This Year, the Office Party Is Going Online

Like so many other things this year, the annual office holiday party is in danger of becoming yet another COVID casualty.

But it doesn’t have to be. There are alternatives, says the Society for Human Resource Management.

“Managers are finding other ways to help their workers celebrate this year,” reports an article on the SHRM website. Virtual parties and gift exchanges, online team cooking experiences, wine tastings and corporate gift-giving, are some of the ways companies are showing their appreciation for making it through a challenging year.

“While nothing can entirely replace an in-person experience,” says Taylor Paone, senior manager of employee experience and culture at DailyPay, speaking to SHRM, “These initiatives give employees the chance to bond and have a little fun.”

According to the promotional products firm IPromo there’s been a surge in corporate holiday gift orders. Instead of spending on the traditional office party, companies are opting for more expensive gifts employees will use all year.

“Employees may appreciate a high-value gift that they will use often,” more so even than “a once-a-year party,” says iPromo CEO Leo Friedman.

Another option is to host a virtual holiday party. Preciate Social built a platform especially for parties and social events. Different from virtual meeting platforms like Zoom, Preciate Social enables multiple conversations to take place simultaneously. Participants can circulate among others attending the event, striking up conversations similar to how they would in person. There’s even the background murmur of other conversations. Musicians and other performers can provide entertainment.

You can also use Zoom to throw a virtual party. Since the pandemic, YouTube and Instagram have seen hundreds of virtual event how-tos uploaded. This one, explaining how to host a virtual happy hour or party, has been seen 64,000 times and has more than 100 complimentary comments.

Rouxbe, an online culinary school, provides recipes and video instructions for a virtual dinner-making event. Coordinators select a menu from the hundreds of recipes for a three-course meal. Companies can opt to mail the ingredients to each employee or send them a supermarket gift card. At party time, everyone gathers on Zoom to cook together and even enjoy a cocktail.

For companies that have been holding regular Zoom meetings and hosting virtual social events, a holiday gift employees might value even more is time off. Paone says, “Zoom fatigue and the solitude of working remotely is an ongoing challenge and we must encourage staff to step back from the computer and spend time doing activities that re-energize and recharge them.”

Photo by Pineapple Supply Co. on Unsplash

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Tish Halle
General Interest Green Key News Professional Support Worklife

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Tish Halle

Upskilling: Tips & Benefits for Your Organization
General Interest Green Key News Human Resources Leadership + Management Worklife

Upskilling: Tips & Benefits for Your Organization

Forbes Names Green Key on Lists of America’s Best Recruiting and Staffing Firms 2023
General Interest Green Key News Leadership + Management

Forbes Names Green Key on Lists of America’s Best Recruiting and Staffing Firms 2023

Benefits of Offering Summer Hours
General Interest Green Key News Human Resources Leadership + Management Worklife

Benefits of Offering Summer Hours

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Jack Staub
General Interest Green Key News Pharma Worklife

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Jack Staub

How to Stand Out at a Career Fair
General Interest Green Key News Human Resources Worklife

How to Stand Out at a Career Fair

4 Ways that Green Key Creates a Mentally Positive Environment
General Interest Green Key News Human Resources Leadership + Management Worklife

4 Ways that Green Key Creates a Mentally Positive Environment

Approaches in Learning: Differences Across Generations
General Interest Green Key News Leadership + Management Worklife

Approaches in Learning: Differences Across Generations

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Julian Davis
General Interest Green Key News Information Technology Leadership + Management Worklife

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Julian Davis

Mental Health Awareness: Support in the Workplace
General Interest Green Key News Healthcare Human Resources Leadership + Management Worklife

Mental Health Awareness: Support in the Workplace

Updated Markets for the Green Key AEC National Team
Architecture + Engineering General Interest Green Key News Worklife

Updated Markets for the Green Key AEC National Team

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Judy Holt
General Interest Green Key News Human Resources Leadership + Management Professional Support Worklife

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Judy Holt

How to Keep Candidates Engaged During the Hiring Process
General Interest Green Key News Human Resources Worklife

How to Keep Candidates Engaged During the Hiring Process

AI in Recruiting: Pros & Cons
General Interest Green Key News Information Technology Marketing Technology Worklife

AI in Recruiting: Pros & Cons

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Alyssa Durham
Accounting + Finance General Interest Green Key News Worklife

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Alyssa Durham

Green Key Unlocked: The Story of Green Key
Accounting + Finance Architecture + Engineering Financial Services General Interest Green Key News Healthcare Human Resources Information Technology Leadership + Management Legal Support Marketing Technology Pharma Professional Support Worklife

Green Key Unlocked: The Story of Green Key

How to Keep Your Team Motivated
General Interest Green Key News Leadership + Management Worklife

How to Keep Your Team Motivated

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Mia Johnson
Accounting + Finance General Interest Green Key News Worklife

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Mia Johnson

Impact of Women in Leadership
General Interest Green Key News Human Resources Leadership + Management Worklife

Impact of Women in Leadership

Recognizing Women’s History Month in the Workplace
General Interest Green Key News Leadership + Management Worklife

Recognizing Women’s History Month in the Workplace

Latest Blog Posts
View All Posts
#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Tish Halle

#WeAreGreenKey: Spotlight on Tish Halle

Having come from the hospitality industry, Tish took her relationship-building skills to the next level when she started her journey...
Read More
Upskilling: Tips & Benefits for Your Organization

Upskilling: Tips & Benefits for Your Organization

Upskilling is the process of employees at your company learning new skills to advance their careers and pursue new opportunities.
Read More
Forbes Names Green Key on Lists of America’s Best Recruiting and Staffing Firms 2023

Forbes Names Green Key on Lists of America’s Best Recruiting and Staffing Firms 2023

Forbes has named Green Key Resources among their lists of America's Best Executive Recruiting Firms, America's Best Professional Recruiting Firms,...
Read More