The holidays are right around the corner, and that means celebrating at work. The holidays are a perfect time to improve company culture and bring people together. It is a time of celebration, and companies and businesses need to take advantage of that. One way this can be done is by creating workplace traditions. Workplace traditions bring a sense of community to the office, and it is something that employees can look forward to year after year. It is also a great way to create memories with coworkers and colleagues. Here are some ideas:

  • Have a potluck luncheon where employees can sign up to bring their signature dish. This allows everyone to come together and share delicious food, celebrate, and spend some time together that is not strictly related to work.
  • Host a holiday food or clothing drive. Helping others feel good, and working towards a common goal is always good for morale.
  • Throw a holiday office party! This gives everyone the opportunity to get dressed up and celebrate a year of hard work with delicious food and cocktails.
  • Share in the spirit of giving with Secret Santa. Employees who want to participate get to pick a coworkers name and become their Secret Santa! Set aside a week before Christmas where employees can bring in small gifts, usually $2-3, with little clues. Then, have a big reveal where everyone gets to find out who their Santa was and a bigger gift exchange can happen!
  • Create a giving tree. Place a tag on the tree in place of ornaments, and allow employees to choose a charity they would like to donate to. As the tree fills up with donations, holiday cheer will fill the office. The giving trees can also be done with gifts of hats, gloves, and other cold-weather gear to donate to those in need.

Some other ways that the holiday spirit can be brought to work is by decorating. Sparkly lights, garland, wreaths, and more can really make the holidays come alive. Encouraging people to decorate their office or cubicle can be very fun! You could even host a holiday decorating contest with a prize! It warms up the office for employees and visitors. Also, giving employees the time to focus on their end of the year work can help relieve stress during the holidays and make for a happier office during this time. Giving employees time off during the holiday season can also improve job satisfaction and lead to a better holiday season for all.

Finally, it is important to keep all holiday activities fun and low pressure. Welcome everyone to participate, but do not force anyone to join in either. Know that the holidays are a busy time for everyone and people’s schedules may be full if planning an outside of work activity. Overall, celebrate and take in this special time of the year with all those you value at work! It is a great time to show appreciation for the hard work everybody does and have a good, joyful time at work.