You don’t need us to point out that 2020 has been a challenge. From the global pandemic to the upcoming presidential campaign, many people feel anxious and worried for various reasons. This year, nearly half of Americans report the coronavirus crisis is harming their mental health, according to this Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Another poll registered that people in emotional distress registered a more than 1,000 percent increase in April compared with the same time last year.

We also have many people working remotely, which can feel isolating. Because of this, it is more important than ever to focus on choosing joy and spreading fun in the workplace. Not only does this keep people engaged but motivated and encouraged as well. After all, happiness is infectious, right?

With that in mind, here are some ways we at The Farmers Bank choose joy and spread fun:

Host a virtual celebration

We may not be able to have celebrations in person at the moment, but nothing stops us from having virtual celebrations. There have even been companies that have set-up during this period to supply people with Zoom party packs for virtual celebrations.

Your virtual celebration can include creating fun videos from your employees as they work from home and awarding employees who have been nominated by their peers. We’ve recently had a virtual celebration at The Farmers Bank, where we recognized and awarded employees virtually. We had a lot of fun recognizing employees for living our core values. We “hired” celebrities, through cameo, to announce the winners through videos. It was a great way to get everyone together and boost morale!

Write notes of encouragement.

We have found that humor is a great way to connect and bond through this challenging time. At our office, we’ve found ways to make people laugh by sending notes and emails containing memes, jokes, funny videos, and comics. There is lots of entertaining material that you can send to staff members to give them a good laugh!

We can’t underestimate the difference humor and encouraging notes can make in a person’s life. You never know when someone is feeling down or having a stressful day, and many people are good at hiding it. Merely sending a positive or funny note can make a massive difference in someone’s life!

Find national days to celebrate.

There is a national day for everything these days! This includes everything from National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day (November 12th) to National Slam-Dunk Contest Day (November 28th) to my favorite, Middle Child Day (August 12th).

For every day of the year, there are a few national celebrations that are going on! Pick a few that members of your office would enjoy. This presents plenty of fun ways for you to boost morale throughout the year.

Don’t be afraid to poke fun at yourself.

Being able to laugh at yourself is a great trait to have, especially as a business owner or corporate leader. If the people at the top can laugh at themselves, it makes them more relatable, and it makes everyone feel more comfortable.

Send out funny jokes once per week.

Medical studies have shown a few minutes of laughter can reduce blood pressure, increase immunity response of the body, and boost heart rate. Watching or reading something humorous before sleep can also help people sleep better and longer. We celebrated “Laugh Out Loud” Day at The Farmers Bank by leaving a Broadcast Voice mail of dry and funny jokes for the week ahead.

There you have it: some of the different ways you can choose joy and spread fun during this challenging period. We all need to do our bit to lift our employees’ spirits, now more than ever. We hope that you have found these suggestions helpful!

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Karen Gregerson is President & CEO of The Farmers Bank, a locally owned and operating bank with 10 banking offices in Central Indiana.

The Farmers Bank is a $700 million asset organization chartered in 1876 with headquarters in Frankfort, IN.  The Farmers Bank is locally owned and operated with 10 banking offices located in Central Indiana providing retail, business, investment & trust services, mortgage, and electronic banking services.  Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.