|
Holiday Cheer at Work
Hi. I am a physician working in a relatively small department. There are 3 physicians, about 30 therapists, and about 10 administrative assistants. We usually have a holiday party but the union that the therapists are in will be going on strike the week we were going to have it. That choice is out of their hands but it has really dampened everyone's spirits. No one wants to do anything to celebrate the holidays now. Instead, we will have a party in January. That is nice but I still wish there was something I could do to help brighten the mood around here. Do you have any ideas? I would be willing to spend $100. I just want to spread some cheer and improve morale.
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Relationships category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Work/School Relationships?
If I were you I would move the party date up and do things like you normally would earlier. Make sure it happens before the strike mandate kicks in. You could always do gifts or your secret Santa stuff now. This way you won't have to wait until January. Also, who says you can't do a party by booking something off site be it now or before the date or even during? Reserve something at a restaurant and do gifts there. There's ways to organize something and move fast and early on it.
]
I assume they are striking only during what would have been their work hours during the day. So whats to prevent all of you booking a room in the Evening and having a holiday party there away from the office?
If it is not about having an actual party but just fun stuff around the office, then I could share a few things a company I used to work at did for employee morale several times a year, They hired a catering truck to offer BBQ lunches in the parking lot, although that was summer. A frequent fun thing was getting an email that there were holiday donuts free in the break room, by dept, we used to draw names for Secret Santa and say it shouldn't be more than a certain amount each like 10 or 20. Decorating the place up goes a long way. Rent or borrow one of those big pots for coffee with the spigot and offer hot cocoa in break room complete with marshmallows, or spiced apple cider with cinnamone sticks in the cup, even using egg nog instead of creamer in coffee gives a bit of Holiday flavor to everything. Choose a day where everyone comes wearing a Winter sweater and everyone votes on their favorite for prettiest, and ugliest. Or make it simpler with just a day that everyone wears some kind of festive Holiday hat wether a Santa Hat, reindeer antlers or any of those head band decorations to wear on your head. So if a party is not possible, perhaps one of these idea could be worked in before or after they are off strike. Personally, I'd go for a party with a room rented somewhere, even a library has event rooms for hire out. Then there are hotel banquet rooms, even a local church with an unused meeting room is usually very glad to rent out a room as someone recently did at our church for an engagement party. That way you have use of the kitchen and have bathrooms on hand and being a private event. it may be okay to bring your own liquer to a party like this. Having a couple of the employees who like to sing or put on a skit would add to the merriment. Hope this gives you a few ideas to get started
]
More Questions: |