Struggling to Find Fresh Employee Activity Ideas? Let's Brainstorm Together!

Hello Friends,

I would like to propose some activities for the employees of my company. I am referring to activities such as organizing a traditional day, a tie day, a western wear day, etc. However, these are events we have already had. I am striving to be more creative but finding it challenging.

Please provide suggestions.

Thanks,
Kavita

Dear Kavita,

In case it is feasible, why not set aside a particular day in the week/fortnight/month for birthdays of that period? You can also try to include them in game sessions like volleyball if you have the space or maybe start a group for yoga sessions.

With warm regards,
Swapna

Thank you, Swapna, for the suggestion. However, we already have a badminton court arranged for the employees, and we do celebrate the birthdays of every employee. But this is still not happening. Moreover, we don't have much space for most outdoor activities. Hence, I am really wondering about what to do?

Chow,
Kavita

Ms. Kavita,

You can conduct a fashion parade, drape, singing competition, dancing competition, chess, carrom, speech competition, collage competition, etc.

Thank you.

Hey Kavitha,

That's really good. Can you please tell me how many employees are working in your organization? Based on that, I'll suggest some practical employee engagement activities that I have carried out in our company for my cluster.

YO! Deepak M.

Hi,

All suggestions are very good and helpful in creating a healthy environment. There are some other options as well. For instance, you can announce the employee of the month based on factors such as punctuality, discipline, and productivity. Then, reward that employee with a dinner package for their family.

This approach can motivate employees as they feel appreciated for their performance. Healthy competition among employees can start in a positive manner, leading to an overall increase in the organization's productivity.

Kind Regards, Hassan

Hi Kavitha,

I have attached an employee engagement activity for you. Hope you haven't done it already. I will forward some more when I get free time...

Regards,
Deepak M

Dear Kavitha,

Also, you can play 1-minute games by creating teams and engaging a few teams at one particular time. If the company is willing to invest in a real show with a good budget, you can organize an Employee Family Day. This event can include games, dance, talent exhibitions for Employee Children, and some task-finishing games for Adults. It is essential to have a strong team for this.

Similarly, you can arrange a Sports Day by hiring a ground for a day at a nearby location on a Saturday or Sunday. This event can feature cricket for both men and women, carom, chess, and volleyball. Remember, these activities work out well only when employees are requesting them.

Best regards,
Deepak. M

Dear Deepak,

Thanks a ton!

The activity that you've sent is indeed a good one, but I'm afraid my computer won't approve of it, especially when it comes to shelling out money. As usual, they can't spare 10 minutes for an activity or training. However, I appreciate your suggestion. I can see your effort. I'll be more than happy to be of any help. Let me know.

Best wishes.

Hi Kavitha,

When I made it, I really spent only Rs. 4000/-. You can always choose to lower the budget by reducing the items. Anyway, now I really got to know your problem. Why don't you conduct a few one-minute games, some quiz questions, or some task games? Give away Perk Chocolates or something like that. This really works well; you can do it at any time in the office. Good luck.

Deepak. M

Hi!

Well, a lot of creativity has already been shared, but I would also like to share something. I hope you find it useful.

You may have one day in a semester (probably during annual celebrations) as an OPEN HOUSE day, i.e. the office open for the families of the employees to see the infrastructure and meet the people where their loved one works. This could be followed by a small party with a MISMATCH DRESS theme. You could also give away prizes for the Best Mismatched pair, both Male and Female.

Furthermore, a Change of table could also be implemented for a day, meaning a role change for a day. However, this may not be suitable for very senior positions or during critical business periods.

I will share some more ideas as I get them.

Regards,
Mrinal

Hi Kavita,

I was just browsing through your interaction, and I think that you are letting a good idea down the line just because it costs some money. Make a presentation to your management once you are fully convinced of the idea. Make it look as if your boss was the inspiration for the idea that came about. Just go ahead and do the event and keep the prizes small. This is a fun activity, and as Deepak has suggested, if done well, it has the potential to make the kind of impact you are looking for. Most managements will be hesitant initially but would take up a similar activity once they see it boosts morale. Should you be looking at more activities or ideas, do let me know.

-Ravi Gorowala

Hi Kavita,

I have conducted some of these events and it's been a huge success! Activities like antakshari, quiz, COLOR WEEK (where you decide on a color code for each day for one whole week), open house on topics related to technology or domain, etc. Hope this helps :)

Thanks,
Uma

Hi Kavitha,

You can also have activities like Denim Day, Glares Day (sunglasses), Formals Day, Hats/Caps Day, T-shirt Day (with wordings on it only), etc. We did have a few of them in my company. I hope your management also agrees with these ideas! 😄

Regards,
Santosh

Hey Kavita,

You can visit the site businessballs.com for such non-expensive games that people will enjoy and appreciate. You can play Shankh Bajao, add a tail to the donkey, and if possible, try to arrange for a library - it's always an asset. Keep mailing motivation short stories on weekends. Also, put on mental puzzles and provide letters of appreciation for those activities. Please check if it works, and I feel like you should just keep doing your work. After a minimum of three attempts, people will start evaluating your outputs and efforts. Let me know the result if you apply this.

Regards,
Rachna

Hi Deepak!

I have gone through your suggestion, and it was really good. Can you help me as well? I am working in the field HR of a pharma company, and I want to organize some small employee engagement activities. These activities should not only be event-based but also continuous. Since our field staff is spread all over India, it's not always possible to meet them in person. However, we have our Intranet facility for them. What type of activities can I suggest that are cost-effective and make employees feel that the company is investing in them? We already have a birthday greetings activity in place. Any more ideas, please?

Some things we recently did here in New Zealand for the organization that I work for:

A 10,000 steps a day challenge (we gave teams a pedometer each).

We had a relay challenge for 24 hours and raised money for a cancer organization.

We banned junk food from the building for a week, and everyone was only allowed to eat and bring healthy foods to work - this was amazing, as the energy from the teams was different, everyone was much more productive and happy.

No lifts for a week - shut them off...everyone had to use the stairs. This was to encourage people to get some exercise since most sit at their desks and don't take breaks.

We had a casual Friday - everyone pays $1 to dress down (no suits), and we raised about $9000 for a charity organization.

Meeting-Free Wednesdays - no meetings are to be scheduled on a Wednesday. This means managers are available to walk around the building and touch base with their teams and other staff.

Email-free day - no one is allowed to email; all communications are via face-to-face or the phone - it forces good communication and relationship building.

Hope these help...

Anusha

Hi Kavita!

Activity is usually organized to keep people active, motivated, and together.

- You can organize a visit to an employee's home along with one or two of your colleagues or other employees. This not only creates a family atmosphere but also provides a brief view of the employee's family background and allows you to lend a helping hand if needed.

- Conducting a Company Quiz during tea time can be informative and engaging for everyone.

- On birthdays, we present a tree or plant to the birthday employee and name it after them. This practice promotes ownership and environmental awareness.

- Occasionally, you can organize children's competitions, especially for employees' children, particularly on Children's Day.

- Annual gatherings, among other events, are also beneficial for team building and morale.

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