Thanksgiving is a time of year that brings people together to celebrate gratitude and enjoy time with those you care about. If you caught our email earlier this month, you saw the farm animals' favorite treat is pumpkin!
Work gatherings for Thanksgiving and the holiday season can be a wonderful opportunity to strengthen bonds with co-workers, express gratitude, and build camaraderie within your workplace. However, when it comes to food sensitivities and other stressors these gatherings can present challenges. Let’s explore ways you can be accommodating to everyone and ensure a memorable and fun time:
Communicate and plan ahead: One of the most critical steps in accommodating food allergies and dietary restrictions is open and clear communication. Encourage your colleagues to let you know about their dietary needs well in advance of the gathering. This allows you to plan the menu with consideration for allergies, preferences, and restrictions. It’s also a good idea to have a couple of people to bring a dish that can be easily modified to accommodate various dietary requirements, including gluten free and dairy free options. Having a potluck where everyone brings their own favorite dish ensures your entire team would at least have one dish they could eat as well.
Label allergen information: Whenever your office is hosting an activity centered around food, it’s essential to label the dishes with allergen and dietary information. This way, everyone can easily identify which dishes are safe for them to consume. Make sure that labels are clear and easy to read. It’s also a good idea, if you can, to keep a list of ingredients for each dish to help with specific needs. Watch cross contamination as well—maybe even separate gluten, dairy, and nut free items into a section of their own with a sign that reminds people to only use the serving ware provided.
Just like with any work project, preparation is key, it eliminates the guesswork and keeps the event carefree!
If a Thanksgiving feast isn’t your team’s idea of a celebration you could eliminate the food all together and decide to have a festive fall apple cider social. Here are a few team-building ideas you could use:
Cider Tasting Contest: Provide a variety of apple ciders and have a blind taste test. Participants can rate the ciders on taste, sweetness, and aroma. The winner can receive a small prize. Or go to an apple orchard for this, if you have one close by!
Cider Pong: Similar to the classic beer pong game, use apple cider instead, for an office-friendly version. It’s a fun and inclusive way to involve everyone, including those who don’t drink
Cider Ring Toss: Set up a ring toss game using apple cider bottles. Players can take turns tossing rings onto the bottle necks, earning points for successful tosses.
Thanksgiving office gatherings are an excellent opportunity to foster a sense of community and gratitude within your workplace. By accommodating food sensitivities, you can ensure an inclusive event that everyone can fully participate and enjoy. Remember to communicate, plan ahead and label allergen information. Or opt for the apple cider-themed games or another fall-themed event to make the gathering not food-focused. With thoughtful planning and consideration, your Thanksgiving in-office gathering can truly be a treat for all.
We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving break, and that you get to spend the time in gratitude. The peoplezest team is truly grateful for your business and support. We look forward to continuing to assist you with your executive placement needs.