How Can We Make Our 15-Minute Friday Tea/Coffee Break Fun and Educational?

Hello everyone, Greetings!!!

My name is Shraddha. We have around 15 employees in our team. As an HR professional, I recently initiated a new activity called "Friday Tea/Coffee Together." I am seeking ideas for games or tasks that can be done during this break to facilitate learning and enjoyment (while having any beverages). Please note that the time limit is only 15 minutes. Kindly suggest some practical views on the same. Thanks in advance.

Here are a few games and activities that I could think of:

a) BINGO: This will give participants a chance to explore more information about each other.

b) Johari Window: You can let participants explore the various facets in consecutive sessions.

c) Interesting Case Studies: You can share short case studies and have quick discussions about them.

d) Learning Stories

e) Clippings of some movies

Write to me if you want more information about some ice-breakers or learning games. All the best!

Dear Shah,

Your idea is nice. Please put this into action and let it grow for a few Fridays. Provide more free space during these 15 minutes and observe what can be done based on the team's interest. After a few days, ask each team member to give one idea for the best game. I have confidence that, as an HR professional, you have put a lot of hard work into presenting this idea. Your idea is great.

Thank you.

Have a work-related quiz for five minutes. Whoever gives the maximum correct answers will receive a gift. The rest of the time, ten minutes, will be dedicated to an activity that changes every week.

Hello Shraddha,

If you do a quick Google search, you will find icebreakers and quick games too. Have a competition for solving a crossword puzzle and set time limits - distribute chocolates to those who complete. If facilities permit, you can even screen TED talks - choose ones that meet your needs in terms of time limits and topics. Hope this works.

All the best for your efforts.

As an erstwhile manager (and now a trainer), I completely endorse this proactive employee engagement activity you have undertaken for your employees. These activities pep up and bring in the much-needed energy to the team. We used to call it Fun Fridays. Since the strength is less, you can play it to your advantage to encourage all of them to participate in the activities/games. Here are a few suggestions:

1. **Do a Personality Game** - Write on nametags many different 'personality types' and pin or tape one tag to each person's back. They'll be able to see everyone else's tag, but not their own. Ask each person to figure out which personality type is on his or her back by asking stereotype-based questions of other people – “Am I a man/woman?” “Am I an artist?” and so on.

2. **Do a Blind Drawing Test** - Ask all of your employees to close their eyes and draw a picture based on the verbal instructions given by you while you hold a picture in front of you. (Awesome communication improvement exercise and loads of fun and laughter!)

3. **Show a Motivational Video** - You can show a short-length motivational video or a clipping on values/value systems.

4. **Give a Pep Talk on Positivity** - Do a small talk/pep talk on positivity, for example, the Law of Attraction or Positive Affirmations.

5. **Encourage Book Reading** - Encourage each employee to do a book read/talk about or summarize any book/interesting article they have read/heard about.

Cheers!!

Hi Shraddha,

Great idea!!

You can also involve management (seniors) in this activity, which will help employees to have informal communication with them. You can arrange games like Tongue Twisters, Dumbsheraz (Movies), Story Frames, Ice-breakers..