There’s no question – holidays at the office (or home office) will be different than last year in the new hybrid work world. We can learn from the past holiday season to make this one even better if we just take stock of what we did, and how we can do it better.
Last Christmas…
At this time last year, everything about returning to work after COVID was still up in the air, and people’s feelings about working remotely made the office holiday party landscape look tremendously different. At that time, a study from Fortune reported that 27% of knowledge workers said that in an ideal world, they’d never want to go back to the office, and an additional 48% expected permanent policy changes to ensure enduring remote work was a fixture. While four out of ten workers pined to return to the old normal, three out of ten dreamed of a new normal. And as burnout began to affect 33% of all workers, employers still had to make merry, and find holiday activities that would revitalize their workforce. Thankfully, creativity and innovation won out.
Rather than having events in-person, office holiday parties took the form of virtual celebrations. But rather than virtual happy hours, The Guardian reported that apps like Upstream allowed workers to create virtual avatars and wander through a holiday market as if it were a computer game. Another company, Event Farm, allowed employees to take virtual classes on things like cooking or comedy classes. PayPal’s employees were treated to a “29-hour virtual party” with events like origami, live music, cooking courses, or magic shows, all on a customized online portal. The possibilities were endless. But of course, that was 2020, and now, we’re in a newer and brighter future filled with even more possibilities.
This year…
For the 2021 holiday season, your social calendar might look a little more packed with non-virtual activities, travel plans, or family dinners. But how are things different now that we’re celebrating holidays around the office? Should we be looking to the past to plan our perfect office holiday party, or to the future?
Get-togethers may be in-person
Whereas last year vaccines were unavailable to the general public, this year, vaccinated coworkers mean in-person get-togethers. While this is great news for everyone who loves a good holiday party, it can also be a bit intimidating if you haven’t seen your colleagues in a year and a half. This may not be the same kind of get-togethers you had before COVID, as your teammates, managers, or executives may have changed roles or changed locations. But don’t panic – just be prepared.
The most important thing to remember about gathering in person is that you want people to feel as safe and comfortable around you as they felt over Zoom. Make sure that you’re well aware of everyone’s individual COVID comfort zone, and respect their wishes to be socially distant without taking it personally. Additionally, they could look different, sound different, or even seem different than the last time you saw them, which could be a bit confusing. Maybe you also look different, and you’re a bit self-conscious about the changes. No matter what, remember that these are the ones that you’ve been talking to the most over what was, for many, an incredibly stressful year. Whether in-person or over the video, they’re your confidants and supporters, and they’ve got your back as much as you’ve got theirs.
More substance, less style
If there’s anything we’ve learned from last year, it’s that office holiday gatherings need to be more than just another video conference. Many companies had the opportunity to flex their programming skills last year or spend a little extra money on a fun virtual experience, and that was enough to keep employees entertained and feeling valued. But the past year has been hard on many, and people’s thoughts about what they value may have changed due to the uncertain nature of this past year.
Whereas last year was about distracting employees from the unfortunate reality of the pandemic, this year, employees are looking for meaning, gratitude, and authenticity. Keep your holiday celebration true to your company mission, and hold an event that’s in line with the positive company culture you want to propagate. If the holidays are about giving a gift to show your appreciation for someone, let the holiday party, gift exchange, or end-of-year bonuses reflect those feelings of thankfulness rather than just mailing everyone a gift card and calling it a day.
Hybrid teams need the chance to connect
Last year, hybrid teams were a non-entity, as no one was working in the office. Everyone was in the same boat and knew each other through Zoom squares and voice calls. However, now that teams have members who are dispersed between offices and home offices, friendships may have emerged over the past few months between in-person colleagues and may have unevenly built bonds with some team members over others.
If it’s at all possible, hybrid teams need the opportunity for an in-person connection. If you’re close enough to all meet, try a safe wintertime activity like a socially-distanced holiday market or a holiday light show. If your team can’t meet in person, for instance, if you have global team members, you might need to do something virtually. But to level the playing field, and not have remote members feeling left out, have everyone log in on their own computers rather than having one larger in-person group and one or two Zoom attendees.
Holiday cheer
No matter what you’re doing this holiday season, whether you’re taking an online course with your team, going to a virtual holiday festival with your entire company, or meeting up for an old-fashioned office holiday party, the most important thing is that you enjoy the holidays as much as you can. The best way to learn from the past is to ask the people that were there, so if you’re planning this year’s holiday festivities and you’re stuck in the planning phase, do a survey and see what people liked and what they didn’t. As long as you make an effort to show your employees how much they’re appreciated this holiday season, they’ll pay it back in spades.
