This year’s Halloween may be a little unusual, but you could still have a good time at work if you creep it up with a few festive decoration ideas. These days, we’re all seeking a little harmless, light-hearted amusement. Now that most of us can return to work, we are dealing with a slew of new pressures, including new protocols for conferences and collaboration, concern about the kids in school (or not), and maintaining good health while out and about. It can be tough to avoid the increased stress at work. However, with Halloween just around the bend, it might be the ideal time to let off some anxious steam.
Toss out the notions of ghosts, witches, and vampires. Inappropriate costumes, safety concerns, and an oversupply of sweets are some of the scariest things HR professionals may encounter on Halloween. According to experts, potential issues are largely avoidable. When determining how and whether to embrace Halloween at work, management should consider the organization’s culture and attitude to diversity and workplace culture and customer impact.
What is Halloween?
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on October 31st in various nations. It’s a night when people are dressed up in costumes, kids trick or treating throughout neighborhoods, and the office may turn somewhat more imaginative in honor of the holiday. Offices may adorn and get into the Halloween mood in the days leading up to the holiday.
Although Halloween is primarily a secular holiday, it does have religious connotations and pagan symbols. As a result, some people may not want to attend company-sponsored Halloween activities. When inviting employees to participate in a Halloween-themed event at work, companies may strike the correct tone by stating things like:
Halloween is a secular holiday at our workplace.
We understand that Halloween isn’t for everyone. You must not feel obligated to take part.
Please don’t wear anything that violates our diversity or equal opportunity employment policies.
Halloween Workplace Decorations Rules
You could argue that regulations are made to be broken, but maturity resides in safeguarding your job. So, if you don’t want to get into any trouble, try to follow these:
No Damaging of Workplace Assets
We are responsible for the assets provided by the office, so it is our responsibility to keep them in good working order. Furthermore, any harm to them would result in a fine on our wage, resulting in a loss.
No Racist Decor
Hurting someone’s religious sensibilities can result in an emotional outburst as well as legal action against you. So, when it comes to decorating your workstation, take caution.
No Reptile Replicas
Although it may sound strange to some, herpetophobia is a fear of reptiles affecting adults and children. They are terrified to even at the sight of these critters, so only bring them if you are confident that no one in the office suffers from herpetophobia.
No Combustible Materials
To avoid a fire incident, do not bring any combustible materials to the workplace.
Avoid Chemical Components
You can instead use food colors mixed with water, which are safe.
Halloween Costume Rules
When determining what to dress, employees should apply common sense. Consider this: ‘Will this costume insult anyone?’ Choose a different costume if you’re in doubt. Halloween has evolved into a more sinister festivity. Costumes can be disrespectful to workers in a culturally diverse workplace, so more regulation and control are required.
Religious leaders’ costumes, for example, that contravene dress regulations or could otherwise be seen as disrespectful. Wearing a papal, nun, Moses, or Jesus costume to work is not a good idea.
Political costumes can be complicated during a tumultuous presidential election in the United States, primarily when Halloween occurs between the debates and Election Day. It might be helpful to remind employees that even once the election is done, they still need to work together.
In a medical context, images of skeletons, ghosts, devils, and other supernatural beings are frowned upon. You may receive complaints from those who have a solid religious conviction.
Halloween Decor Ideas for Office Settings
Halloween decor may be sophisticated and business-appropriate — just enough to add a joyful, playful, and even a touch hostile atmosphere to what may otherwise be a grueling daily routine. Here are a few ideas that will add just enough spooky fall atmosphere to help brighten and lighten the workplace environment, whether you’re adorning a small or solitary desk or if you’re doing a big Halloween makeover.
Pumpkins
Pumpkins may be used to create a lively, warming, autumn-themed vibe in even the most conventional corporate surroundings. Pumpkins hollowed out to offer a home for an assortment of stunning succulents add a delicate and sophisticated Halloween mood. They’re simple to maintain and make a great addition to any office area because they bring nature indoors, which everyone needs for a healthy work atmosphere. Organize a pumpkin carving contest and exhibit all of the submissions throughout the season. Perhaps teammates carve at home and bring their masterpieces in, bring in all the equipment and hold a carving session at work to make the activity more exciting, not to mention a terrific team-building or collaboration experience.
Streamers and Balloons
People are always in the mood for a party when they see balloons or streamers. From approximately August onwards, several stores started selling Halloween-themed accessory bundles that may be used to adorn any room for a relatively low price. The colors of the moment are orange and black, so get a couple of packets and make your own eerie cubicle.
Old and Spooky Lighting
Hang an old light or lantern – coated in cobwebs, of course – in your workspace or cubicle to provide a quirky and festive vibe to your workstation. Glass jar lights can be used to create a ghostly glow. It’s a great way to repurpose neglected canning jars while also bringing a bright Halloween vibe into the office.
Spider Webs
Many spider web variations are available at any Halloween popup or in the seasonal department of your favorite shop. Hang spider webs across dividers or glass in offices, reception areas, or from ceiling to wall. Don’t forget to incorporate spiders of varying sizes for added impact.
Inflatables
At this time of year, blow-up witches and ghosts abound; bring one in to sit on your workstation, hang from the entrance hall, or even save your spot in a meeting. If you think this is a little too much for your workplace, bring in smaller desktop versions of creatures of the night and set them where you can view them during the day to make you smile.
Skeletons and Skulls
Gather all of the plastic bones you can find and neatly position them about your workstation. A full-body skeleton just beside your entrance or in your visitor’s chair, as well as a rubber hand emerging from a drawer, are very effective.
Halloween Office Activities
Party Committee
Committee members can focus on designating teams, decorating the lunch area, informing employees about the celebrations, and other administrative details like paying suppliers and planning a post-Halloween cleanup of the office.
Trick or Treat
For both kids and adults, the best aspect of Halloween is the implied permission to indulge oneself in candies all day. You’ll be the favorite person in the office if you bring in a bag of treats and put them out for employees to help themselves.
Scary Movies
Movie fans will enjoy putting up posters from several of the best horror films ever made. Look for Carrie, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and other horror films to decorate your workstation. A mannequin dressed as Jason from Friday the 13th with a hockey mask would be an excellent complement.
Dungeons and Dragons
One of the more elaborate decoration ideas includes “brick” walls, chains and shackles, spider webs, terrifying critters, and much more. It’s best to use a blacklight to create an ominous glow, as well as a soundtrack of wailing and clanking. Enjoy yourself and go all out – you might win the office-wide decoration contest.
Pumpkin Carving
Get into the season by holding a pumpkin carving competition for the entire workforce, with prizes for the most creative, terrifying, and artistic pumpkins. Individual pumpkins can be carved, or teams can carve a group pumpkin.
Bobbing for Apples
Fill a large tub halfway with water and add enough apples to top the water’s surface, making it much easier to grasp when you dip your head in. Players take turns immersing their heads in the water and using their teeth to catch an apple.
Costume Contest and Parade
A Halloween costume contest and parade will allow the employees to dress up and admire the creativity displayed by others in their own outfits. The parade path can take participants around the office building, and then everyone can join in later.
Photo Booth
Set up a background and pay a photographer for a few hours so that all employees can take team photos or solo shots of themselves dressed up for Halloween.
Food
Food should be themed and potluck-style, with employees bringing their own dish or the office providing food for the employees. Pumpkin muffins with apple cider can be served for breakfast. Mummies in a blanket, a cheese dip served in a pumpkin, and ghoul punch is possible to lunch selections.
When coworkers get together and celebrate but have some fun on Halloween, or any other holiday, it can offer a sense of togetherness to the workplace. There are a variety of DIY Halloween decorating ideas available. Just make sure your managers, coworkers, and office culture are on board with your Halloween decorations.
It’s critical to find ways to have some light-hearted fun wherever we can, including at work. And, while Halloween may appear very different in various regions of the country, we may still cultivate a festive atmosphere at home, at school, or at work. In these extraordinary times, any sense of normalcy and enjoyment is welcome.