Spread Holiday Cheer at Work | Ten Ideas for Warm and Wintry Fun

It’s that time of year again, when companies across the country get started planning holiday festivities to wrap up one year and ring in the next.

Whether you’re looking for the best way to spread Christmas cheer or you’re planning to enjoy a sit-down meal as a thank-you for a year of hard work, the holiday season brings good cheer for employees and employers alike. But time and energy can run low at the holidays, and it can be difficult to come up with new (and fun!) ways to get everyone in the holiday spirit.

Holiday activities that suit everyone’s individual schedule and interests can be tough to come up with, but leave it to the Hallmark creative team to help you out. We’ve come up with a list of ten ways you can spread some holiday cheer at work. Creativity is the key, so think outside the box and be sure everyone’s included in the fun.

Here are a few ideas we think you’ll love:

Give from the heart. Get your office involved in charity projects to give back to your community. Especially at the holidays, organizations and businesses look for extra help to fulfill growing needs. Volunteer opportunities abound, so be sure to get a sense of what your team is up for. There are so many people and groups that need assistance at the holidays, so no matter where you decide to volunteer, you can be assured that your teams will all feel a sense of pride and accomplishment at spreading holiday cheer and helping their community. Plus, helping others benefits your business and the community, too, so it’s a win-win.

Get personal. When you personalize gifts and communication, it automatically shows that you’ve gone out of your way to do something for them. They didn’t just receive a form letter—or a greeting card that’s identical to that of hundreds of other people—they received personalized communication from you. Holiday cards at Hallmark Business Connections can be personalized with your own message and signature after you’ve selected the design you want. And for connections with an extra-special touch, try our Mail to One service, which allows you to select a single card, personalize it and then Hallmark will stamp and mail it for you. There’s nothing like receiving a personalized holiday card to make you feel special … what better way to let them know how important they are to you!

And for the professionals who deserve a little bit more, like executive assistants or receptionists, you can surprise them at the holidays with a lovely bouquet of fresh cut flowers from Hallmark or treat them to a selection of delicious and decadent chocolates from Christopher Elbow to show your gratitude.

Show how much you care. When you show compassion, you show your human side to your employees, and they see you as understanding and empathetic. Personal issues can affect how employees accomplish their day-to-day work duties, and especially around the holidays, individuals and families may struggle to fit in all the family activities, additional extracurricular activities and work events that come their way.

According to Forbes, employees are motivated by more than money. They appreciate things like autonomy, flexibility, recognition and time off. At the holidays, lean into this knowledge by being flexible, allowing scheduling changes when possible and recognizing your professionals for all the hard work they did throughout the year.

When you show understanding and trust to your teams, they will reward you with their loyalty and hard work.

Celebrate diversity. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Ramadan Mubarak. Happy Kwanzaa. And don’t forget Las Posadas, Three Kings’ Day and Winter Solstice. Your employees celebrate this festive season in a variety of ways, so remember to promote inclusiveness by being mindful of the fact that some people celebrate differently than others. It is also important to remember that some people don’t celebrate this holiday season at all.

When it comes to accommodating religious needs, some ideas for employers include substituting or swapping shifts for employees who request time off for religious reasons, providing flexible scheduling during the day and allowing flexible arrival and departure times, as well as flexible work breaks. You may also consider adding a floating holiday or two that employees can use to satisfy religious duties without disrupting schedules.

Make sure participation in holiday activities is optional and that no one feels obligated to participate in workplace festivities. Above all, the holidays are a time for everyone to feel accepted and loved.

Celebrate your team and promote a positive office culture. Employees thrive when they receive feedback for their work. When you take time out to recognize them for a job well done, you reinforce a positive office culture. Did you know that a lack of recognition is one of the top reasons that employees leave their jobs? Sixty-six percent say they would leave their jobs if they didn’t feel appreciated, so let the holidays help you out as you get jolly and celebrate your teams at the same time.

The holidays fall at the end of the year, which is the perfect time to shine a spotlight on your team for a year full of long days, tough projects and big wins. Take some time out to let them know how important they are to the business and how appreciated they are by you.

Make a human connection. This is the perfect time of year to stroll through the halls, chat with employees and connect on a one-to-one level. The holidays are all about warmth and memories, relationships and connections, so take this opportunity to get to know the professionals on your team a little better.

When you build professional relationships and strengthen connections with your team members, you’ll likely see better collaboration, more productivity, higher employee morale and more engagement overall. When you develop these connections, you’ll also build a comfortable rapport and increase the level of trust that exists between you and your teams.

Serve up very merry treats. If you work in an office building, you know there’s almost always something to eat in the break room, and if it’s holiday-themed food, even better! Encourage employees to plan an organized food day for the holidays to celebrate and enjoy their favorite dishes together.

Select a point person to keep everything organized and invite employees to sign up to bring the holiday foods they love. This is a great way to promote inclusivity, too, by encouraging employees to bring favorite traditional dishes they enjoy with their friends and families.

Make your generosity meaningful. If you decide to give your employees an expression of gratitude at the end of the year, take into consideration what might be more appreciated and have the most positive impact.

Especially in times of economic strain or uncertainty, it is important to consider the gift you choose to give your employees. Your generosity is appreciated and never taken for granted, but there are some gifts that are more helpful than others. For example, some companies give every employee a gift card at the holidays—a generous choice that allows individuals to choose the item(s) they need at their convenience. While gifts like gadgets, snacks, office supplies and other similar items are fun to receive and often useful, they may not be as meaningful or have as much impact as a gift card or a cash gift.

Talk about people. That’s right, get the gossip mill going, but in a GOOD way! Wrap up the year and jolly up the holidays with a little bit of hot goss about your favorite office people.

While managers often remind their teams to keep the gossip channels turned off, this time, it’s gossip that you don’t mind getting back to the person you’re talking about. Someone land a hot account? Brag mercilessly about them. Someone nail a presentation in front of the CEO? Talk about them to everyone and endlessly praise their public speaking skills.

It’s such a good feeling to do a great job at work, but what makes it even better is when it’s noticed and acknowledged by coworkers and managers. What a terrific way to boost employee engagement and satisfaction!

Ring in the new year with a Hallmark Business New Year’s greeting card. Keep everyone’s festive spirits lifted just a little longer when you surprise them with a New Year’s card from Hallmark Business Connections. Remind employees that their hard work is the key to your successful business and that you’re eager to see where all of their hard work takes the business in the coming year.

This year at the holidays, turn your focus toward employee morale and engagement and look for ways you can boost the mood at your place of business. If you’re looking for the best way to spread Christmas cheer, small gestures like giving everyone in the department an extra break or bringing donuts to the morning meeting will be met with joy. And your team will be spreading Christmas cheer to many if you plan a team outing and donate your time at a food bank or plan a community trash pickup. Whatever you plan for your employees as a way of spending time together at the holidays, it’s important to treat it as a team activity that will unify and strengthen your group.

As the twinkle lights go up around town, you’ll start to notice a twinkle in the eyes of everyone at work, too, as you empower them to get engaged with their team, give back to others and get involved with the community.

Want to learn more about how you can get your team engaged and involved? Learn about simple employee appreciation strategies when you read Sharing the Love With Your Employees in 2024.