One-of-a-kind office parties that bond employees (and aren’t in the office)

By Carrie Kramer

Forty-six percent of employees say company events motivate them and help them feel more aligned with company goals. And 51% of employees seek new job opportunities because they want to feel like they belong.

Company parties boost morale and bring colleagues together. They help break work routine monotony while fostering team building and promoting engagement—which ultimately impacts your bottom line. A one-of-a-kind office party that includes all staff—whether in-person, remote or hybrid—will stick in employees’ minds for weeks, months and even years to come. Help your organization bring staff even closer together with unique office party ideas that aren’t office-y.

Outdoor adventure

Hit the great outdoors with a hiking trip, river rafting excursion or zip-lining event. This gets employees out of the office and into nature while also promoting teamwork and physical activity.

Involve remote staff by encouraging each team member to choose a hiking or biking trail near them. While on the trail, they can take pictures and videos of what catches their eye. Host a virtual meeting where everyone can share what caught their eye.

Show team members you’ve put care and thought into planning the event by giving (or sending) everyone an outdoor adventure care package. Backpack cooler with packaged snack mix, a water bottle and a pair of sunglasses. Staff will be reminded of their fun outdoor “office party” for months afterward.

DIY crafts

Host a DIY craft party where employees can create and customize their own art pieces, from pottery to painting to knitting. Before the craft day, ask each team member to choose which craft they’ll be working on. Send out supplies, like pencil crayons or a Sewing Kit, to set everyone up for success. Check in to make sure everyone has the tools and materials to participate.

Whether in-person or remote, break staff into small groups and have each group join a call. They can work on their craft together while chatting about nonwork things. This is a relaxing way to express creativity and build camaraderie.

Food truck festival

Instead of hosting a meal by a traditional catering service, bring in a selection of food trucks to your office parking lot or nearby outdoor space. Give staff a budget and reimburse them later. For remote employees, collaborate with a food delivery service that can provide a wide variety of options. Employees can choose from multiple cuisines and enjoy a casual and fun atmosphere.

Give or send a stainless cutlery set that staff can use long after the event is over. Encourage all staff to share pictures of their mouthwatering meals. Set up a group chat for everyone to dish about their food choices.

Creative investigation

Host a crime mystery party where employees work together to solve a fictional crime. They can even dress up in character. This is an unforgettable way to promote communication and problem-solving, even when employees aren’t in the same physical location.

Here’s how:

• Choose a video conferencing platform. Employees can break into smaller groups and share clues and character profiles.

• Pick a theme, like diamond heist, murder mystery or art theft.

• Assign roles and characters. Give each team member a character profile with a personality and backstory.

• Create breakout rooms (in-person or virtual). Assign each group a specific area of investigation and provide them with clues and evidence.

• Encourage the team to collaborate to solve the mystery and reveal their answer after everyone presents their theories.

This fun activity will have your employees brainstorming, using critical thinking skills and working together—all while having a blast!

Escape room

An escape room is an exciting team-building activity that challenges employees to work together to solve puzzles to “escape” a room within a set time limit. This is a wonderful out-of-the-office activity that promotes time management skills, creative thinking and clear communication.

Many escape rooms offer corporate packages and can customize the experience to fit your team's interests. There are also multiple virtual escape rooms so every employee can be included.

Cooking class

Host a virtual cooking class where employees learn to prepare a gourmet meal together. Fun and interactive, this is a great way to promote teamwork while also learning new culinary skills.

Send out ingredient lists ahead of time, along with a couple of necessary tools, like a kitchen utility knife or cutting board/colander combo. Afterward, encourage employees to share different cooking experiences and stories, from funny fails to wild successes.

Ask everyone to share at least one favourite go-to dish too. Staff will love taste-testing their new culinary creation and sharing ideas with the rest of the team.

Throw a party that bonds

With a little thought and creativity, you can involve in-person, remote and hybrid employees in the most fun non-office, office parties ever. Staff will strengthen bonds, feel even more included and look forward to spending time together.

Carrie Kramer

Carrie Kramer is a merchandising category manager with more than 20 years of experience in the promotional products industry and has been part of 4imprint’s merchandising team for nearly two years. She brings extensive expertise in merchandising, product sourcing, and building strong vendor relationships. Working closely with product development partners—and always thinking creatively—Carrie continually seeks out the best promotional products to strengthen her category offerings. Her expertise and creative approach help ensure 4imprint remains at the forefront of wellness-related promotional trends.

All marks are the property of 4imprint or their respective owners.

Sources