Work party ideas to kickstart your return to the office
No one would have expected that going back to the office would feel like a treat. But after almost a year of uncertainty, many people are gearing up to return to the office. Coming back to work feels like the start of life returning to some semblance of normality. However, while your coffee mug might be where you left it (hopefully not still with coffee in), your office will probably look quite different, and it may take a little time for everyone to settle back in. An office party is a great way to help everyone ease back into the old/new normal, reconnect with colleagues and thank the team for their hard work during tough times.
Here have seven great work party ideas to celebrate your team's return to the office.
1. Mini golf
For those work teams in the City, London mini golf is a fantastic way to strengthen the bond between co-workers, build team spirit and sharpen their competitive skills. A miniature golf game brings together everyone's varied talents and teaches those taking part the importance of relying on and learning from each other. It's a great way to improve communication, problem-solving, adaptability and team trust in a relaxed and fun way. Many mini-golf venues provide catering, so you can choose to make it a full evening or whole afternoon event.
2. Cocktail Party
If you want your team to socialize and have a good time with other members, holding a cocktail party may be an excellent work party idea. With a few drinks and delicious foods on the side, you can kickstart your team’s return to the office.
Moreover, one of the best things about having a cocktail party is that you can have it after everyone’s office work. You can go to the bar or rent an event space where you can celebrate and drink cocktails with your team members. If you’re looking for a venue for the party, you can check out some bars in Shoreditch or wherever you may be located to find the best one.
3. Office quiz
Adapt the traditional pub quiz into a fun quiz party for the office that gets everyone involved. A quiz party is a great way to build camaraderie among the team, and friendly competition will encourage team members to work together. Don't just copy the generic questions you would hear down the pub. Instead, be sure to give the quiz a personal twist by incorporating each person's unique interests and personality and include questions specific to your office. Add in food and drink and any other merriments you require, and everyone will be sure to have a great time. Don't forget to have a prize ready at the end for the winning team.
4. Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a great fun activity and perfect for team building and to get the team ready to work together again. While a lot of fun, people must work together for their team to win, so a great way for everyone to bond and get to know each other's strengths. Office scavenger hunts are relatively easy to organize. It can either range from a simple list of things to find around the workplace or a much more creative and elaborate event that sees everyone venturing outside. There are so many different games and ideas you can incorporate into the hunt. You can make it as personal to your team as you wish, with prizes to give out at the end.
5. Office Olympics
Planning an Office Olympics is a great way to get colleagues working together and spur each other on while putting their skills to the test. It's a fun way to get everyone buzzing about returning to the office and working together again. You can head out to a local park, hire a venue or even host it in your office. There are plenty of activities everyone can take part in. If your office is full of sports-mad athletes, then you can go the traditional route of competitive sports or remind people of school sports days with egg and spoon races or make it whacky and creative with some office-based activities. For instance:
● Desk chair football
● Rubber band archery
● Synchronized office chair swiveling
● Pencil javelin
● Game console tournaments.
Of course, to fully embrace the Olympic games, you'll also need to hold opening and closing ceremonies, including medal presentations.
6. Earth Day Party
If you’re an environmentalist, a unique work party idea is celebrating Earth Day. Aside from kickstarting your team’s return to the office, it can also be your opportunity to encourage your team members to be environmentally friendly. Besides, customers or clients like doing business with companies that observe some green practices.
So, to organize an Earth Day celebration, you can come up with some activities. For example, you can hold a recycling contest in the office or require your team members to upcycle an office item. Alternatively, you can serve your team delicious sustainable food during lunch.
7. Office awards ceremony
An office awards ceremony is a great way to show your appreciation to staff for their hard work and dedication, especially during these recent tough times. It's an opportunity to bring everyone together before they return to the workplace. You can turn the occasion into your version of an Oscar party with a red carpet and black-tie dress code. Add invites, decorations, and have the winners' names pulled from envelopes to add extra drama. If your company is more laid back, make it more of a funny award ceremony with unusual award categories to make everyone laugh. Get everyone involved in the planning beforehand to contribute ideas for the awards categories and nominate and vote for their colleagues.
A work party is a great way to welcome everyone back to the office. It can be a way to celebrate company achievements and thank and reward staff for their hard work over the previous year, especially while things were tough. Unless you are planning to make it a surprise, ask your team for their thoughts and ideas on what type of party they would like with the aim of organizing something special that everyone can enjoy.
