The holidays are going to look a little different this year. Here at PowerToFly, we've always been an all-remote team, and we'll look forward to participating in our favorite holiday traditions, like our annual Secret Snowflake, where team members are assigned a coworker, learn about their passions and interests, and donate to a charity in their name.
We were curious about how our PowerToFly partners are planning to create a festive holiday environment as some of them work remotely for the first time and others are, like us, building on long-standing remote-friendly traditions. So we asked them!
Companies across industries shared with us their new plans, as well as some of the tried-and-true traditions they'll look forward to picking up again next year. Read on for the creative ways these 16 companies are closing out 2020 and gearing up for the new year! (And for some nostalgia-inducing photos of great in-person celebrations from previous years.)
SoundCloud is partying (virtually!)
"Things may be different this year but one thing is still true: SoundClouders love to celebrate. 2020 has been a wild ride, so we will certainly be taking the opportunity to come together, reflect on the year gone by and, most importantly, have some fun together. We are planning a virtual party like no other, spanning all four offices and three time zones. All entertainment is being provided by our talented SoundClouder DJs and musicians, and there are even rumours of a guest performance by our CEO (!). As well as a party, each SoundClouder will be receiving a very special gift delivered to their doorstep and, in the spirit of giving, have the opportunity to nominate and vote on five charities who will each receive holiday donations from SoundCloud."
Learn more about SoundCloud.
Photographer: Kasia Zacharko
Bounteous is rewarding their team with a bonus program
"Bounteous has shown great measures in caring for our team members in a year of heightened uncertainty. A number-one priority for the agency during the pandemic is to not have any furloughs or lay-offs, and we've worked hard to keep that promise by managing budgets, workload, and offering optional time off if needed to deal with work/life challenges. We're proud of our 26% growth year-to-date, within-the-walls promotions, and a meaningful bonus program providing each team member a stake in the company in an unprecedented economy.
The purpose of our bonus program is to reward the extraordinary and the difference makers. Career Coaches are asked to assess each team member's contribution, keeping in mind financial impact (growing the company), outstanding effort (executing job responsibilities), and remarkable contribution (above and beyond project work). Our bonus program is essentially a contract between our Board and Bounteous based on earnings, and are distributed in a matter that fully allocates our bonus pool to team members in accordance with their career level and bonus category. It's our way of giving back and reinvesting in our team for all of their dedication throughout the year."
Learn more about Bounteous.
Vouch is bringing traditions online with a virtual White Elephant
"We are keeping the holiday spirit alive this year at Vouch. We are continuing to give back to our local communities by contributing to two local turkey drives, celebrating by holding a whiskey tasting happy hour, and ending the year with a virtual White Elephant event."
Learn more about Vouch.
Vouch's 2019 White Elephant event when the full team came together in San Francisco.
Hopin is sharing local celebrations and celebrating the vacations they want
"At Hopin, we love celebrating throughout the year! At the end of October we had a virtual costume contest as well as a pumpkin carving contest. Friday, December 4th, we had our End of Year Celebration where the theme was Your Dream Vacation. We dressed for the vacation we want, not the lockdown we have. We also used the Hopin Platform to have Expo booths where anyone can build a booth to teach us about a personal, regional or national holiday tradition and include a fun YouTube video or Google Slides deck to show us what it's all about. We love celebrating with everyone!"
Learn more about Hopin.