Effective Holiday Team Building Activities To Boost Productivity

The holiday season is a special opportunity to pause, celebrate and reconnect with colleagues. From parties to festive challenges to holiday messages, this time of year offers countless chances to foster a stronger sense of community and cohesion. Effective holiday team-building activities don’t just spark joy in the moment – they can have lasting business benefits by improving employee morale, productivity and engagement. 

For instance, according to research published in Harvard Business Review, organizations that invest in team-building activities see a 15% improvement in collaboration among employees. Gallup found that employees who regularly participated in team-building activities are significantly more satisfied with their jobs. And the Journal of Applied Psychology published a study that employees’ problem-solving abilities improve by up to 20% after participating in team-building activities. 

Over and over again, the research arrives at the same conclusion: team-building is good for employees and organizations. Here are some fun and practical ideas to tap into the power of teamwork this season, regardless of your budget or team setup. 

The Importance of Holiday Team Building  

There are so many benefits to bringing the team together and celebrating the holiday spirit in ways that resonate with everyone. While Christmas team-building activities and Christmas decorations are popular, this time of year is also a chance to recognize and include other celebrations like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s. 

As you think about the right types of initiatives to organize, keep in mind the importance of embracing traditions and activities that interest all employees – creating a sense of belonging and unity that goes beyond individual holidays. The benefits include:

• Strengthening team bonds: Encouraging team members to connect outside of daily routines and work-related tasks can foster a stronger sense of camaraderie, while shared experiences help build a sense of belonging and trust.
• Enhancing morale: Holiday-themed activities present more opportunities for fun-filled activities than other times of the year, giving employees a chance to unwind and enjoy each other’s company – while fostering a positive work atmosphere.
• Creating Positive Memories: From Secret Santa exchanges to holiday trivia games, holiday activities can create joyful memories and shared experiences that leave a lasting impact.

Planning Effective Holiday Team Building Activities 

Whether you’re organizing for an in-person, remote or hybrid team, a little planning goes a long way toward making the experience fun and inclusive.

1. Set clear objectives: Define what you want to achieve, whether it’s improved communication, stronger connections or simply celebrating together.
2. Understand your team: Choose activities that reflect different personalities and preferences, ensuring everyone feels comfortable and engaged. Some people are more extroverted and thrive in group activities, whereas others prefer smaller cohorts with more room for relationship building. Offer options!
3. Plan the logistics: Set a realistic budget that accounts for any materials, food, prizes or venue costs, and decide on a date and time that works well with everyone’s schedules. If you have a mix of remote and in-office employees, consider hybrid options, such as live-streaming an in-office event or hosting virtual team-building activities.

Festive and Fun Team-Building Activities for the Holiday Season

Holiday-Themed Challenges and Games 

Challenges and games can help draw out the playful side of your team. This could include trivia, a holiday scavenger hunt around the office or a gingerbread house competition where teams can show off their decorating skills. 

These activities don’t have to be work- or industry-related – in fact, it’s better if they’re not! The purpose is to encourage friendly competition, collaboration and problem-solving while adding a festive touch that brings everyone together. Don’t forget to include worthwhile prizes!

Seasonal Volunteer Opportunities 

Giving back during the holidays is a meaningful way to connect as a team while making a positive impact. This could include organizing a community service project, such as volunteering at a local shelter or hosting a charity fundraiser where team members can contribute to a cause they care about.

Volunteer opportunities help create a team-wide sense of purpose and community, bringing everyone together for the shared purpose of helping others.

Virtual Team Building Ideas

For remote or hybrid teams, computer-based holiday activities keep everyone engaged, regardless of location. Virtual holiday escape rooms, cooking classes where everyone shares a favorite holiday recipe, movie night, happy hour or an online Secret Santa gift exchange are options to make sure no one is left out. 

If you’re not sure what employees would like to participate in virtually – don’t be afraid to ask for feedback!

Holiday Parties and Socials

Parties and social gatherings are a classic way to bring everyone together and celebrate. This could be a themed office holiday party where employees can wear festive attire, a lunch during work hours, or a larger-scale company party at a venue on a Friday or Saturday evening. 

These types of gatherings are a great way to improve social interactions and give employees a chance to connect outside of work tasks, creating moments of togetherness that improve the entire team dynamic. 

Measuring Holiday Team Building Impact

Bringing employees together at the end of the year is a worthwhile endeavor regardless of a tangible ROI, but being able to show the impact of the team-building activities can help justify your efforts and get additional support for the following years. 

There are a few ways to evaluate your holiday celebrations’ effectiveness:

• Employee feedback: Collect feedback from team members to understand which activities resonated most – whether it was a holiday twist on classic games, a holiday decorating contest, or simply enjoying holiday music and decorations together. Take advantage of the opportunity to ask for suggestions for next year.
• Observing changes in team dynamics: After the holiday activities, use specific metrics to gauge shifts in team dynamics. You can measure engagement levels through pulse surveys or track participation in team discussions and collaborative projects. Look for indicators like increased attendance at meetings, more active contributions in brainstorming sessions or feedback indicating improved morale.
• Long-term effects: Track the lasting impact of holiday team-building activities by monitoring metrics over time. Look at employee retention rates, engagement scores and overall job satisfaction in the months following the holiday season. If possible, compare these metrics to previous years to identify any improvement in long-term morale or team cohesion.

Tips for Successful Holiday Team Building

It takes a lot of effort to make sure everyone feels included and celebrated during any kind of employee event. The holidays can be even more challenging. 

Keep inclusivity at the forefront of your plans. Make sure activities, from music selections to the types of games and sports, reflect a range of holiday traditions and preferences. This will help create a welcoming and open environment that encourages participation. 

It’s also important to keep the atmosphere festive and enjoyable, yet appropriate for the workplace. Holiday-themed activities like a Christmas Eve-style dinner or seasonal happy hour can be a memorable experience without overshadowing the professional setting. The right balance ensures that team members enjoy themselves while respecting workplace decorum.

And don’t forget to use the feedback you solicited to inform future holiday celebrations! This will help you refine and improve activities for next year, making each holiday season even more engaging.

The Value of Team Building During The Holidays

Holiday team-building activities are a great way to bring holiday cheer to the workplace, strengthen team connections and create lasting memories during the festive season. 

Make your holiday season memorable. Browse our employee holiday experience guide for more inspiration, budgeting tips, expert advice and more!