Some creative ways to celebrate the holidays in the workplace this season (Morning Call Column by Tina Hamilton)

After a year off from celebrating holiday festivities because of COVID-19, many workplaces are figuring out how to celebrate the season safely with the pandemic still working its way through our region. It is so important, when possible, to give employees a chance to connect and engage with one another and management. Studies show that employees who feel connected tend to stay in their jobs longer.

With that in mind, there are many workplace changes that must be considered for holiday celebrations this year:

At myHR Partner, we put great emphasis on employee engagement. (We’re in the HR business, after all!) This year, we are flying in our remote staff from across the country to our Lehigh Valley office and having our annual company retreat during the day and a holiday party at night.

It is a big investment: hotels, flights, meals, paid time off from billable work. But the trade-off is priceless. I care deeply about my team. I truly look forward seeing them in person — some for the first time. I’m sure their co-workers will welcome seeing their colleagues faces in person as opposed to a 1x2 Zoom video.

The event is more than a party. It’s a chance to create relationships that will pay off in big ways.

I was curious about what other local companies are doing for their teams this year, and I thought it would be helpful to share. Here is a peek at the holiday plans for some companies in our region:

These are some lofty events. But celebrations do not need to be elaborate. They need to show you put in some thought and effort. Other opportunities can include:

In this tight job market, the last thing a company should do is forget to show appreciation. That’s important all of the time — and especially during the holidays.

I hope these ideas are helpful. For those of you who work at companies who do not recognize employees in this way, feel free to leave a copy of my story in the right person’s inbox. The holiday celebration is a worthwhile investment that will impact your company’s morale and ultimately, its bottom line. It shouldn’t be trivialized.