Technology, for all its boons, has weakened our social links. Many of what used to be tight communities have drifted apart. Now, we work and socialize through screens, we shop on the internet, and look for our soulmate on online apps. And the boom of remote work exacerbated the issue, with a 2020 (pre-pandemic) study reporting that 61% of surveyed employees felt lonely.
It’s not just an employees problem. Employees who feel lonely struggle to stay productive and engaged. As Harvard Business Review points out, loneliness at work can lead to a decrease in job performance, as isolated employees feel alienated from their colleagues and company as a whole.
But your company can be a force for change. We’ve got a list of 28 top picks for fun, fresh, and interactive events that will cultivate camaraderie in your organization.
You can’t go wrong with a friendly competition between co-workers.
Prepare a set of questions on a topic that your people will know about, and go wild. The beauty of trivia nights is in their flexibility. For example, you could host a quick trivia session online with one of our premade decks:
Or you could join a trivia night at a local bar. Either way, you’re going to make your team members bond.
Organizing a beer tasting event can be a delightful way to engage your team, whether virtually or in person.
For a virtual beer tasting event, consider sending out beer tasting kits in advance and hosting the session over a video call platform, where a beer expert can guide participants through the tasting, discussing each beer’s profile and brewery background.
For an offline event, you could set up tasting stations with a variety of beers, provide scorecards for notes and rankings, and perhaps even include a blind tasting challenge to add an element of surprise. Pair the beers with complementary snacks and encourage guests to discuss their impressions with each other to foster a convivial atmosphere.
Obviously, beer tasting events are not for everyone. Some people don’t drink because of religion or culture, so only organize them when it makes sense to do so.
Improv comedy among team members is sick. There is a level of knowledge and comfort that a professional comedian can’t reach. The burns will be very good while staying tasteful.
For an online open mic or improv comedy night, you can use Slides With Friends to create an engaging and interactive event.
Start by setting up a virtual stage using the platform’s presentation tools, where performers can share their acts live. Encourage audience participation with real-time features like live polling, word clouds, and Q&A sessions to keep the energy high.
Here’s a solid starter deck for this:
Ensure a smooth flow by scheduling performers in advance and using the platform’s management tools to transition between acts.
Celebrate the diversity within your company with cultural exchange dinners. Employees can bring dishes from their own culture or country, and share stories about their heritage.
For an online cook-off, invite participants to a virtual kitchen where they can cook live on camera. Set a theme, such as ‘Fusion Food’ or ‘Family Recipes’, and send out a list of ingredients that includes items everyone is likely to have.
During the event, encourage creativity and storytelling as each participant explains the significance of their dish.
Use a platform that allows everyone to interact and vote on the dishes based on presentation and perceived taste.
Starting an offline gardening club is a wonderful way to foster community spirit and share a love for gardening.
Begin by gathering a core group of gardening enthusiasts and plan a launch meeting in a public space like a local garden center or community center. Establish a leadership structure, and organize activities such as tending community spaces, visiting local nature spots, or hosting educational seminars.
Promote the club through flyers and personal invitations to attract members and plan regular meetings for discussions, hands-on sessions, and plant exchanges.
This project will create a vibrant community of gardeners who can learn from each other and enjoy the benefits of gardening together.
Hosting regular eco-friendly swap meets is a fantastic way to promote sustainability and community engagement. We buy a lot of junk, and discard most of it after one or two uses. But one person’s trash is another’s treasure.
Begin by selecting a spacious and accessible location, such as a park or community center, and set a date and time that’s convenient for most people. Encourage participants to bring items in good condition that they no longer need, such as clothes, books, toys, and household goods, ensuring that all items are clean and presentable.
Clearly communicate the rules and guidelines, like what items are acceptable and how the swapping will be conducted. To make the event more engaging, consider organizing workshops or talks on sustainability topics, and ensure that any unsold items are donated to local charities or recycled appropriately.
This not only helps reduce waste but also strengthens the sense of community as people come together to share and repurpose goods.
Organizing a Karaoke Party is a blast. There’s nothing like music to bring people together.
Here’s a quick guide to get you started:
For an offline Karaoke Party, set up a comfortable space with a karaoke machine or use a streaming service to access songs. Provide microphones and let participants take turns singing their favorite hits.
Decorate the venue to create a fun atmosphere and consider having snacks and drinks available to make it a memorable event. And most importantly, have fun.
Reading books can feel like a solitary activity. But it doesn’t have to be. Start a book club, invite people to join it, then vote on what book to read next. Give people ample time to read it, and discuss it once it’s done. Or you can go for something as simple as having a weekly discussion for each chapter.
You can host a fun book club event with Slides With Friends. You can use the platform’s live polling, Q&A, and word cloud features to let people know how they felt about the book.
Offline book clubs are even simpler to host. Pick a location and a time where you’ll meet, and let the discussion flow.
We love our furry friends. In fact, we love them so much that we want to get to know everyone’s furry friends.
Hosting a pet parade is the perfect way to bring pet lovers together, allowing them to showcase their pets’ unique personalities and talents. It’s an opportunity for everyone to share in the joy and companionship that pets bring into our lives.
And it doesn’t take much to set one up. You can have a video meeting with people showing their pets on camera. Or you can host a photo contest for the pets. Either way, it’ll be a joy for all people involved.
Here’s a deck you can tweak to help you structure the pet parade:
We don’t recommend hosting this type of event offline, as it can get messy real quick. But you could go for a “bring your pet to the office day” every now and then.
Teams are becoming increasingly multicultural. And what better way to celebrate this multiculturality than with a festival?
Celebrate the diverse cultures within the community with a festival, a vibrant example of a community coming together, that includes traditional dances, music, crafts, and food from different parts of the world.
Organize a ‘Cultural Day’ where employees are encouraged to dress in traditional attire and share stories or artifacts from their heritage. Set up a series of ‘cultural corners’ in a common area, each representing a different country or culture, with traditional decorations, music, and snacks.
You could also arrange for short performances or presentations by team members, showcasing traditional dances, music, or crafts. This smaller-scale event allows for a personal and engaging experience that fits within the workday, fostering a sense of community and cultural appreciation among colleagues.
Organizing a DIY workshop can be a rewarding experience, fostering creativity and hands-on skills.
Choose a project that’s both interesting and feasible for your team to complete. You’ll need a clear space, like a conference room, where everyone can work comfortably. Provide all necessary materials and tools, and ideally make it something where people can work together.
Ensure to include a brief safety orientation, especially if the project involves tools or materials that require careful handling.
Finally, promote the event internally, encourage participation, and perhaps even showcase the completed projects in the office to celebrate everyone’s hard work and creativity.
A board game night is a fantastic way to unwind and bond with colleagues.
For an online board game night, choose a selection of games available on digital platforms. Use a video chat service like Zoom or Google Meet to gather everyone, and share your screen to play the games together.
Online versions of popular board games can often be found, and some services allow you to play directly in the browser. Encourage everyone to prepare their favorite snacks at home, and set up a group chat for banter and conversation during the games.
Don’t know what to play? Here’s a starter deck:
Alternatively, set up a comfortable space with enough tables and seating for everyone to play. Provide snacks and drinks that are easy to handle so players can munch while they strategize. Keep the atmosphere casual and encourage everyone to participate, whether they’re playing or just watching.
Movies, like books, can feel like a solitary activity. But if you pick the right ones, and promote proper discussion, they will help people bond.
Suppose you had an employee struggling with a personal challenge. Ask them if they were ok with watching a movie about the same topic and discuss it with the rest of the team. That will help other employees better understand their colleague, while making the colleague feel heard.
Film festivals are easy to host either online or offline. For online, use a streaming platform that’s made for the job. For offline, an empty room and a screen plus projector combination will suffice.
Organizing a charity event within an office can be a meaningful and team-building experience. Start by defining your cause and setting a fundraising goal, ensuring it aligns with your company’s values.
Next, consider various fundraising avenues such as ticket sales, auctions, or donations. Choose an event that will engage your employees, like a silent auction, a charity raffle, or a themed dress-down day where participants donate to dress casually. Promote the event internally, and make sure to highlight how the funds raised will be used to benefit the chosen cause.
After the event, share the results and impact with your team to foster a sense of accomplishment and community spirit.
Educational lunch and learn sessions are a great way to combine professional development with social interaction.
To organize one, select a relevant topic that resonates with your team’s interests or professional goals.
If you want to host one online, you can use any video conferencing tool supported by a presentation platform. For example, you could use this starter deck to quiz people on the presentation:
For a real world lunch, provide a light, catered lunch to encourage attendance and foster a relaxed atmosphere. Choose an engaging speaker or facilitator, outline clear learning objectives, and encourage discussion and feedback to ensure the session is interactive and beneficial for all participants.
One crucial aspect of a successful educational lunch and learn session is keeping it on the lighter side. People want to enjoy their eating time together, not stress over a lecture.
Organizing an Environmental Clean-Up Day is a hands-on way to contribute to the community and the environment.
Here’s a guide on how to organize one:
Remember, an Environmental Clean-Up Day not only beautifies the area but also instills a sense of pride and stewardship among participants.
Organizing a nature hike is a wonderful way to reduce employees’ screen time and have them bond.
And, most importantly, anyone can participate:
A relaxing hike will help your team members embrace the natural sights, and spend time with their colleagues in a more relaxed environment at the same time.
Treat your employees to a scavenger hunt to help them bond over the thrill of the hunt. Separate them by teams, and give them a list of things you want them to find.
Short on time or ideas? Here’s a pre-made deck you can use to host a scavenger hunt online. You can edit it in a few clicks with our editor if you have prompt ideas that fit your organization better:
Or, you can organize an offline scavenger hunt. Divide the participants into teams and give them a list of items to find. Have the teams race to complete the hunt within the designated time frame, and give the winner a prize.
Community Paint Night is a creative and social event that can be adapted for both online and offline settings.
Online: Utilize a video conferencing tool where participants can follow along with an art instructor’s live demonstration. Send out a list of materials beforehand and consider shipping paint kits to participants. During the event, encourage interaction and sharing of artwork through the chat feature or by allowing participants to present their work to the group.
Offline: Choose a venue like a community center or office common area, and set up painting stations with easels, canvases, and paints. Hire a local artist to lead the painting session, and create a relaxed atmosphere with background music and refreshments. Encourage participants to mingle and share their creations.
Both formats offer a wonderful opportunity to relax, learn, and connect with others through the joy of painting.
Organizing a stargazing event can be a magical experience.
For an online event, you could host a live-streamed viewing of the night sky from a telescope, or collaborate with planetariums or observatories that may offer virtual tours. Engage participants with interactive discussions, trivia about celestial bodies, and share resources where they can explore the night sky virtually.
Choose a location with minimal light pollution and a wide view of the sky. Invite participants to arrive before dusk, and if possible, collaborate with a local astronomy club for telescope access. Plan activities like identifying constellations, tracking satellites, or even inviting an expert for a talk on astronomy.
Both types of events can include educational components and opportunities for participants to ask questions and learn more about the wonders of the universe. Remember to check the weather forecast and have a backup plan in case of poor viewing conditions.
Did you know that poor mental health costs UK employers up to £56 billion a year?
Organizing a health and wellness fair is a great initiative to promote physical and mental well-being in the workplace.
Here’s a guide to get you started:
Safeguarding our mental health is crucial to a good life. Employees with better mental health will mingle with their peers and be more productive.
Professional Development Workshops are for more than learning. They double down as community events that promote bonding.
Take, for instance, a workshop on conflict resolution. While valuable in itself, as conflict can — and will —ruin the atmosphere, it also helps employees treat each other better. The result is an increased sense of community.
The same goes for other typical development workshops. Whether you’re hosting one on public speaking or a workshop on effective communication, these sessions are more than just skill-building exercises. They are opportunities for employees to engage with one another in a deeper, more meaningful way
Don’t know where to start? Our DEI workshop deck makes for a quick and easy way to get started with your team’s professional development:
These workshops are pivotal in creating a culture of continuous learning and mutual respect.
We already talked about using food as a bridge to other people and their culture. But your local cuisine can also do the same job. This is especially effective if you have lots of talent from outside your local area.
Research the local culinary scene to uncover both popular eateries and hidden gems. Develop a well-structured itinerary that balances iconic food landmarks with lesser-known, yet equally impressive, culinary spots.
Forge partnerships with local establishments to provide a diverse tasting experience and ensure they can accommodate your group. Don’t forget the gluten-free and vegan options.
The beauty of culinary tours is that each place has its own micro-scene. You can organize a short bus ride to a close place and have a completely novel culinary experience.
Sports are a classic way to encourage teamwork and healthy competition. Form a company sports league and compete in friendly matches of soccer, basketball, or even bowling.
Not only does it promote fitness, but it also offers a regular opportunity for employees to interact outside of work.
Here are a few ideas for sports that most people can participate in:
These tournaments encourage fitness and friendly competition, two of the best ways to relieve stress.
Dive into culture with a museum visit, a perfect blend of learning and team bonding.
You can opt for an offline exploration through the echoing halls of history, art, or science, engaging directly with the past and sparking conversations.
Or, venture into virtual tours available from museums around the globe, allowing your team to wander through digital collections together from the comfort of your office or home. For example, here’s a virtual tour Paris’ most famous museum, Le Louvre.
Either way, it's an opportunity to step back from daily tasks, immerse in diverse perspectives, and connect over shared discoveries, making it an ideal escape into the wonders of human achievement and natural history.
How many friendships blossomed during school trips? And, just like those memorable school excursions, company trips can forge strong bonds among team members.
Whether it’s a day trip to a nearby historical site or a virtual retreat from the comfort of their home, the shared experiences can create lasting memories and a sense of unity.
To organize a virtual travel trip, create an immersive online experience with virtual tours of destinations, incorporating interactive elements like quizzes or puzzles related to the places visited.
For example, you could use a slide deck:
Utilize video conferencing tools to guide participants through the journey, allowing for real-time interaction and discussion to enhance the sense of exploration and community.
Unite your team with a volunteering event, a powerful manifestation of a community coming together to give back while strengthening bonds.
This hands-on approach to team building allows employees to engage with their community, offering tangible help where it's needed most.
Short on ideas? Here are a few that will work just about everywhere:
Volunteering events make your company a force of change in the community. It brings people closer, not only among your team members, but to society at large.
Celebrating milestones, whether they’re birthdays, work anniversaries, or team achievements, can significantly boost morale and foster a sense of community. Here are two ways you could structure these events:
These celebrations not only create a positive work environment but also show appreciation for the hard work and dedication of team members. It’s a great addition to your list of community event ideas!
In crafting a series of community event ideas — from museum visits to volunteering opportunities — your organization can tap into the powerful potential of shared experiences to not only strengthen internal bonds but also to extend its positive influence into the wider community.
These activities are not just about having fun or filling up the social calendar; they are a testament to your company's commitment to fostering a supportive, engaged, and socially responsible workplace culture.
This approach not only enriches your team's dynamics but also reinforces the role of your organization as a force for good, embodying the spirit of a community coming together in the community, building a legacy of unity, empathy, and purpose.
