18 Office Fun Activities To Try With Your Team

Office fun activities allow your team to build trust, rapport, and keen communication with one another — all attributes that can benefit your business. Many studies also associate breaks and games at work with higher productivity levels when your employees do get down to business. Here are 18 team-building games and activities to try at your workplace.

Puzzle play

Break your team into small groups, and have them work together to solve a tricky puzzle. This could be anything from a complex jigsaw to a quick brain teaser, depending on the time and space you have. The important thing is that everyone on each team contributes to the success of the solution. After time’s up, come back to the larger group to discuss what worked and what didn’t, then brainstorm how you can take these problem-solving approaches back to your collective job tasks.

Problem-solving pile

Another problem-solving activity, this game gets personal as each individual writes down two or three job problems he or she struggles with and places them in the pile. Then, each person takes a turn picking from the pile and reading the issue at hand. The team brainstorms potential solutions that offer value to the person with the problem and serve as a bonding experience for everyone.

Scavenger hunt

A good-old scavenger hunt is a classic for a reason. Give each person or small team a list of items to find in and around your office. This game works great for new employees because it helps them get oriented with the people, places, and things they’ll encounter in your workspace. You could even pair a recent hire with a veteran employee to encourage mentorship among your ranks.

Escape room

You don’t have to create your own puzzles and traps if you have an activity budget. Your team could visit your local escape room as a group to band together and make sense of the clues provided. Not only can you opt for an in-person interactive experience, but many escape rooms also offer streaming Zoom sessions so you can get your group thrills online. For example, Coca-Cola executives treated their teams to a jewel-heist-themed escape room experience.

Show and tell

Give each department, group, individual, or team a chance to show off their accomplishments. We recommend setting up a regular show-and-tell session where each attendee gets a few minutes to share a solution to a problem, a big win, a new idea, or anything else that encourages and inspires their colleagues. Alternatively, you could increase the opportunity for group bonding by having each staff member share someone else’s positive accomplishment from the week.

Two truths and a lie

This slumber-party tradition becomes workplace-appropriate when you use the game to help your team members get to know one another. The instructions are right in the name: Each employee shares two true facts about themselves and one tall tale. It’s up to the other group members to figure out which facts are legitimate and which one doesn’t quite fit.

Group volunteer outing

Having a day of service for your employees gives them a chance to feel good about themselves as well as the company. Volunteering for an important cause in your community also establishes your business as a brand that gives back, which might be an important part of your company culture that you want to reinforce. Plan ahead by looking for local nonprofit organizations that need volunteers and can accommodate your entire group. For example, many businesses and organizations traditionally host a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Two-headed monster

To take advantage of this fun improv game, divide your team into pairs and have them face one another. Then, give each team a prompt, and have them form a sentence by each speaking one word at a time like a two-headed monster. Bonus points for using prompts that allow for silly answers yet have relevance to your business or industry.

Personality test

Most people enjoy taking quizzes that tell them more about themselves. With this activity, have your team take a personality test such as the Myers Briggs, and share your results as a group. Together, discuss the common traits of each personality type, and explore how they contribute to the success of your workplace as well as the happiness and well-being of the employees.

Meet and greet

If you have a workplace where different departments tend to be siloed and don’t work together much, help team members in different areas get to know one another by hosting a coffee break or lunch. Make place cards so each person sits with coworkers they don’t normally encounter. Give them time to chat, then ask each attendee to share something new they learned about a colleague. Your employees will learn more about what makes the company tick while forging new friendships.

The company HubSpot reports team-building success with a regular event it calls the mystery dinner. Each employee receives a date, time, and location for dinner. When they arrive, they’ll enjoy a meal with people outside their department and have a chance to develop new workplace connections. If you have the stamina for an after party, have the entire group meet up afterward for a fun debrief at a central location.

If you have a smaller team, try simply setting a day each month when everyone meets for lunch. Order out, head to a favorite local spot, or get creative with a themed potluck.

Memory wall

Shared experiences and fond memories can strengthen your organizational culture. Bring the spirit of fun nostalgia to your team with a memory wall where you attach markers and encourage everyone to write their fondest memories of the organization. Not only will you be surprised about what your staff has valued most over the years, but you’ll also get the chance to see these bonds and relationships grow as you add to the wall over time.

Trivia contests

A weekly trivia contest is a fun idea to bring together remote employees who might work in different states or even countries. Brainstorm creative themes for each quiz, or have departments take turns creating the questions. Quizzes remain open for a specified amount of time so everyone can complete them at their own pace. Prizes for the winners can sweeten the deal.

Outdoor adventure

Enjoying nature with your group can have a bonding effect. You can tailor this team activity to the available facilities in your area and the fitness capabilities of your group. Some offices might be prepped for a full kayaking excursion while other workplaces might do better with a short walk on a local trail. In fact, we’ve heard of teams who start a weekly walking group at lunch or after work.

Skillshare sessions

Some offices call these short sessions “lunch-and-learns.” Simply put, staff members take turns sharing their unique knowledge, talents, and skills. One person might discuss his experience volunteering with the Peace Corps while someone else shows off her photo editing prowess. The idea is everyone learns something new while getting to know their coworkers, too.

Decorating contest

Hold an office, desk, or cubicle decorating contest for any holiday, event, or theme of your choice. Have your employees work in teams and encourage them to get creative. Then, have snacks, and let everyone vote on the best display.

Local exploration

Chances are, few of your colleagues spend much time at the tourist destinations in your own city. Try traveling as a group to a museum, historic site, zoo, or another place of interest near your office location. You can even go by bus and pretend you’re back on a third-grade class trip.

Weekly wellness

Start a yoga, meditation, or general wellness group, and offer free sessions each week for your staff. This activity works well for both traditional and remote workplaces, especially with the proliferation of available online fitness and meditation videos. Let your team vote on the activities they want to try, and spend 30 to 60 minutes with a feel-good focus.

Project day

Often called a “hack day” in software development, a project day describes a bonding experience in which everyone on the team forgoes their normal duties for the day to work on one big project that benefits the entire company. Maybe you’re a small business, and you want to document your company culture for the first time, come up with a list of shared core values, or define your marketing strategy. The project could also be practical, such as prepping a new space.

These examples of office fun activities should inspire you to shake things up at your next group event. Dedicating time and other resources to bonding can help cement your company culture and strengthen your team.