Indoor office games are an effective and exciting tool for enhancing your team togetherness. Light up your employees’ moods with a dynamic, funny, and solid environment with these indoor office games!
With young millennials and Gen Z dominating the workforce, companies must transform their approach to building solid and productive teams. While formal engagement methods should be the gone days, games have emerged as an ideal solution for team building.
Indoor office games offer a break from the monotonous daily routine, injecting a dose of excitement into the office. These activities provide more than just a momentary diversion; they are powerful tools for enhancing communication and relationship building.
Let’s discover why indoor office games matter for employees. Along the way, we’ll explore a selection of game ideas ideally suited for the office environment. Keep scrolling!
Why indoor office games matter for team building
Unlike some previous generations, Millennials and Gen Z are digital natives. They grew up with technology and expect workplaces to be tech-savvy, flexible, and adaptable.
They highly value teamwork, collaboration, and work-life balance. So, creating a sense of belonging and community becomes essential while offering flexible work arrangements and well-being initiatives.
Indoor office games can bridge the generational gap in the workplace. Before diving into the game ideas, it’s essential to emphasise why team building is crucial for any organisation. Highlight the following points:
Reduce stress
Indoor office games inject fun into the workday. They allow employees to leave their desks, relax, and recharge. These moments of enjoyment can help combat burnout, reduce stress levels, and keep employees motivated.
Skill development
Many indoor office games promote vital skills such as communication, problem-solving, and creativity. These games can engage employees and enhance their capabilities for their day-to-day tasks.
Fostering collaboration
Collaboration is a core value for many millennials and Gen Z employees. Team-building activities encourage interaction and cooperation among team members, breaking down silos and promoting a sense of unity.
Improve communication
Communication is the backbone of a successful organisation. Team building activities encourage employees to communicate more openly and effectively.
Building trust
Trust is crucial in any workplace. Games that require team members to rely on each other, such as the trust fall or escape room challenges, help build trust and camaraderie within teams.
Indoor games can be an alternative to company retreats. Allocating one to two hours for hosting fun activities in your office can result in a positive community. Ultimately, you can improve employee relationships and build loyalty for a thriving business.
Indoor office game ideas for employees
Indoor office games offer diverse opportunities for team building, communication improvement, and enjoyable engagement, catering to different group sizes and objectives within your organisation.
This fun activity can also be great social media content to humanise your brand on online platforms. You can leverage video tools to make quick edits for your video content. Here are some indoor game ideas to try in your office.
#1. Charades
Time allocation: Depending on the number of participants, allocate 30 minutes to an hour for this game.
How to play: Divide participants into two teams. Each team takes turns choosing a team member to act out a word or phrase with their body while the rest of the team tries to guess what it is. A time limit, usually one or two minutes, adds excitement. Keep score to determine the winning team.
Perfect for: Charades foster creativity, non-verbal communication, and teamwork. It’s a great icebreaker suitable for smaller groups or teams looking to inject fun into their workday.
#2. Indoor Mini Golf
Time allocation: Plan for at least an hour, depending on the complexity of your indoor golf course.
How to play: Transform your office space into a mini-golf course using everyday objects as obstacles. Employees can play individually or in teams.
Provide golf clubs and balls. Each hole should have a par score. Employees take turns trying to complete the course with the fewest strokes.
Perfect for: Indoor mini-golf is ideal for a larger group of employees who enjoy a mix of skill, creativity, and friendly competition. It’s a unique way to promote creativity while engaging in a healthy rivalry.
#3. Office Olympics
Time allocation: Allocate half a day to a full day, depending on the number of events.
How to play: Design a series of office-themed challenges and events. These could include events like the “Sticky Note Dartboard Challenge” or the “Office Chair Relay Race.”
Employees form teams and compete in these fun, quirky events. Keep track of scores, and have a medal ceremony for the winning team.
Perfect for: Office Olympics are excellent for promoting teamwork, creativity, and physical activity. They work well for larger groups and are especially fun for company-wide events or team-building retreats.
#4. Back-to-back Drawing
Time allocation: Dedicate 45 minutes to an hour for this game.
How to play: Pair employees up, seating them back-to-back. Give one person a picture or image and hand the other a blank piece of paper and a pen.
The person with the image must describe it to their partner without revealing what it is. The partner must draw based on the description. Compare the drawings afterwards for laughter and fun.
Perfect for: Back-to-back drawing is a great icebreaker encouraging communication, active listening, and creativity. It’s suitable for small to medium-sized groups.
#5. Pictionary Telephone
Time allocation: Allow about 30-45 minutes for this game.
How to play: Have participants sit in a line facing each member’s back. Start by whispering a word or phrase to the first person, who then draws a picture representing that word.
The next person interprets the drawing and draws the same thing within a limited time. Each member continues drawing until the message reaches the last person, who then answers what the drawing is about.
Perfect for: The pictionary telephone is excellent for enhancing communication skills and creativity. It’s perfect for breaking the ice in medium-sized groups.
These indoor office games offer a delightful way to build teamwork, encourage creativity, and break the workday routine.
#6. Drawing in the Dark
Time allocation: Plan for approximately 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of rounds.
How to play: Pair employees and provide each pair with a drawing board, paper, and markers. Blindfold one team member and give them a simple object or concept to draw. The other member must guess the drawing by touch and verbal communication. Switch roles after each round.
Perfect for: Drawing in the dark is an excellent game for enhancing communication and creativity. It’s suitable for small to medium-sized groups and encourages employees to think outside the box.
#7. Whisper Challenge or Lip Reading
Time allocation: Dedicate 30-45 minutes for this game.
How to play: Pair up employees and have them sit facing each other. One person wears noise-cancelling headphones with music playing while the other person whispers a word or phrase.
The person with the headphones must lip-read and guess what their partner is saying. Rotate roles after each round.
Perfect for: This game is perfect for improving non-verbal communication, observation skills, and teamwork. It’s suitable for small to medium-sized groups and will bring plenty of laughter.
#8. Blind Folded Obstacle
Time allocation: Allocate around 45 minutes to an hour for this game.
How to play: Set up an obstacle course within your office space, using items like chairs, tables, and cushions as obstacles.
Blindfold participants and have them navigate the course with the guidance of a teammate who can only use verbal instructions. Time each team’s progress through the course.
Perfect for: The blindfolded obstacle course promotes trust, teamwork, and problem-solving. It’s ideal for small to medium-sized groups and can be a physically engaging and memorable experience.
#9. Course-Friendly Sport Match
Time allocation: Depending on the sport, allocate 30 minutes to an hour for each match.
How to play: Organise friendly sports matches within your office space. Options include table tennis, foot volleyball, or basketball.
Divide employees into teams and compete in a mini-tournament format. Keep track of scores and crown a champion.
Perfect for: Sports matches are excellent for team bonding, friendly competition, and physical activity. They are suitable for smaller groups and can be tailored to the preferences and space available.
#10. Cooking Challenge
Time allocation: Dedicate at least 2-3 hours for this challenge.
How to play: Divide employees into teams and provide them with a set of ingredients and cooking utensils. Each team must prepare a dish within a specified time frame.
Assign judges to taste and evaluate the dishes based on creativity, taste, and presentation. Announce a winning team.
Perfect for: This game encourages teamwork, creativity, and culinary skills. It’s best suited for small to medium-sized groups and can be a memorable and delicious team-building experience.
#11. Office Pictionary
Time allocation: Plan for 30 minutes – one hour for a full game session.
How to play: Divide employees into teams. Provide each team with a whiteboard or paper and markers.
Teams take turns selecting a word or phrase and having one team member draw it while the others guess what it is within a time limit. You can use a random word generator or prepare a list of office-related terms.
Perfect for: Office pictionary is a fun and creative game that enhances communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. It’s suitable for small to medium-sized groups and can be an entertaining addition to team meetings or social gatherings.
How often should you conduct indoor games in the office?
The frequency of indoor office games should align with the specific needs and preferences of your organisation and its employees. Regular assessment and feedback will help you fine-tune your approach over time to achieve the desired outcomes.
In general, it’s a good practice to have a mix of regular, smaller-scale activities (e.g., monthly or quarterly). Indoor office games can also be a good activity for larger-scale events (e.g., semi-annual or annual) to maintain a balance between team-building and daily work responsibilities. This can be a great way to promote your organisation worklife through compelling animated ads.
However, there are a few points to consider when you plan to conduct indoor office games as regular events in your company, such as:
- Be mindful of employees’ workloads and time constraints. Frequent games that disrupt work too often can be counterproductive.
- Collect feedback from employees after each game session to assess its impact.
- Consider the budget and resources allocated for team-building activities. More frequent games may require more planning and resources.
- Avoid excessive repetition of the same games to keep employees engaged. Rotate through a variety of activities to keep things fresh and exciting.
Moreover, the frequency of indoor games should align with your company’s culture. If your organisation strongly emphasises team building and employee engagement, you might schedule these activities more often.
If your workforce includes remote employees, consider virtual team-building activities conducted online. The frequency of such activities might differ from in-person games.
In Summary
Indoor office games play a pivotal role in nurturing a vibrant and motivated workforce. They go beyond mere entertainment, offering a pathway to stronger communication, enhanced collaboration, and a deeper sense of belonging among employees.
However, the key to reaping the full benefits lies in the art of selection and arrangement. By choosing activities that resonate with your team’s needs and objectives and arranging them strategically, you can create an environment where fun and productivity coexist harmoniously.
So, whether it’s a simple icebreaker or an elaborate team-building event, remember that the impact of these games reaches far beyond the immediate moment. It helps foster a workplace culture where employees thrive, innovate, and achieve their best collectively.
About the Author
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).
