We know many HR and IT Hiring Leaders who are now reimagining the holiday office party. Some have tabled it for January (a practice that has gained momentum the last few years) while others are leaning on the all-important gift to close out 2020.

Hey, when the going gets tough . . .

We don’t know when a vaccine will be widely available, and uncertainty is one of the few certainties we have right now. All that said, no need to sideline connection until the ship is righted.

The movie industry is streaming first. Retailers are shipping same-day. You’ve got every opportunity to make 2021 the Year of Belonging so . . .

Connect through fun!Empowering employees through shared trust and greater unity builds Inclusion. Neuroscience teaches us that making things fun is the straightest line to learning.

Could you start a team meeting with a comedian’s clip? Or play a round of holiday bingo? How about a scavenger hunt where people share the things they’ve found on the list via Zoom? (Read further for more ideas!)

When people feel a sense of real belonging, a little spark is ignited. They feel like they matter, their contributions are valued, their story as an individual is better understood.

As we approach the New Year, find ways for greater connection. Be mindful of people’s journey and your journey too. We’re all walking together here.

This holiday season may we all know we belong to each other and that’s what makes life and work fun.

Have fun,

CEO | Founder of InspiHER Tech, a Laso Company

Our why: #HireMoreWomenInTech

Stay connected in 2021. We can all use a little fatigue relief. Our world has narrowed, challenging HR and IT Hiring Managers to create a sense of belonging. Here are ideas to InspiHER positive connection and appreciation for your team:

• Make whatever you do fun!
• Wine tasting – send a bottle to each person on your team and share your ratings
• Gather your team and share a love of learning with Airbnb “experiences” like  professional chefs, tours of exotic cities and music.
• A Starbucks gift card and a handwritten thank you note never disappoints
• Flowers or some type of home desk embellishment
• Screensaver shot for employees
• Send a card or deck of cards as a reminder of company mission, vision, values
• Pair a Barnes and Noble gift certificate with a monthly book sharing conversation
• Old fashioned board games are in!
• Online exercise or yoga session InspiHERs people to move together

Perspective. Bring back simple. In the Unstoppable Series, a monthly conversation we host for the InspiHER Tech “IT” Community, we brainstormed on ways to raise a sense of belonging. Parminder B. said: “We do Monday Motivations.” Never underestimate small acts of belonging to create big change.

Work culture and the biz ecosystem. Could respect and Inclusion in the workplace set the stage for Women in Tech to grow in other ways? We say “YES!” Think Butterfly Effect (you know, a flap of wings in New Mexico causes a hurricane in China).

All Raise, the nonprofit led by CEO Pam Kostka, has grown to 20,000 members and raised $11 million to InspiHER greater equality for Women in Tech. While the number of female investors has risen from 9% to 13% since All Raise started two years ago, funding to women founders has gone down in the pandemic and sexual harassment up (Women Who Tech). In the study, 48% of women working in tech said they had experienced sexual harassment compared to 11% of men. All that doesn’t even touch the abysmal hiring and funding for women of color.

Your long view on Inclusion and Equity impacts much more than just your company. Everything is connected. You’re architecting the future of how business gets done.

Tech @ Work. Remote work means, well, you’re not sharing the same space. Sigh. How do you celebrate work anniversaries and client wins? Or honor someone’s departure or welcome new people? Make a video! VidHug is group video tech making shared positivity possible. InspiHER people to feel included and valued in a creative way.

Want more virtual connecting? Museum Hack has 22 ideas! Some favs: Ugly Sweater Party (where, on the invite, no-shows allegedly get put on the naughty list). Make a card featuring a Zoom snapshot of the team (Invite pets to join in? Great postcard to send clients in 2021 so they see the people behind the work?). Build unity through charitable gestures as a group: host a letter writing session, bringing well wishes to soldiers or senior citizens.

You are a difference-maker in your organization.
Who you hire, how you hire, and the culture
of inclusion and equity you create become a
salve to the world’s wounds and InspiHER’s joy. #WeAllBelong