We may still be in November, but Christmas will be here before we know it. Whether you run a multinational company or head a team of five, celebrating the festive season with your co-workers is a must, and so below, we’ve put together five of our favourite ways…
Put on the festive music
One of the simplest and most effective ways to get everyone in the Christmas spirit is to start playing Christmas tunes in the office. The chances are that you already have a work Spotify account, so ask everyone for their favourite song and play them throughout the day. There’s an additional benefit to blasting out the tunes, too; music increases productivity, meaning that your staff will not only be dancing along to Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, but they will be working harder than usual in the run-up to the big day. What a result!
Organise a Christmas Jumper Day
Christmas jumpers are always good fun – and nine times out of ten, they’re truly ugly. Ask your staffers to wear their favourite Christmas jumper on a dedicated day, and rank them from best to worst. You could offer a prize to the winner, or simply take a photograph of the whole team to share on social media. Dressing down and trying something different may actually boost staff morale and build relationships, too, so get out of those stuffy suits!
Plan a work night out
No Christmas would be complete without a works night out. Granted, they’re sometimes super awkward and some members of staff have one or two too many drinks, but if you plan in advance and set some rules, everyone will be happy. Organising a work Christmas party takes some time, so get started as soon as possible. You’ll want to decide on a venue, ask whether or not your staff want to sit down for a Christmas Dinner, and budget accordingly.
Run a Secret Santa
Whether you want to admit it or not, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some gifts, so if you want to bring the joy of unwrapping presents to the workplace, then run a Secret Santa that everyone can get involved in. Add everyone’s name to a hat, and allow your staffers to pick a name at random. Set a budget, whether that’s $5 or $25, and plan an afternoon where everyone can unwrap their gifts and work out who their gift giver was. It’s great fun!
Close up shop
If possible, close the office during the Christmas week, so everyone has a couple of extra days to spend with their loved ones and make last-minute preparations for the 25th. If you’re used to giving your staff ten days off, then be generous and offer them 14 instead. Let’s face it: productivity always suffers in Christmas week, and if staff have had the time off to relax and feel rested, they’ll come back to the office in the New Year ready to get back to work.
There you have it – just some of the things you can do to celebrate Christmas in the office. From everyone at Startup Heart, we hope you have a fantastic – and profitable! – Christmas.