As many corporations begin to step into a post-COVID world, many sales teams and planners continue to work at home. The work from home movement is here to stay. With it comes many benefits that both the company and its employees can enjoy, such as lowering overhead in a challenging market, no commute time, and the ability to conduct business still regardless of extenuating circumstances.
At the start of the week, employees that WFT are charged and ready to tackle the tasks before them. However, as the days pass by, it is easy to get fatigued and de-energized from staring at a screen and the monotony of the post-COVID world. Come Friday; everyone may be heard relishing that old lyric from the 1980s sitcom, “Cheers.”
“Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they’re always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name.” (Gary Portnoy, Judy Hart-Angelo)
Here are 7 virtual happy hour ideas to have your own “Cheers” in a digital world
1. Comedy
Nothing brings people together like a virtual comedy show. Laughter is contagious – even in the digital realm. Unlike other entertainers that require props and equipment, comedians simply need people to attend. Comedians help us find comic relief within stressful circumstances and enable us to laugh at ourselves and stop taking things too seriously.
Virtual comedians will unite your work from the home team in laughter, regardless of where they are located. No really cares about what was said, just the fun that you had! Is your WFT staff feeling disjointed and tired of being apart from one another? Team building has never been more fun with a virtual comedy happy hour!
2. Magic
In a world that can seem monotonous and weighed down, we need something enchanting. Something that taps into our curiosity and wonder – where we do more than observe. Something bewildering but also entertaining at the same time. Look no further than magic as one of your next virtual happy hour ideas!
Virtual magic show elicits enthusiasm for the unexpected. When you think you have figured out what comes next, a gifted magician makes you scratch your head with feelings of amazement. Virtual magicians offer a refreshing spirit for the extraordinary for virtual happy hours!
High-tech wizardry involving text messaging, phone calls, emails, and video, our tech-based duo has built an arsenal of interactive magic that can be presented via any online platform. Featured in Forbes Magazine, Doug McKenzie and Ryan Oakes’ world-renowned blend of tech and magic allows participants to not only watch magic, but experience it firsthand – right on their screens, on their phones, and in their own hands. A unique, shared experience that is suitable for any size group, it’s no wonder why savvy companies hire Digital Deception to entertain their remote teams.
3. Music
“Where words fail, music speaks.” ― Hans Christian Andersen
Music is soothing to the soul, distracting to the mind, and encouraging to the heart. Music touches everyone – everywhere. When we are done talking and have reached the point where we are exhausted from listening to the words of other people, music is the anecdote.
While different genres offer different messages and vibes, all virtual musicians have the unique ability to entertain and motivate at the same time. Likewise, because there are numerous genres, virtual musicians offer an extensive menu of opportunities to communicate your message. From classical to hip-hop, virtual musicians will represent your brand and message at your next happy hour.
Evie Clair was a top 10 finalist on Season 12 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent as a singer, songwriter, and pianist. Her first full album, released at age 14, hit the pop charts at #49 with 1.2 million streams just after her original song was featured in a movie soundtrack. A viral video of her first AGT performance was recognized as having the 3rd highest view count on YouTube worldwide for 2018 and now has 235 Million views.
4. Ventriloquist
Once considered something belonging to a by-gone era of the 1970s, ventriloquism is experiencing a resurgence. Popular reality tv shows are awarding ventriloquists high honors in the field of comedy. Today’s ventriloquists are not springing from your grandparent’s vaudeville show. Instead, they are sizzling as pancakes on a cast iron grill, with talent that is engaging and hilarious.
Who doesn’t like talking to a dummy? Who doesn’t like watching someone conversing with a dummy? Ventriloquists speak to any age and any venue. Who doesn’t enjoy watching someone put words in another’s mouth to say those inappropriate things we wish we could all get away with saying! Virtual ventriloquists will bring honest candor in a warm delivery to capture the laughter at your next virtual happy hour!
Taylor Mason has blazed his own trail of unique entertainment, resulting in a schedule jam-packed with performances in every venue for every audience, and is one of a very few who can succeed in comedy clubs, churches, theaters, cruise ships, and for corporate clients that range from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. Blending observational humor, keen musicianship, state-of-the-art ventriloquism, magic and (most recently) virtual programs, Taylor Mason presents a positive, hilarious, unforgettable program that connects people thru those things that bond us: laughter, music, magic and the shared experience of something special, something original and something unforgettable.
5. Mentalist
Mentalists are more than just the mind-readers that conjure up images of circus acts and cheesy tricksters. Mentalists are a sophisticated entertainer that brings a unique event. Each virtual happy hour is a one-and-only experience because the show is dependent upon your work from home audience. Imagine having no script or program. It is an improv form of entertainment.
Additionally, using a mentalist is 100% interactive from beginning to end. Therefore, it is perfect for smaller groups, such as virtual happy hours, because each person can have a part in the show. Using a mentalist has proven to bring audience members together from different parts of the world. A sophisticated event that requires little props and equipment, using a mentalist at your next virtual happy hour, will transform a small investment for giant return.
Colin Cloud has captivated the attention and minds of audiences all around the world with his modern and immersive style of mind-reading. Tapping into his experience as a finalist on America’s Got Talent, where he would engage audience members through their screens at home during every appearance, Colin has developed impossible demonstrations that showcase your WFT staff as the stars of the show.
6. Comedy Magic
Want to laugh and be amazed at the same time? Are you looking to help your team laugh together and experience a virtual happy that entertains? The consider using Comedy Magic as one of your next virtual happy hour ideas! A comedy + magic performer engages with the audience with comedy and magic all at the same time.
In one virtual happy hour, your team will feel they have gone to the local comedy club and magic show. Being well-versed in both fields, these talented entertainers will perform for your team to bring a fun end to a stressful day and ignite the creative juices with the wonder of magic. Comedy Magic will answers the question, “What can we do together as a team that will be fun, different, and worth spending time together?”
7. Virtual Trivia
Many local restaurants offer weekly trivia night. Why not bring the fun to your next virtual happy hour? It’s simple. Choose a theme, and the virtual host will do the rest! Trivia Night can be custom or general. The theme can be based upon corporate events or as a recap to professional training. Or questions can be quirky and eccentric.
Ready to use these virtual happy hour ideas for your work from home staff?
Regardless of the content, the virtual host will engage with each person to create an engaging and inviting experience. No one will be left feeling on the losing end. You may not remember the answers to every question, but you will remember the fun you had! For more information on virtual entertainment contact us at 615 283 0039.
