With the holidays around the corner, HR leaders may be looking to transform their parties to help their workforce and the business get the most out of the event. Since team-building has never been as important as it is now, with many employees dispersed or operating on different schedules, experts say this is a strategic place to start.

Ira Almeas, co-founder and president of Impact 4 Good—a New Jersey-based philanthropic team-building company—says introducing a charitable element to a holiday team-building event can be especially impactful. In the last few years, employee interest in their employer's charitable work has grown significantly; grantmaker Fidelity Charitable found last year that more than 80% of employees surveyed want to work for a company with a strong investment in social responsibility.

Team-building events that intentionally bring employees together while also benefitting a charity can drive up the employer brand, supporting talent attraction and retention, experts say.