With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases putting domestic employees at risk, more companies are now working remotely. While this is the best way to ensure everyone's safety, virtually motivating employees can be difficult, especially during the festive season.

And because you're unable to host your long-established company party, spreading the love will go a long way to motivate your employees. Just get a little creative and celebrate the holiday season in style. 

Let us help you jump start your brainstorming with few ideas!

1. Send your Team Thoughtful Gifts 

2. Arrange a Virtual Gift Exchange

Holidays are a one-time event and need to be treated as such. Unfortunately, things are a little bit tough this year following the global pandemic. More companies are now resorting to virtual parties to celebrate remotely with their teams.

The idea is to encourage your employees to attend this virtual party. With that in mind, play virtual "secret santa" and exchange virtual presents. To do that use a website like Elfster to generate a virtual name drawing and have participants create wish lists. Set a budget and a deadline for gift-sending. Opening gifts together at your remote holiday party is a great team building activity that will connect the team from a distance. 

3. Host a Virtual Party  

4. Budget the Holiday Meals 

Because you won't share your holiday meals, draft a holiday meal budget for your team members. This can be anything from breakfast to dessert as long as it's celebrated virtually. Again, do this during working hours so that everyone has a chance to participate.

To enhance the whole process, draft a budget, and set your limitations right. For example, if your budget won't cater for alcoholic drinks, compensate your employees through your accounts office once they provide a receipt.

And because many directors offer holiday meals either at occasional parties or at the office, holiday meals are a good bet. This way, your remote employees can choose their preferred meals from a local restaurant, so you don't have to fret about planning. 

5. Offer Your Employees the Gift of Time  

Holiday seasons are often busy for everyone, including your employees. While they might not commute every day to work, encourage them to be time-conscious. Do this by offering your employees a day off from their home offices to participate in a charitable event. This way, your team members feel valued and appreciated, even if they are working from home.

You will also enhance the trust existing between you and your employees. Meanwhile, this should continue during in-office schedules. If you haven't done this in a while, the holiday season is a great kick-start. 

6. Send Customized Holiday Cards 

7. Encourage Your Remote Team to Give Back

While holidays are meant for celebrations, it's the perfect time for your team members to give back and support charity organizations. With many organizations avoiding in-person charity due to the global pandemic, they still need a hand to keep everything afloat. 

Team members who are working remotely may be unable to contribute this time around, but you can as well help. As an employer, there are a few ways you can offer support to your employees when it comes to giving to charities during this pandemic. Such include:

• Donation Matching: This is an excellent way to support your employee's donation. Draft a budget and set aside a certain amount for each employee. Involving your company in donation matching will enhance your employee's contributions and show your appreciation.
• Individual Donation Budgets: Once you've drafted a budget, set aside a certain amount to give to all your employees as contributions. Let your company designate the donation in your employee's name to their preferred charity.
• Purchase Charitable Employee Gifts: There are tons of holiday gifts that support charity, so why not buy one for your employee? The World Wildlife, for example, offers digital funds and animal adoptions to fund wildlife conservation and reward the donor. 

Getting a Master of Business Administration (MBA)

With an MBA degree, it's easy to manage your team members while working from home. Moreover, managers with an MBA degree possess good marketing skills, a sense of confidence, and are well-knowledgeable when managing an organization.

Additionally, an MBA allows you to express your ideas reasonably, manage a company's stress, interact with your team members, find solutions to the existing problems, and of course, enhance your creativity for the company's success.

At American Vision University, we are committed to providing a quality education for all that will assist future leaders with their day to day responsibilities. Join our MBA degree program Today!