Did you know that highly engaged teams are 21% more profitable? They also exhibit 41% less absenteeism and are 59% less likely to leave your company. Undeniably, keeping your employees engaged is good for business and the bottom line, especially since US employers have been collectively known to spend $2.9 million a day or $1.1 billion a year looking for their replacements.
Employee events like game nights are good for boosting morale and engagement. Game nights let people spend time together in more casual and fun settings without the more formal hierarchical dynamics that govern the workplace.
If you’re looking for game night ideas, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll give you a rundown of fun game night activities plus tips on how to host them.
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Bingo
The great thing about Bingo is everyone can participate. Its mechanics are simple and easy to follow. Additionally, you can offer exciting prizes to make the game even more thrilling.
For remote teams who want to add a unique twist to traditional Bingo, consider more creative Bingo cards like this one from Bingo Baker.
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Improvisation
Improvisation is an art that can help in just about everything, including work. It can encourage your team to develop creativity, gain confidence, cope with uncertainty, and learn to be more collaborative. Let them take the reins when it comes to improv scenarios instead of giving them a script to follow. Here are some great ideas to help get the ball rolling.
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Karaoke
Karaoke is all about knowing that you’re bad at singing—and accepting it! Let this fun activity take center stage on game night to help team members come out of their shells and push themselves out of their comfort zones. All the while, they’ll be enjoying memorable experiences while building camaraderie.
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Charades
This word-guessing game is a top choice for developing quality non-verbal communication skills. Explore the basics of how to play the game and choose words or phrases that are based on the office.
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Escape Room
Many companies are hosting employee engagement activities that require teams to figure out and progress through specially designed puzzles in escape rooms. Participants are given a fixed amount of time to work together and ultimately unlock the door in the room. This activity can demonstrate how well your team can handle high-stakes situations. As a bonus, it also teaches them to work together toward a common goal.
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Murder Mystery
If you enjoy whodunits, we’re confident this will rank high on your list.
During a murder mystery game, players get assigned different characters where one character is the murderer. They then try to guess who the killer is while the murderer does their best to deflect suspicion.
Most murder mystery parties begin with a brief dinner followed by the game. The host moderates the game and gives each guest a card. The card contains the character of the player, their motives, goals, as well as what they can and shouldn’t share with the other guests.
Here are some murder mystery ideas to get you started.
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Icebreaker Games
Icebreaker games are popular because they allow people to learn new things about each other. There’s a vast selection to choose from, including classic favorites like the Childhood Photo Guessing Game, Never Have I Ever, and Scavenger Hunts.
Consider hosting icebreaker games for groups that don’t know each other all that well.
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Board and Card Games
From Chess, Checkers, and Backgammon to Monopoly and Scrabble, there are many board and card games that allow employees to let their hair down and enjoy each other’s company. Put different games to a vote and host their top picks for a simple and fun get-together.
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Online Office Games
If you have a remote setup, virtual office games will help your team stay connected from anywhere in the world while building a strong company culture. The good news is many popular games can be modified for remote teams. This includes Bingo, virtual charades, and trivia games. Get more ideas here.
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Old School Video Game Day
Whether it’s Donkey Kong, Duck Hunt, Pac-Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, Street Fighter Turbo, Super Mario Bros, Tetris, or The Legend of Zelda, retro video games take us back to the good old times before our regular nine-to-fives.
While nostalgia is reason enough to indulge in them, they also foster positive relationships that can help your team bring their A-game to work.
Organizing Game Night Is Part of the Fun
Planning and preparing for game night is part of the fun. But if you want to delegate some of the work, put together a committee that can help you get ready and host the event. While you’re at it, don’t forget to come up with marketing materials like game night posters from PosterMyWall.
A solid communication campaign can help set the mood, build anticipation, and ensure a successful turnout.