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Navratri, a vibrant and culturally significant festival in India, celebrates the divine power of the Goddess Durga over nine nights.

It’s not just a religious festival but a social and cultural event that brings together communities in joyous celebration. 

On this momentous occasion, let us share warm wishes, sincere messages, invitations, and meaningful gifts to enhance the celebrations and strengthen the bonds within our team.

This provides a fantastic opportunity for businesses to engage employees in a meaningful and fun way. Here are five employee engagement activities that organizations can consider during Navratri celebration:

1. Traditional attire day

Encourage employees to come dressed in traditional Navratri outfits. Depending on the region, this might include chaniya cholis, dhotis, kurta-pajamas, or sarees.

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Benefits: Dressing up not only boosts the festive mood, but also allows employees to showcase their cultural pride. It can also be an ice-breaker, leading to interactions and discussions about regional traditions.

2. Garba and dandiya raas workshop

Navratri is synonymous with the energetic dance forms of garba and dandiya. Organize a workshop where employees can learn these dances.

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Benefits: Apart from the fun factor, dancing is a great stress reliever. Learning a new dance form can also foster a sense of achievement among employees.

3. Craft workshop for making ‘aarti thalis’ or ‘torans’

Invite local artisans to conduct a workshop on creating traditional items used during Navratri, such as aarti thalis (decorative trays used for rituals) or torans (door hangings).

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Benefits: such activities promote creativity and can be therapeutic. They also provide a platform for employees to learn about traditional crafts and appreciate the artisans’ skills.

4. Potluck with Navratri delicacies

Organize a potluck lunch or dinner where employees bring in different traditional dishes associated with Navratri.

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Benefits: Food is always a great way to bring people together. Sharing and tasting different cuisines can foster a sense of unity and appreciation for diverse cultures. Plus, the fasting and feasting traditions of Navratri offer many delicious dishes to explore.

5. Navratri quiz and storytelling session

Organize a quiz about Navratri, its stories, significance, and rituals. Follow it up with a storytelling session where elders or knowledgeable individuals narrate tales associated with the festival.

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Benefits: Such sessions not only educate employees about the cultural and religious significance of the festival but also foster team spirit. Listening to stories can be a nostalgic experience for many, taking them back to their childhood days.

6. Navratri decoration competition

Allocate different sections or departments of the office for decoration. Each team gets to pick a theme related to Navratri and decorate their designated space accordingly. This could be a depiction of various forms of the goddess Durga, stories related to Navratri, or a representation of different states' celebrations.

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Benefits: the activity encourages teamwork and creativity, and the office gets a festive makeover, elevating the overall mood.

7. Eco-friendly idol-making workshop

Invite a local artist to conduct a workshop on making eco-friendly idols of the goddess Durga. This promotes sustainability, given that many idols when immersed in water bodies, can pollute them.

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Benefits: Employees learn the importance of eco-friendly practices and get to explore their artistic side. It's also a tactile and meditative way to connect with the festival.

8. Golu display

Popular in South India, golu is the festive display of dolls and figurines. Set up a communal space for a golu display and encourage employees to bring in dolls or make their own themed displays.

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Benefits: This provides employees a glimpse into the diverse ways Navratri is celebrated across India. It's also an opportunity for storytelling, as many golu displays are based on religious or cultural narratives.

9. Gift exchange or "Navratri secret santa"

Employees draw names to determine whom they'll be gifting. The catch is that the Navratri gift should be something relevant to Navratri or the festive season. It could be festive wear, jewelry, sweets, or even a hand-written letter about the festival's meaning to them.

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Benefits: This fosters feelings of appreciation and strengthens bonds among coworkers. The surprise element adds to the excitement.
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Suggested Read: 15 Employee Engagement Activities for Durga Puja Celebration in the Workplace

10. Fasting support groups

Many individuals observe fasts during Navratri. Create a support group where fasting people can share tips and recipes, and even have a special communal meal with foods allowed during the fast.

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Benefits: It's a way for employees to connect over shared experiences and rituals, making those fasting feel supported and less isolated during the workday.

11. Devotional music jam session

Organize a space where musically-inclined employees can gather to sing and play devotional songs associated with Navratri. Not just limited to vocalists, employees can bring in traditional instruments or even contemporary ones to add their own twist to the classics.

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Benefits: Music has a universal appeal and is known to uplift spirits. This activity can help employees bond over shared tunes, showcase their talents, and unwind amidst the festive melodies.

12. Mandala art or rangoli workshop

Invite an artist to host a workshop on mandala art or rangoli – colorful designs typically created on the ground using dyed rice, flower petals, or colored sand.

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Benefits: mandala art is therapeutic and meditative, while rangoli boosts creativity and collaboration. Both activities allow employees to relax and immerse themselves in the festive spirit.

13. ‘share a story’ session

Designate a 'story chair' where employees can share their unique Navratri experiences, traditions, or tales from their hometown or family. This can be done during lunch breaks or designated hours.

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Benefits: Personal narratives are powerful in creating a bond between listeners and narrators. This activity can enhance the feeling of inclusivity, deepening the understanding of varied cultural nuances of the festival.

14. Diy accessory-making workshop

Given that Navratri involves colorful costumes, set up a diy accessory-making workshop. Employees can create traditional jewelry, such as jhumkas (earrings), bangles, or even hair accessories using eco-friendly materials.

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Benefits: Crafting can be a delightful break from routine tasks and offers a chance for employees to showcase their creations during Navratri celebrations. It also adds a personal touch to their festive attire.

15. Virtual Navratri showcase

If many employees work remotely or prefer not to attend large gatherings, organize a virtual Navratri showcase. Employees can submit videos or photos of their dance performances, singing, decorations, or any other talents they'd like to showcase in line with the festival's theme.

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Benefits: This ensures inclusivity, especially in the present-day hybrid work model. It provides remote workers a platform to participate and connect with their colleagues, bridging the physical gap.
9 days, 9 colors: A Navratri photo challenge

Navratri is synonymous with vibrant colors, each symbolizing a different facet of the festival and the goddess herself. The "9 Days, 9 Colors" challenge leverages this aspect to engage employees in fun and interactively.

How it works:

→ Announcement: Announce the challenge a week before Navratri commences. Share the significance of each of the nine colors associated with the nine days of the festival, providing employees with a brief context and a color guide

→Participation: Each day, employees should wear outfits or accessories corresponding to the color of the day. They then capture a creative photo of themselves, either solo or with colleagues, and post it on the company's social intranet.

→ Daily themes: To make it more engaging, each day can have a specific theme related to the festival. For instance, Day 3 could be 'Traditional Attire,' Day 5 might be 'Eco-friendly Decorations,' and so forth, always incorporating the day's specific color.

→ Engage & encourage: Encourage other employees to engage with the photos by liking, commenting, and sharing. This will promote interaction and build camaraderie among teams.

→ Rewards: At the end of the nine days, announce winners in various categories such as 'Most Creative Photo,' 'Best Group Picture,' or 'Most Engaging Post.' Reward them with fun goodies or even a simple certificate of appreciation.

Why it's effective:

The "9 Days, 9 Colors" challenge merges cultural appreciation with social interaction. By posting on the company's intranet, employees are showcasing their festive spirit and engaging with their colleagues in a light-hearted and celebratory manner. 

The visual treat of seeing the company's intranet filled with a spectrum of colors, all in honor of Navratri, will undoubtedly create a memorable and unified festive experience for everyone.

Leveraging Xoxoday Empuls for the "9 days, 9 colors: A Navratri photo challenge"

Xoxoday Empuls is a comprehensive employee engagement platform that offers a plethora of tools to foster communication, appreciation, and collaboration among teams. For our "9 Days, 9 Colors" challenge, here's how you can utilize Empuls effectively:

1. Announce the challenge on Empuls

Kick off the activity by creating an attractive post or banner on the Empuls platform detailing the challenge. Use the announcement feature to ensure that every employee gets a notification about the upcoming event.

2. Set up dedicated groups

Create a specific group or channel within Empuls titled "9 Days, 9 Colors Challenge." This centralized space allows participants to post their photos, engage with others, and track daily themes and activities.

3. Daily color reminders

Use Empuls' notification or reminder feature to prompt employees about the color for the next day, giving them time to prepare their attire or accessories.

4. Encourage engagement with gamification

Empuls offers points and rewards for active participation. Allocate points for posting photos, engaging with others' posts (liking, commenting), and sharing. This gamified approach will motivate more employees to participate actively.

5. Leaderboard integration

Display a daily or weekly leaderboard on Empuls showcasing the most engaged participants or the most creative posts. This friendly competition can spur even more involvement.

6. Polls and voting

For selecting winners or to involve employees who may not participate in the photo challenge directly, create polls where everyone can vote for their favorite pictures or categories like 'Best Group Picture.'

7. Appreciate with rewards

Xoxoday Empuls has an integrated rewards system. At the end of the challenge, award the winners by gifting them Xoxoday points, which they can redeem for various experiences, gifts, or vouchers available on the platform.

8. Feedback loop

After the challenge concludes, use Empuls to gather feedback on the activity. Create a quick survey or poll to understand what employees loved, what could be improved, and ideas for future challenges.

9. Showcase the highlights

Finally, curate a post or a digital album within Empuls that captures the highlights of the "9 Days, 9 Colors" challenge. This digital memento will serve as a reminder of the shared celebrations and camaraderie.

Xoxoday Empuls, with its versatile features, is an ideal platform to host, manage, and elevate the "9 Days, 9 Colors" challenge, ensuring that it's not just an event but an engaging experience that resonates with every employee.

Conclusion

Navratri offers businesses a unique opportunity to blend culture with employee engagement. Celebrating such festivals at the workplace can boost morale, foster camaraderie, and promote a sense of belonging. 

So, this Navratri, let’s embrace the festive spirit and memorably engage employees!

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