Everyone in the healthcare industry knows that it’s not possible to step away from work for an extended time during the holiday season. Medical care is an ongoing necessity, which is why healthcare providers often have to take shifts during big celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

Just because people are coming into work doesn’t mean it should feel like any other day of the year. You can improve employee satisfaction by creating a festive environment so office staff and medical providers can enjoy their time at work through the holidays.

What Thanksgiving traditions do you use in the workplace? Here are a few ideas that will add a little festivity and show your employees that you care. Not only do these traditions boost employee morale, but they are also safe to implement during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Create a Thankful Board

A simple wall hanging is a great way to help everyone share their thoughts about gratitude. For example, you can hang a poster board and provide markers for employees to use. Or, offer Thanksgiving-themed cutouts, such as turkeys or fall leaves, where people can write what they are thankful for and hang them on the wall.

2. Start a Charity Drive

Help people feel the light of the holiday season by sponsoring a charity event or fundraiser. Offer optional participation for employees and patients. Many people will be motivated to offer their support for a good cause. Pick a charity in the community, so you are helping families close to home. Facilitate community volunteering by giving employees paid time off to help on the selected volunteer project.

Giving back as a group helps to foster team spirit. Other charity ideas include:

• A canned food drive.
• Serving at a soup kitchen.
• Donating money to a local organization.

As a bonus: this volunteer work creates exposure for your organization.

3. Host a Meal

Many offices bring in a catered meal for people working on Thanksgiving Day. Also, consider catering food on the days before/after Thanksgiving to reach out to employees who aren’t working on Thanksgiving. Due to COVID safety concerns, it’s best to cater the meal from a restaurant that can provide individually-prepared meals instead of potluck-style serving.

4. Thanksgiving Games

Set up a few festive games that allow for social distancing. These games might seem silly but can spark some laughter and fun during breaks and lunch. Examples of fun games include pumpkin bowling with water bottle “pins” and using a round pumpkin as a bowling ball. Or, have a company-wide tournament for a competitive game of pin-the-feather-on-the-turkey.

5. Send Thank You Notes

Send holiday greetings a little early this year by giving each employee a thank you note during the Thanksgiving season. Make it extra special with a handwritten, personalized message instead of a generic card to the whole team. If you have a more extensive staff, you might enlist managers or team leads to help with card writing since they know the employees.

6. Share Favorite Recipes

Create a holiday cookbook to share with the team. Invite everyone to submit a favorite holiday recipe, then consolidate these recipes into a book that staff members can take home. People love sharing their family traditions, favorite cookies, or holiday treats – and everyone will love the new ideas when planning holiday meals this year.

Happy Thanksgiving to Your Office and Your Family!

Our staff at RecordQuest would like to offer our sincerest wishes to your office and family during this Thanksgiving season. We hope that you can enjoy the holidays and have fun with traditions that make the celebrations memorable.