Explore the special days and themes for the month of October!
This calendar is a guide for you and your team to use as you plan meaningful, internal events and activities virtually for October. This month has a focus on Breast Cancer Awareness and LGBTQ history. It is also an important time to support working parents on your team and help to improve work-life balance.
Add Epoch’s calendar to be ahead of 2021’s cultural and holiday events!
Add Epoch’s calendar to be ahead of 2021’s cultural and holiday events!
The world truly runs on coffee, especially for employees who need to get through a busy day at work. Where would we be without it? Since October 1st is international coffee day, why not treat the coffeeholics on your team to a gift card for their favorite coffee shop! No employee should be without their coffee on this day.
Idea: Another way to bring together the coffee lovers on your team is by creating a dedicated #coffeelovers Slack channel where everyone can share their coffee-making tips and their go-to coffee order. Additionally, you could host an all-day coffee chat event where employees can drop in and have light conversations with co-workers in a virtual setting.
Idea: You could even run a coffee-tasting event and send out samples of coffee from around the world to the attendees. Have a coffee expert lead the event and answer any coffee-related questions at the end of the session.
World Mental Health Day brings awareness to mental health issues around the world and supporting those around you. It is important to check in on your employees not just today, but throughout the entire year. Happiness and mental wellbeing is closely tied to productivity in the office. The consequences of poor mental health go beyond affecting one’s work, there are serious implications and outcomes that could occur. It never hurts to check in on others and offer a listening ear.
Idea: Use this day (or month) to implement policies, activities, and initiatives that promote and increase the wellbeing of your entire team. Since the switch to remote work at the beginning of the pandemic, many companies have opted into hosting regular wellness events for their employees virtually. This helps to keep morale high and foster a sense of community even though we can’t all be in the same place physically. Great options include yoga, meditation, music breaks, or fitness classes.
Idea: Additionally, there are many incredible organizations that are dedicated to providing support and resources to those struggling with their mental health. Organize a team fundraiser where donations can be collected for one of these leading organizations.
This day brings awareness to those who are blind or visually impaired and the tools that are necessary to support them. The white cane is an essential tool that allows those who are blind to be able to achieve an independent life.
Idea: The National Federation of the Blind provides resources, educational information, and event ideas for this special day (and throughout the year).
World Food Day takes place every year on October 16th to commemorate the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization. The theme of this year is, “Our actions are our future. The food you choose and the way you consume it affect our health and that of our planet.” - Food & Agriculture Organization. Small actions can make a huge change, and this is an important topic for everyone.
Idea: If you are looking for ways to get your team involved and take action, here are some great starting points from the organization. If you want to get the children of your employees involved as well, the organization is running a poster contest showing a food system. Find the contest details here!
October 16 is the chance to celebrate your boss and all of the work they do for your team. Since this year the 16th falls on a Saturday, employees usually choose to celebrate it on the closest week day. This special day was created to improve the office relationships between employees and their boss, and to appreciate the work that goes into running a team or company!
Idea: A great way to show your appreciation is by giving them a heart-felt note about everything they do for you. You could also get your entire team to sign a greeting card with a message and contribute to a gift for your boss. Another great way to celebrate your boss is by creating a Happy Hour (virtual or in-person) where employees can drop in, give a cheers, and have a chance to share their appreciation in-person with their boss.
Spirit Day is an annual LGBTQ awareness day dedicated to supporting LGBTQ youth by standing up against bullying. Wearing purple on this day is a way to show that you take the pledge and show solidarity with youth. It is the largest LGBTQ anti-bullying campaign in the world.
Idea: GLAAD has so many incredible resources and ways for your team to get involved and go purple on October 21st! Take the pledge, educate your staff and your co-workers, donate too support, and spread the word! Partner with your LGBTQ ERG to host a panel on anti-bullying, plan a learning talk and/or create a fundraiser to raise money to support the GLAAD organization.
This day celebrates one of the most important inventions, the internet! This day is celebrated on October 29th as the internet was first achieved on this day in 1969! It’s crazy to think of all the ways the internet has changed the world and out individual lives.
Idea: Create an internet game night (virtual or in-person) to play fan-favorite games like Among Us or Mario Kart. Get the team involved for some fun team building and a little competition.
Spooky season is almost here! Since Halloween is on a Sunday this year, choose to host the team Halloween festivities on the Friday before! Trick or treat your way through the day and dress up in your best costume to get in the Halloween spirit.
Idea: Host a costume contest for your team and award prizes to the winners. The contest can be run virtually by submitting your costume photo in a Slack channel or in-person at the office over lunch! Choose various categories for costumes and gather the prizes for the winners. Plan a Halloween-inspired Happy Hour to announce the winners and have a company-wide social.
Idea: Offer halloween festivities for the whole family! Here are some kid-friendly ideas that can be done virtually or in-person:
With October’s focus on Breast Cancer Awareness, use this month to educate all employees on this topic and empower the women on your team. Offer support groups and accommodations to those on your team who are affected by Breast cancer. Get creative with fundraiser event ideas and have a pink day in the office (virtually or in-person).
Use this month as well to dedicate events and resources to the working parents on your team. Now that school is well underway for their children, it’s a great time to check in and see if there’s any support your team can offer. Especially as a working parent, work-life balance is extremely important. Offer workshops or parenting panels focused on how to achieve a positive work-life balance and managing busy schedules.
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