October TIP - Fall Holiday Season

October TIPS

 Fall Holiday Season

On their website, the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) provides several great tips and reminders about upcoming events and holidays. Highlights include:

• Drug Free Work Week (October 18 - 24) – a great time to review health and safety ideas and encourage workers struggling with substance abuse issues to seek help.
  
  
• Halloween at the Office – have some fun with team-building exercises around this time, but be sensitive to differing views of the holiday, de-emphasize costumes and what some may deem overly frivolous activities.
  
  
• Veterans Day – think of ways to provide special thanks and to honor those who have served in our military.

• Additional seasonal ideas include sponsoring activities that promote a sense of gratitude among employees around Thanksgiving.
  
  
•  Flu awareness communications - to minimize illness among employees.

Generally, holidays offer a wonderful opportunity to improve camaraderie and team spirit. Put some effort into planning events that while sensitive to diversity, give employees a chance to get to know one another better and share some enjoyable social time.

Also, recent Gallup research emphasizes the importance of community involvement in creating an overall sense of well-being for individuals. Can your work group honor this season with activities to do together that benefit the community? Sponsoring teams in fun walks and runs, signing up for a group work time at the food bank or doing something special for a school might be good holiday-related service activities for your employees.

If you are looking for some special team building activities, Weaver & Associates can assist you with putting together a great one-day, or multi-phased team-building program.