“I’d like to do something at work that picks up the morale. Any ideas?”
My HR Survival Tip
Employees generally love to have fun with their coworkers so that’s a great place to start. Since Halloween is just around the corner, let’s focus on that but this information could apply to many scenarios. Whether it’s a holiday party or just decorating the office for different holidays throughout the year, what you do can have a big effect on your employees.
According to a Halloween survey by Glassdoor last year, employees like celebrating Halloween and having fun with it. When surveyed about employer-hosted events, employees voted as follows:
- 59% believe events boost morale
- 50% believe events support team building
- 40% believe events build company culture
- 49% see events as an opportunity to connect with employees in different departments
- 43% said events help connect people from various job levels
The survey also listed the type of Halloween celebrations the employees enjoyed the most:
- 42% liked decorations
- 40% liked free candy
- 31% liked having a Halloween breakfast or lunch
- 29% liked an office party during business hours
- 27% liked costume contests
Don’t feel you need to spend a lot of money. A bunch of pumpkins and 30 minutes of the employees’ time is all it costs one company I know. They hold an annual contest to see which employee team comes up with the best 8×8 foot display and senior staff acts as judges. Employees spend their own time planning and bring all the supplies needed for their display. It’s a great team building experience but it’s also such fun that everyone looks forward to it each year. The effort and creativity those employees exhibit is truly amazing.
If you decide to celebrate, make sure your employees know your expectations in advance. Also consider providing some guidance on just how far employees can go with costumes. Some may be inappropriate for the office… even on Halloween!
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