20 Fun Employee Engagement Activities & Ideas

You discovered our list of fun employee engagement activities.

Employee engagement activities are exercises that increase employee motivation and positive feelings about the work environment. For example, animal therapy and departmental swaps. The purpose of these ideas is to vary the work routine and make employees interested in and passionate about work. These activities are also known as "team engagement activities", "staff engagement activities", "employee engagement exercises" and "activities for employees."

These activities align with employee engagement best practices and workforce engagement strategies, and are similar to virtual engagement ideas.

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• office engagement activities
• engagement activities for work teams
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• activities for employees
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• staff engagement ideas
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In categories like:

• Unusual and creative ways to engage employees
• Employee engagement activities for offices and in-person workplaces
• Professional development employee engagement activities
• Easy employee engagement activities
• Free employee engagement ideas
• Collaboration and connection employee engagement activities
• Wellness employee engagement activities

Here is the list!

Unusual and creative ways to engage employees

When teams grow used to activities like team lunches or employee awards, an entirely new and original idea can re-engage your group. Here is a list of unexpected and out-of-the-ordinary activities to break up the routine and excite employees.

1. War of the Jars

War of the jars is part charity, part team bonding idea. This activity takes inspiration from the creative cafe tip jars that entice more folks to tip by using dollars as votes.

The jar has two sides. On each side, write the names of a pop culture rivalry. Examples may include Coke vs Pepsi, NSYNC vs the Backstreet Boys, or dinosaurs vs unicorns. You can set up the jars on your reception desk, human resources office, or a high-traffic area of the building. Or, you could make an online tip jar by using a mobile payment app and having employees make a note of which side they are on when they donate.

Employees will vote for their preference by sticking dollar bills in the corresponding  jar. At the end of the week, count the money in both jars, announce the winner, and donate all proceeds to a chosen charity.

For question inspiration, check out this list of This or That prompts.

2. Museum of Failures

The museum of failures is a fun way to promote a growth mindset and help staff laugh off mistakes. Set up a bulletin board or online gallery or Slack channel where employees share pictures and stories of funny mishaps, like melting a spatula or sending a text to the wrong number.

Colleagues can also share work-related errors to offer support or help others avoid similar mistakes. Managers can join in to show leadership’s human side. This activity fosters camaraderie, humor, and growth, and makes one of the best office engagement activities.

3. Community Mood Ring

A community mood ring policy helps teammates check in with each other. Simply provide flip books or signs with emotions like focused, stressed, happy, or lonely. Employees can display their mood to signal whether they are open for a chat or need space.

For virtual offices, create a “mood ring” chat or Slack channel where employees share emojis or GIFs showing how they feel. Be sure to post check-ins to encourage sharing throughout the week.

This simple activity encourages conversations and connections and normalizes asking for help and being honest about feelings, even on tough days.

Check out this list of check-in questions for employees.

Employee engagement activities for offices and in-person workplaces

Here is a list of engagement ideas for office workers and other in-person workplaces.

4. Attendance Door Prizes

If you ever found yourself wishing for a reward just for showing up to work, then you will love this activity. Door prizes are awards won for attending an event.

On any given day, you can use this concept to award punctual employees. To gain a chance at the raffle, employees must arrive to work on-time. You can either station coworkers to hand out tickets at every building entry, or check the electronic time clock records. This contest incentivizes employees to be prompt because staff will never know what day you decide to hand out prizes.

Check out more workplace competition ideas.

5. Office Animal Therapy

Most people love pets, and office animal therapy is a popular way to boost employee mood and excitement. You can plan a midday puppy or kitten cuddle session by asking staff to bring pets or partnering with a local animal group for a charity event.

Remote teams can join the fun too. Invite pets for webcam cameos, or watch an animal livestream if your furry friends aren't cooperating.

For more fun with animals, check out this list of office pets.

Community tie-ins

Connecting the workplace to the wider community is just as important as building an internal sense of belonging. Social responsibility is becoming more important in business, and engaging with the local community helps employees connect better with clients.

Here are a few ways to create community tie-ins:

• Support local sports teams with dress-up days, game tickets, and treats after big wins.
• Volunteer for community service projects.
• Host a local food fair with restaurant samples.
• Invite local reps or city celebrities to visit.
• Run an employee photo contest focused on the local area.
• Organize or join a town-wide scavenger hunt.
• Attend city events as a group or partner for perks like VIP access.

Remote teams can join virtual events, respond to social media challenges, or explore interactive websites to stay connected globally.

These activities boost employee engagement and strengthen ties both inside and outside the company.

Professional development employee engagement activities

Professional development is a major component of job satisfaction and employee engagement. Here are ideas to help your team members keep growing and feel like they have a future at the company.

6. Customizable Onboarding Programs

Every new hire is unique, so their onboarding should be too. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, let new employees tailor their onboarding experience. For instance, an extrovert might want to meet many colleagues quickly, while an introvert might prefer gradual introductions. Some may want extra skills training, while others might focus on company logistics. Customizing onboarding helps set a positive tone and fosters a collaborative environment from the start.

7. Re-orientations

Onboarding is crucial, but so is helping existing employees adapt to organizational changes. Re-orientations can treat current staff like new hires and provide a fresh perspective on their roles.

Here are some re-orientation ideas:

• Share biographies of team members to highlight skills and achievements.
• Host interactive informational sessions with Q&A.
• Create guides and resources so that employees can easily find information.
• Use quizzes or scavenger hunts to highlight company changes.
• Include entertainment and relaxation opportunities.
• Show a montage of short video clips from employees about their experience with the company.

Re-orientations help align everyone with new company priorities and goals.

For tips, check out these books on change management.

8. C-suite Meet and Greets

Meeting with executives in small groups or one-on-one can make employees feel valued and provide management with insights into worker experiences. This face time also builds connections that improve workplace morale.

Here are some ways to arrange these meetings:

• Small group lunches
• Video game sessions
• Virtual coffee breaks
• Town halls or focus groups
• Informal interviews with icebreaker questions
• Office or block strolls
• Open office hours

Executives should also meet with new hires in their first weeks to offer a warm welcome and make them feel valued.

Feel free to check out executive team building ideas too.

9. Knowledge Swaps

Your employees have valuable knowledge to share, from industry tips to trivia. You can encourage learning through a knowledge swap.

Here’s how:

• Speed Learning: Turn a lunch and learn into a speed dating event where employees rotate and learn new skills at each station.
• Classifieds Board: Create a board where team members can offer or request lessons on topics like guitar, coding, or real estate.
• Weekly Lessons: Have a different employee teach a short lesson each week.
• Weekly Email: Highlight a coworker’s knowledge in a weekly internal email.
• Fact of the Day: Set up a board or online message where a random team member shares an educational fact daily.

You can customize the activity to fit your team’s needs and encourage them to view each other as valuable resources.

Easy employee engagement activities

From facilitated events to special perks, here are special activities that are easy to use to engage employees.

10. Ultimate Game Show (Top Choice)

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Ultimate Game Show

Compete in fan favorites like Coworker Feud & Price Hike.

Virtual90 min$45 pp 5.0(5,339)

Ultimate Game Show features exciting game show experiences that can spice up your next team building event! Teams will go head-to-head in nostalgic daytime television games.

Here is what you can expect:

• 90 minutes led by an entertaining host
• Office Feud, where players guess the most popular response to a poll question
• Price Hike, where participants determine the value of a random object
• Final Quizardry, where players place point bets on their answers to trivia questions

Game show fans will love going head-to-head in this virtual competition! By including Ultimate Game Show in your lineup, you can boost your team building efforts.

Learn more about Ultimate Game Show.

11. Happiness Allowances

Happiness allowances are a stipend for employees to treat themselves to something that makes them happy. The easiest way to coordinate this allowance is to collect and reimburse employee receipts. You can provide guidelines, so employees understand what expenses the company will or will not cover.

By nudging staff to splurge on themselves, you ensure that teammates will enjoy a treat. Employees will connect that little burst of pleasure with work, and the serotonin high will last much longer than cold hard cash.

12. Peer to peer recognition programs

Peer-to-peer recognition programs are easy yet powerful ways to engage employees. These programs let team members give and receive praise, keeping all team members motivated and appreciated.

The programs do require some upfront work from leaders, but once in place, employees can recognize each other’s efforts, even when managers are busy.

Here are some simple ideas:

• Recognition boards for posting appreciation notes.
• Peer-nominated awards for different achievements.
• Shout-out channels in your company’s chat for quick praise.
• Monthly meetings where peers highlight each other’s successes.

These activities create a positive atmosphere and make employees feel valued.

Free employee engagement ideas

Here are low-cost and no-cost, budget-friendly employee engagement activities.

13. Clock-it Lists

Clock-it lists are similar to bucket lists, only instead of being a collection of “things to do before you kick the bucket,” the entries on this collection are items to accomplish before you clock out.

You can instruct that participating teammates must complete clock-it lists in a single day or over the course of a week or month.

Here are examples of items you can include:

• Get a high five from the CEO
• Make a new work friend
• Help another department
• Eat lunch with a coworker
• Attend an optional training
• Stretch at my desk
• Bring a treat for a teammate
• Compliment a colleague
• Learn a new fact about the company

To verify the activities, players collect witness signatures. Upon completion, employees present the list for a reward or chance at a prize.

14. Engagement Newsletters

Employee engagement newsletters are a great way to keep your team informed, motivated, and connected. By sharing updates, accomplishments, and events, newsletters can boost team morale and foster a sense of belonging.

Tips:

• Feature team achievements: Highlight successes from different departments.
• Spotlight employees: Share short profiles or fun facts about team members.
• Promote company values: Share stories that reflect the organization's mission.
• Interactive content: Include polls, surveys, or trivia to boost engagement.
• Upcoming social events: Inform employees about ways to connect outside work.

Keep in mind, employee engagement newsletters do not have to follow a strict format. For example, you can run "employee takeovers" where a different team member voluntarily pens the email every month, writing about whatever they think is interesting, relevant, or helpful to their coworkers.

Well-crafted newsletters build stronger connections, making employees feel valued and part of the company’s culture.

Here are employee spotlight ideas.

15. Volunteering Days

By participating in meaningful projects outside the office, employees feel a sense of purpose and pride in their work, knowing their company supports giving back. These activities encourage teamwork in a different setting, helping colleagues bond and collaborate in new ways. Volunteering also provides a break from routine, re-energizing employees and increasing their overall job satisfaction. When employees see their efforts make a positive impact, they feel more engaged and connected to both their team and the company’s values.

Volunteering days are a free way to engage employees. Joining larger events like cleanups or toy drives may even include free snacks. If scheduling a group day is hard, you can let employees volunteer individually and share their stories with the team later.

Check out group volunteer activities.

16. Employee Surveys

Employee surveys boost engagement by giving staff a voice and building trust. They reveal hidden talents and team dynamics, like unspoken barriers. Quick pulse surveys after projects offer real-time feedback for improvement.

Be sure to share key insights from the survey and follow-up with action to show that you value employees' insights.

Surveys do not cost companies anything beyond the costs of survey software, and there are many free options, like simply using a Google Form without email collection. Furthermore, surveys can inform companies how to spend on engagement areas most likely to make an impact.

Here are employee engagement survey questions.

Engagement activities to encourage collaboration and connection

Here are employee engagement strategies for connecting teams and improving cooperation between coworkers.

17. Out-of-the-box Team Building Activities

Team building doesn’t have to be ordinary. Energize your group with engaging activities like:

• Building playhouses for kids
• A teen-led slang and pop culture workshop
• Virtual campfires with marshmallows

Other standout ideas include:

• Creating your own board game
• Taking a standup comedy class and hosting an open mic
• Urban exploring (within legal limits)
• Visiting a ninja warrior gym
• Playing human chess
• Racing rubber ducks
• Making puppets and hosting a puppet show
• Visiting a sanctuary with exotic animals
• Ice cream making classes
• Lip-dubbing famous movie scenes

Creative team building shows you care about your team’s experience.

18. Departmental Exchange Program

Just like high school exchange programs, your staff can benefit from a departmental exchange program.

Here is how swaps work:

1. Ask departments if they want to participate.
2. Once you have enough teams, announce the program and start accepting participants.
3. Coordinate visits for interested employees to spend time in different departments.

This activity fosters respect and builds friendships across departments, and improves cooperation.

19. Field Day (Popular)

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Field Day

An updated take on the childhood classic that gets your team to enjoy friendly outdoor competition. 

In-Person90 min$80 pp 5.0(56)

During Field Day, colleagues compete head-to-head in a series of interactive outdoor games! This experience fosters collaboration, friendly competition, and camaraderie among participants.

Key features of Field Day include:

• a 90-minute session led by a top-notch host
• a thrilling assortment of outdoor activities
• nostalgic games mixed with innovative competitions
• opportunities to capture candid team photos for the office or social media

Moreover, we will meet you at your chosen location with all the game supplies. If you are looking to help your team laugh and bond, be sure to add Field Day to your agenda!

Learn more about Field Day.

Wellness employee engagement activities

Here are employee engagement strategies to improve emotional, physical, and mental health at work.

20. Mental Health Fairs

You can support mental wellbeing in your office by organizing a mental health fair. These events teach good emotional health habits and give out self-care items. Mental health fairs are great for engaging employees in health-related activities.

Mental health fair ideas:

• Group meditation sessions
• Team building workouts
• Massages and aromatherapy
• Adult coloring book station
• Emotional support animal visits
• Demolition rooms, where employees can destress by smashing plates or banging rocks with a sledgehammer
• Buffet of brain-boosting nutrition-rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, fish, and nuts
• Informational session about the company health plan’s mental health support options
• Confessional-style short therapist consults
• Information sessions about how to be an ally and support to team members with mental struggles
• Testimonials from mental health-themed motivational speakers and advocates
• Lecture, Q&A session, or learning session with a psychologist
• Tips on managing workplace stress
• Self-care kits full of items, like stress balls, tea, lavender oil or candles, sleep masks, fuzzy socks, tissues, fidget rings, and books

A good mental health fair helps employees learn more, reduces stigma, and encourages them to get help if needed.

21. Work-life Balance Practices

Team members who manage their work and personal lives well are more motivated and productive. As a team leader, you can help by offering flexible hours, remote work options, and on-the-clock social events.

Other steps:

• Establish guidelines for work hours and avoid expecting responses outside of those times.
• Empower employees to use "off the clock" messages by providing templates.
• Ensure that there is coverage when employees take PTO.
• Offer uncommon PTO days like floating holidays, birthday PTO, and volunteer days.

It is important to encourage team members to use PTO and make sure not to overload employees with work. Supporting a good work-life balance helps keep your team engaged and successful.

Here are more work-life balance tips.

Conclusion

A fully engaged workforce results in lower absenteeism and turnover. By fostering higher levels of satisfaction and productivity, you conserve company resources and bolster the bottom line. Considering that many employee engagement ideas are free or low-cost, these activities are in an organization’s best interest to invest in.

Next, check out the importance of employee engagement and employee engagement theory, plus these employee engagement statistics.

We also have this list of volunteer program ideas for employees and these ideas for work social committees.