Don’t neglect the holidays. Celebrating Thanksgiving in the office can help create and maintain a great company culture. The holiday spirit in the office can keep employees motivated and happy to be at work. Not only do these kinds of celebrations motivate employees, but they can also help strengthen relationships and build communication lines between departments that wouldn’t regularly interact. So start decorating the office and save your appetite!
Luckily, one of the best holidays that everybody can get into is Thanksgiving. After all, eating delicious food is something most of us love to do, no matter what our background may be. It’s not just about feeding faces. You can also use the office celebration as a way to show your appreciation to all your awesome employees.
Here are some tips on how to make your Thanksgiving office celebration a success.
Schedule a Thanksgiving lunch for all your employees. Just because you’re planning a feast day in the office, it doesn’t mean you should neglect work tasks. That said, you’ll want to be sure to give your employees plenty of time to eat and chat. It might even be a good idea to set aside a little extra time for a power nap.
Food! No office party is complete without food, and although it is Thanksgiving, the meals don’t all have to be about turkey. In fact, you might want to skip turkey since most of your employees will be stuffing their faces with turkey and in a daze throughout the rest of the holiday season. Steer the party in a different direction — spice up the festivities with other flavors, like Mexican, Chinese, Italian, and vegetarian meals. A great way to make this happen is with a potluck. The more, the merrier, so be sure that everyone brings a little something. Too busy during this time of the year and don’t want to make your employees cook after work? You can always choose to have your Thanksgiving office party catered!
Don’t forget the sweet stuff! Pies. For some, Thanksgiving is all about the pies. From pumpkin to sweet potato and pecan, everyone has got their favorite. Turn the party into a pie swap so everyone can enjoy a slice of various flavors. Sharing is caring!
Have a Food Contest. Who’s the best cook? If you’ve got some stellar staff members that know their way around the kitchen, consider a Thanksgiving office cooking competition. There’s nothing wrong with a little competition at work, and what better way to do it than with food. After all, even if you lose, you still get to enjoy a variety of different tastes. You can award prizes for the most creative dish, best side dishes, tastiest pies, or best drinks.
Bring Recipe Cards to Share. Sharing recipes with other teammates creates a feeling of comradery; it’s also a great way to get others that don’t normally interact, to do so.
Encourage employees to say, Thanks. Thank you notes go a long way in the office. They can lift people’s spirits and make them feel appreciated. Set a jar up on a table, thank you notes and pens, and encourage co-workers to say whatever they are thankful for.
Hold a harvest costume contest. Who says wearing a costume is just for Halloween? Thanksgiving offers a chance to get dressed up too. From dressing up as pilgrims to your favorite character from Peanuts, there are lots of fun ideas to get into the festive spirit!
Volunteer! One of our favorite things to do goes beyond the office, and it’s volunteering. There are plenty of charitable causes to donate your time to, such as food kitchens and bringing happiness to lonely seniors. Joining a volunteer project is also an excellent team-building exercise.
