As those of us in the United States just celebrated Thanksgiving, a time that I was truly grateful to have so much to be grateful for, we still continue in this very difficult year of 2020. The calendar is now reminding us that this is a time of giving, appreciation and celebration. How does this impact you as a leader in your organization?

As a previous HR executive, I belong to several HR forums. For the past several months, many HR professionals have reached out to these online discussion communities asking for ideas for best ways to celebrate and acknowledge their employees during this year of “non in-person gatherings”. Many suggestions have been shared including:

• Sending a gift basket to the employees’ homes – ranging from candy to fleece jackets to full meals and more
• Sending Holiday cards and/or gift cards
• Handwritten notes from the leader directly above the employee’s direct manager
• And more…

How Will You Appreciate And Celebrate Your Team

If you have yet to decide how you will appreciate and celebrate your team or your organization, it is important to think about what would resonate most with them! And, in this year where many people feel disconnected and/or isolated, connection is likely to be very important. So what might that look like?

In my personal conversations with companies looking to come up with a meaningful solution to recognize and celebrate their employees, we have looked for ways to connect with their employees and/or help their employees find balance and peace during this time of overwhelm. One type of celebration/connection activity that has received a great deal of interest is to develop a fun, engaging, and interactive virtual experience with a team connection focus. Some companies or teams who have the time and ability to engage in these activities in December are choosing to do so. However, some organizations and teams are looking to have these celebrations after the first of the year, as even during “normal” times, December is a very hectic month. 

If employee engagement, retention, and connection are important to you, I would be happy to schedule a complimentary call to brainstorm a helpful approach. Let’s connect.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John F Kennedy