Research has shown that employee engagement contributes to better performance and higher productivity at work. Engaged employees also have higher job satisfaction and are more likely to remain with a company versus unengaged employees who are on the lookout for other employment opportunities. Besides their work, employees want to be more involved with the organization with an increased feeling of belongingness as a driver for them to go above and beyond to achieve a company’s goals.
There was a commentary piece recently that touched on the term 'employee bore-out' written by Wu Pei Chuan from National University of Singapore Business School titled 'Why Many Workers Are Just Not Very Interested In Their Jobs Anymore' published by CNA.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of peoples’ lives and work. Employees not only had to adjust to new work and life routines but also cope with the feelings of stress and uncertainty the pandemic has brought. Employee engagement, especially in tougher times such as a recession or pandemic, is a key factor for employee performance. A means for companies to boost employee engagement is through events and celebrations. The remote working setup may have limited interaction among employees and changed circumstances to hold events. However, #virtualeventcompanies can offer engaging and enjoyable virtual events.
Here are some virtual event ideas to boost employee engagement.
Virtual Town Hall
Town halls are a means to update employees on happenings in the company. Besides sending out newsletters and posting updates online, virtual town halls are a means for leadership to communicate with employees. A virtual setup means employees don’t have to leave their seats to attend the town hall and can comfortably do so from their own space. Communication is a key factor in boosting employee engagement. Employees feel valued when leaders take the time to reach out and communicate to them, reinforce company goals, and give them a feeling of reassurance especially in trying times.
Virtual Coffee Breaks
Similar to how in-person coffee breaks are a time for employees to talk about non-work topics, virtual coffee breaks give employees a space for informal conversation and take a breather from tasks. Employees can brew their own cup of coffee or send each other gift cards or have coffee delivered to each others’ doorstep. These breaks, accompanied by light chat, can help employees take a moment to get their minds off work and avoid feeling burned out. These kind of small gestures can go a long way to keep morale up and productivity high.
Virtual Game Night
After-work bar-hosted game nights allowed employees to gather after office hours to gather over games and socialize, and a remote working set-up shouldn’t be a hurdle for this not to happen. Host a game night with groups of employees with quiz games like Jeopardy or Family Feud, or gather employees with the same interest or choice of online games to unwind after a day of work. Games are not only a form of entertainment, but also allow people to bond, reduce stress, and improve brain function.
Volunteering Activities and Acts of Kindness
Volunteering gives employees a sense of fulfillment outside of work and helps them feel connected to a cause they’re passionate about and care for. This is also a means for people to express gratitude despite the events going on. Besides monetary and in-kind donations, employees can donate their skills and time to various causes to help and uplift others as well. From volunteering with the United Nations or helping a local organization, there are various social causes ready to welcome people willing to help.
Virtual Open Mic Event
Give employees an avenue to showcase their talents through an open mic event. Performing for others can be nerve-wracking but also allow colleagues to get to value each other beyond the tasks they do for work. Besides participants sharing talents like playing an instrument, performing a stand-up routine, or singing, open mic events can help employees gain confidence they can carry over to work-related tasks.
Virtual Company Celebrations
A work-from-home setup shouldn’t keep companies from celebrating wins, be it big or small. Company celebrations are a means to recognize employees’ efforts, celebrate milestones, achievements, and other special holidays. Celebrations are not only a means to give credit and recognize hard work, but are also a means to make employees feel valued by the company and reinforce that their efforts are what contribute to the company’s success.
Virtual Workshops
A factor for employees to leave a company is the feeling of being stuck doing the same tasks with the uncertainty of growth or progression in the company. Holding virtual workshops is a venue for employees to learn new skills together, be it soft skills for work-related tasks or skills they can use even in daily activities. You can have employees lead these workshops or hire external professionals to lead these sessions. You can also request your virtual event company to recommend experts to you.
Virtual Fitness Classes
Fitness classes are a means to promote healthy habits and encourage employees to take care of their health. Consider your employees’ capabilities in choosing workouts to do, or have different sessions available depending on the level of physical activity they’re comfortable with. These classes may be more enjoyable than exercising alone and are also a means for employees to bond, even virtually, through physical activity.
Remember that these event ideas are customizable depending on your employees’ preferences and that their suggestions for these events can help make these a more enjoyable experience. You can organize these virtual events with an in-house team or hire a virtual event company to help with your event needs and come up with virtual content ideas. Here are 16 unique virtual event ideas for companies to stand out online written by Chaviva Gordon-Bennett. These events can help boost employee engagement and can help enhance the employee experience even through a virtual workspace.
This article was written by Regi Publico for Electric Dreamz, an event company in Singapore. Regi Publico is a full-time writer based in Manila who is also an artist for fun. She takes pride in her towering collection of books and loves reading about anything under the sun. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge through every article that she writes.
Here is a fun video by Electric Dreamz, an event company in Singapore.
Here is another video by our event company on some of our past events.
For more fun videos by Electric Dreamz, an event company in Singapore, visit our event company YouTube channel.
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