign everyone, set a spending cap, and provide everyone with the address of their giftee. You could then get your team to open their gifts at the virtual Christmas party over Zoom as part of the celebrations.
Whatever you decide to do for your virtual work Christmas party this year, you should be sure to plan something special for your remote team. Many of us love Christmas, but for some, it can be a lonely time. Check in with your team and create an event that will bring some festive cheer to your remote office.