10 Best Virtual Recognition Ideas

To Appreciate Your Remote Team

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Labor day is fast approaching! So, as an employer, you don’t want to let your employees down, especially with it this year being virtual! Labor Day is the public holiday honoring the U.S. and Canadian workforce which, naturally, we celebrate by taking the day off work. This year, companies will recognize Labor Day on the first Monday of September.




The general trend across the globe is that the transition to remote work is becoming increasingly more pervasive and permanent.

Companies such as Hewett Packard, for example, have implemented semi-permanent work from home measures that extend until the end of 2021. Other enterprises such as Twitter have made similar adjustments, offering permanent remote work opportunities for all their employees.

However, in the midst of all this change, many companies are now faced with the difficulties of developing creative employee appreciation ideas for their remote workers who may be feeling alienated and isolated from their colleagues.
Need some virtual appreciation ideas to provide them with a cheerful boost?

Here are our top 10 ways to show your employees just how important they are to your company this Labor Day.

1. Online Travel

Why does Japan work so hard? What does a typical working day in New York City look like?
Online travel is an excellent way for your team to transform their perhaps dull home environments into the immersive atmosphere’s of Tokyo, Singapore or New York!

How does it work?

  • Your team members can interact with each other via a chat whilst a tour guide helps you navigate through the hustle and bustle of the various cities
  • Each participant will be able to vote on their favourite activities, thus influencing the tour
  • They'll also be able to partake in numerous quizzes with the opportunity of winning special gifts and prizes

Learn more: Online Travel for Remote Teams

2. IceBreaker Quiz

Whether you're looking to involve newly hired employees, or just keep your remote team members connected, this icebreaker quiz is a fantastic tool to help your colleagues get to know one another in a way that feels natural and light-hearted.

The quiz consists of four rounds:

  1. A perfect Labor Day
  2. Childish pranks
  3. The first job experience
  4. New corporate holiday
The aim is to decipher which statements about your teammates are factual and which ones are lies.

Learn more: IceBreaker Quiz

3. Emphasize a healthy work-life balance

Since there is a strong correlation between employee satisfaction and employee retention, cherishing your best employees is integral to the success of your business. By focusing on developing a culture that values a work-life balance, your employees will be more likely to be happier, which, in turn, will result in higher overall commitment and productivity.
Labor Day is the perfect time of the year to showcase appreciation for your employees with interest in their lives outside of the office.
Instead of working, encourage them to relax, spend time with their loved ones, and truly disconnect from the office. Not only will this demonstrate that your organization is committed to your employee’s well-being, it will also help them recharge their battery so they can be more productive when they return to work.

4. Virtual Murder Mystery Game

This activity is superb for encouraging team collaboration and creativity, whilst also promoting fun and stimulating cognitive problem solving abilities. With this game, your team has the opportunity to collaborate and build a genuine community.
How does it work?
Your team must advance down a hazardous route, solving and completing various puzzles and clues to unmask the treacherous killer.

During the game, the team:
  • Initially receives a unique set of clues for the mystery, engaging each participant in communication;
  • Must then solve cyphers and puzzles to discover more evidence;
  • Must finally piece all the collected evidence together by liaising with crucial witnesses, before finally deciphering the actual sequence of events preceding the murder.

5. Online Learning and Development Courses

Employees working remotely might be feeling a little lost when it comes to their professional development. Working from home every day just doesn’t provide the same social benefits that stems from an office environment.
Additionally, as in-person interactions with management are reduced with new remote work schedules, some employees are wondering how to properly advance in their career.

6. Virtual Happy hour

People love going to a bar when it’s happy hour! Discounted drinks combined with a good laugh with your closest friends? It’s the perfect atmosphere for joy and cheer.
So, why replicate this atmosphere remotely?
Ideally, plan the session for after work on a Friday, to give your employees a kick-started celebration heading into the weekend.

7. Host Virtual Awards Ceremonies

Now that employees are working remotely, it might seem difficult to award that coveted “Employee of the Month” since communication among companies now occurs almost completely virtually. However, it may surprise you to know that Employee of the Month awards (and those similar to them) can still be celebrated with a remote workforce! All you need is an online space for your team.

What can the team then do? A range of activities such as creating spaces; communicating via chat; using whiteboards and sharing videos.

8. National Football League Translation

Did you know that NFL regular-season games typically begin following Labor Day? Although your team can't go to the pub together to cheer for your favorite team, you can still recreate those enjoyable moments by watching online matches together.
Invite your team into a virtual call and ask them to bring a pint of their favourite brew or beverage e.g. beer or wine.
Then, chill out, kick back, relax and enjoy the thrill of the game all together! This encourages increased morale and mutual respect within your team.

9. Form a Music Band or Dance Studio

Your remote workforce are your rockstars, and what exhibits that better than allowing them to form a band or dance posse? Employees can:
  • Show off their talent,
  • Host karaoke nights and,
  • A host of other post-work hours fun activities amongst themselves!
Not only does it allow them to fully express who they are outside of work, but it more importantly encourages them to be comfortable working with each other and building long term rapports amongst each other

10. Spruce up your workspace

A simple yet exciting one- why not order in some indoor potted plants for your team? Also, perhaps consider implementing an office equipment stipend to ensure your employees have everything they need to be productive and successful!
In the midst of an epidemic, it’s not surprising that many companies are struggling to develop and employ creative employee appreciation ideas for their remote workers who may be feeling alienated and isolated in their new work-from-home lifestyles.

Remember that employee appreciation starts with you, the employer, and the most important thing to keep in mind during these unprecedented times is that employees rely on you to keep their morale and spirits high.

Need help guaranteeing your employee’s happiness? Wind4Tune are experts in fostering and significantly boosting your team's morale and productivity, essential for a highly successful and synergetic workforce!
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