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28 Fun Ways to Boost Morale at Work in 2024

By January 21, 2024 March 18th, 2024 111 Comments

snacknation team - employee wellness

The Best Employee & Staff Morale Boosters (as voted on by our readers):

    1. Express gratitude
    2. Host team-building events with heart
    3. Laugh out loud
    4. Get weird
    5. Post-it note wars
    6. Send meaningful gifts
    7. Invest in a virtual corporate wellness benefit for your team
    8. Fail of the week
    9. Provide healthy food options
    10. Monday morning coffee

In a hurry? Check out some of our favorite employee morale boosting platforms & tools to improve engagement this year:

Motivosity 🏆 Reward your team’s priorities, culture, and performance with premium incentives Visit Motivosity
Awardco 🎁 Award them an eGift Visit Awardco
WorkTango 🌟 Engage and retain employees with recognition, rewards, surveys, and more Visit WorkTango
Bonusly 🥇 Recognize and reward employees for their achievements and milestones Visit Bonusly
Nectar 😃 Peer-to-peer recognition, Amazon integration, boost your engagement and retention Visit Nectar
👉 Compare more HR-vetted and approved options here

Can you tell which office suffers from low morale?

employee morale comparison

Believe it or not, some companies are still skeptical about the value of workplace morale boosters.

Sure, morale is nice to have, their argument goes, but it’s not critical to our business, and therefore not something I need to focus on. Right?

Well, Doubty McDoubterson, you couldn’t be more wrong.

The benefits of high employee morale in your company can be summed up in one word: performance.

Research shows that high morale organizations consistently benefit from less stress, which in turn means higher productivity due to reduced turnover and absenteeism.

High morale is also a prerequisite of employee engagement, and multiple studies have shown that engaged companies outperform competitors in categories like customer service, retention, and profit.

The reality is, businesses can’t afford to NOT focus on morale. But to put the argument to rest, we’ve compiled a list of Proven Employee Morale Boosters That Won’t Break The Bank.

You can also get additional morale boosting and employee engagement ideas from The Assist — a free weekly email for professionals full of actionable workplace culture, productivity, and leadership inspo.

“One thing The Assist has helped me immensely with is keeping our company culture alive during this new shift to hybrid work. It is important for us to have a team who is happy and healthy and The Assist has provided tons of options to help make that possible for our team.” -Julie P. Executive Assistant, Classcraft

Without further ado, here they are:

1. Express gratitude

There’s a growing body of scientific research that points to the benefits of gratitude. These studies show that gratitude improves physical and psychological health, improves sleep, and lifts mood. The challenge for many companies is, how do you integrate gratitude into our work lives?

Get Your Free Guide to Boosting Employee Motivation

At SnackNation, it’s part of our culture. We hold a Friday afternoon “Crush-It Call,” during which each employee calls out a colleague for “Crushing It” (i.e. embodying one of the company values that week), and names one thing that they are grateful for. It allows us to reflect on the week’s accomplishments and gets the weekend started on a positive note.

Here’s what the Crush It Call looks like at SnackNation HQ:

 

We also dole out daily appreciation and gratitude using a platform called Bonusly.

Built straight into our company’s flexible work culture, this morale boosting platform lets us shoutout our coworkers for putting in great work, finishing projects, reaching goals, giving helping hands, and just about anything worth recognizing.

Bonusly - Home Feed

For dispersed workforces, distance can make expressing gratitude a challenge, but Grace Zuncic from Chobani shares the way Bonusly allows them to express gratitude in new ways:

Bonusly has transformed the way we activate peer-to-peer recognition at Chobani. The program has brought our amazingly diverse company together behind a common goal of real-time acknowledgement and fostered a genuine spirit of recognition in all that we do.”

Bonusly Gif

Why we like it:

Focusing on the negative is an easy trap that anyone can fall into. Expressing gratitude helps put our daily challenges into perspective, and aids in emotions like empathy, which is essential for communication.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Create a weekly all-hands meeting, either at the beginning or end of the week.

2. Choose a theme and have team members share something in their lives for which they are grateful. It can be work-related or personal.

3. Explore company-wide programs to promote peer-to-peer recognition — whether through a platform like Bonusly or a committee of employees interested in company culture.

4. Plan events to celebrate the end of the quarter or the culmination of a large project. Sometimes an entire team deserves gratitude for its contribution to the larger company mission.

 

2. Host team-building events with heart

Make employees feel good with one of Outback Team Building’s team building activities with heart. Event planning professionals handle all the planning and logistics for games that bring you and your co-workers together as you reach out to your community. Spend a day building bikes or playing games to benefit a local charity.

Amazon-OutbackWhy we like this: 

Helping others makes you feel good. 

One Deloitte survey even found that most people believe that giving back activities, such as volunteering, can improve employee morale better than other events.

Here’s how to do it:

It’s easy! Just head over to Outback Team Building, request a quote, and then make magic happen. 

 

3. Celebrate employee birthdays

happy-birthday

Throwing a birthday bash for your team members is like sprinkling a little bit of party magic in the workplace! It’s all about bringing in balloons, cake, and many smiles. Celebrating office birthdays adds fun to the office atmosphere and shows your employees they’re valued and remembered. Imagine the ‘Happy Birthday’ chorus mixed with laughter and the clinking of coffee mugs—it’s a surefire way to boost morale and create unforgettable memories!

Why We Like This:

Celebrating birthdays in the workplace is a fabulous way to build a warm, friendly culture. It’s a simple yet powerful gesture that expresses the bond you share with your coworkers.

Here’s How to Do It:

Start by marking those special dates on the office calendar—no birthday should slip under the radar. Then, get creative with decorations, order a scrumptious cake, and maybe throw a surprise gift from Goody. It’s about making each employee feel like the superstar of the day!

Goody-Birthday-GiftsExplore the Goody catalog 🎁

 

4. Engage with your team via Slack

Using a collaboration tool like Slack can help your team feel more connected via daily recognition and appreciation. You can even connect your current HR platform like Deel to utilize Slack plugins.

From meetup roulettes, interest groups, and quick anonymous surveys, Deel can help your team build better relationships and keep a pulse on employee satisfaction.

Slack-Plugins-DeelWhy we like this:

Regardless if your team is in-office, hybrid, or fully remote — Slack plugins are the perfect tool to boost employee morale through daily communication.

Here’s how to do it:

To start implementing more morale boosters at work, look into connecting your HR stack with Slack. The team at Deel can help get you started or talk to your current HR department to see how you can better utilize Slack to engage employees and promote office morale.

 

5. Get Your Green On

Studies have shown that green space improves mental health. Humans, it turns out, are hard-wired to appreciate natural beauty, and people are happier and less stressed when they have access to parks and open spaces.

Of course, if you work in an urban environment or an area with harsh winters, this access isn’t always easy to come by.

The solution? Bring the green spaces indoors.

flowers on desk

Barbara Moy and her team at CaseWare International Inc. out of Toronto, Canada decided to do just that. She and her team provided everyone at the company with a small potted sunflower at their desk.

They found that the experiment brightened the office and lightened people’s moods, helping to offset the dreary Canadian winter. Plus, the mere fact that the plants required daily care reduced absenteeism.

Why we like it:

Cheap, fun, and proven to counter phenomena like seasonal affective disorder (SAD). What’s more, a University of Queensland study found that an office outfitted with plants can actually increase employee productivity by 15 percent.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Buy small pots, potting soil, and seeds for easy to manage flowers like sunflowers (this will run you about $3-4 per employee).

Tip: you can buy pollen-free varieties to accommodate employees with allergies.

2. Incentivize ongoing participation with awards for biggest bloom, most beautiful specimen, and greenest thumb.

 

6. Gather feedback via anonymous suggestion box to make office improvements

Transform your office into a place of continuous feedback! Introducing the anonymous suggestion box, the unsung hero of workplace enhancements. This unassuming box is your portal to unfiltered insights from your team, brimming with invaluable wisdom, whimsical ideas, and perhaps the occasional request for more snack options in the pantry. It’s a delightful and hassle-free way for your team to share their wildest office dreams and grievances.

There are even anonymous feedback tools out there to set up this system for distributed teams. Even if you work without an office, receiving feedback can be crucial to implementing positive change at your company.

Why We Like This:

An anonymous suggestion box is a wondrous gateway to genuine conversations. It fosters openness and honesty, liberating individuals from stage fright and ensuring everyone’s voice is heard and valued.

Here’s How to Do It:

Place the suggestion box in a warm and inviting corner, encouraging your team to share their brilliant ideas and curiosities. Regularly collect and review these valuable nuggets of feedback, and voila! You’ll have a treasure trove of ideas to elevate your office to greatness.

Pro-Tip: if you are looking to set up a “virtual suggestion box” these apps can set you up for your entire team:

 

7. Run a company-wide wellness challenge

Employee Wellness Challenges

Get ready for the most exhilarating office adventure – a company-wide employee wellness challenge! Picture your workplace transformed into a vibrant hub of health and happiness, where everyone races to accumulate steps, swap salads, and showcase their finest downward dog poses.

This isn’t just a fun and friendly competition; it’s an extraordinary opportunity to infuse extra vitality and camaraderie into everyone’s workday. And let’s not forget the sheer delight of witnessing your boss attempting a plank!

Why We Like This:

We wholeheartedly embrace this concept as it transforms health into a collaborative endeavor! It is a remarkable catalyst for promoting a healthy lifestyle, alleviating stress, and fostering a sense of camaraderie and enjoyment among coworkers.

Here’s How to Do It:

Start with an attention-grabbing announcement and provide concise guidelines. Then, let the games commence! Utilize a fitness app like YuMuuv to monitor progress and establish a leaderboard for good-natured competition. Remember to incorporate enticing rewards to drive motivation further!

 

8. Get Weird

fun employee wellness ideas for the office

Say it with me:

“Let’s. Get. Weird.”

Ok, don’t get too weird, (let’s not get ourselves sued), but a little weirdness is a-ok. In fact, it’s beneficial to your business.

How? By embracing the quirky, off-kilter aspects of your culture, you’ll lighten the mood in the office. The idea is to make things that people tend to dread – like meetings – more fun by doing something out of the ordinary.

Ideally, you want to do things that are both weird and authentic, meaning things that reflect the culture of the organization.

Why we like this:

Because weirdness = fun. Allowing for weirdness also promotes outside-the-box thinking and creative problem-solving.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Embrace your inner weirdness.

2. Take something boring – a weekly product meeting for instance – and make it extraordinary by injecting something unexpected into the agenda. Start the meeting with jumping jacks, or, like Michigan-based Menlo Innovations, require the speaker to wear a Viking Helmet.

3. Don’t force it! Do something that is authentically YOU.

 

9. Post-it note wars

In the last few years, DIY office supply expression has been elevated to a true artform, with increasingly complex designs.

The REAL fun begins when you inject some healthy competition into the mix. Recently, New York ad firms engaged in a very public Post-it art war, with each firm trying to one-up the other with large displays on the windows of their Canal Street offices. But it was Havas Worldwide who claimed victory with a massive mic drop. The display created buzz and lifted spirits around the city.

Post it note war

Photo belongs to JAM Project

 

post it war simpsons

Photo belongs to Caroline Lena Becker

Why we like it:

Post-it note art is the epitome of “surprise and delight.” It provides an unexpected lift and improves morale all over the workplace. Plus it’s something you can do on the cheap.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Choose an image. Classic pixelated video game images (like super Mario Brothers or Space Invaders) work great.

2. Plan your mural on a sheet of graph paper using available post-it colors.

3. Map out your wall space – or put it on glass to show your creation off to the world!

4. Apply your post-its. Remember, the surprise factor is key here. People love post-it note art because it inspires wonder and delight. The best way to do this is with a small team at night.

5. Post-it maker 3M has some advanced tips here.

 

10. Send meaningful gifts with Caroo

Caroo Gifts

Everyone loves receiving gifts, and when those gifts are thoughtfully curated, personalized, and beautifully packaged like Caroo’s, they show how much you care about and value your employees. The more employees feel you care, the more your company morale will soar.

Why we like it:

Personalized gifts are lovable, useful, and memorable, and when you send them via Caroo, they’re also a stress-free, delightfully easy way to boost morale.

Here’s how to do it:

Simply visit Caroo to find pre-curated or customized gift boxes your team will love. After that, you can add your own branding and personalization features and then send everything off with help from an automatic address collection feature. (When you’re ready to repeat the delight, Caroo’s platform makes it ridiculously easy to reorder.)

 

11. Invest in a virtual corporate wellness benefit for your team

You know what your team really wants?

They want to come together, outside of work and learn how to feel better, together.

With Remote Team Wellness, the world’s first live-taught, virtual corporate wellness agency, it’s easier than ever to do! That’s why companies like Facebook, Microsoft, L’Oreal and more trust RTW’s vast pre-vetted network of world-class practitioners to guide their teams through virtual sessions covering Burnout Prevention, Sleep, Nutrition, Fitness, Team Building, and much more.

 

Why we like it:

This is a great way to show that you care about both your employees’ physical and mental health journey, and with a session from Remote Team Wellness you can get live-taught virtual classes more conveniently than ever before. Their team handles everything from sourcing experts to conceptualizing your team’s event, all comms and everything else too!

Here’s how to do it:

To get started, you can browse their current virtual wellness sessions on their website or book a free consultation with the RTW team to get a custom proposal.

 

12. Fail of the Week

You’d think that something called the “Fail of the Week” would be the perfect way to decrease morale, but Los Angeles-based mobile gaming studio Scopely has proved that the opposite is true.

As former GM Jason Weiss told the Awesome Office Show, during Scopely’s weekly all-hands meetings, team members share their biggest failure that week and what they learned from it.

fail of the week

The point isn’t to call out mistakes, but to acknowledge that failure is part of the process and to share the lessons learned.

“If you’re asking people to work extremely hard, and aim high, and be ambitious, they’re going to fail [at times],” Weiss explains. “So we need to acknowledge that it’s ok to fail, or people are going to stop aiming high.”

The light-hearted tone of the fail of the week puts people at ease, makes risk taking easier, and actually improves morale.

Why we like it:

A healthy relationship with failure should be a part of your culture, particularly at growth-oriented startups, where big risks are critical to success. This practice communicates that it’s ok to fail, and emphasizes growth and learning.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Create a forum for sharing mistakes. All-hands meetings, weekly communications, or slack threads all work well.

2. Make sure to emphasize lessons learned, and what the individual is doing to prevent the same problems from happening in the future.

3. Make it fun! Brand it with a catchy name and create an award for the biggest fail.

 

13. Send gift cards to the entire team

This morale boosting activity for teams is a perfect solution for employees working out of multiple offices (or multiple homes!) Simply work with a digital gift card service like this to pick out the right gift card option and let them distribute the eCards out with a few simple clicks.

Gift Card Recipient Choice

Gift cards are a tried and true method for sending out a little morale boosting appreciation without having to shop till you drop. Plus, it gives employees the flexibility to use them whenever they want!

 

14. Provide healthy food options

Some things in life are just indisputable. Like gravity, inertia, and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, the healthy foods to morale correlation is one of those immutable laws of nature.

In all seriousness, healthy office snacks and meals provide a morale-boosting perk that will raise spirits and productivity.

Mood and cognition are affected by our nutrition, so providing healthy options is not just a great way to demonstrate that your employees are cared for and appreciated, but provide them with the fuel they need to work at peak performance.

Why we like it:

Nutritious foods boost productivity, and engagement. Also, snacking affects your overall diet more than any other food category.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Try out SnackNation today. Your team will thank you for it.

 

15. Mini Sabbatical

Bucketlist

Why we like it:

With a schedule free from Zoom meetings and slack notifications, your employee will have much-needed time to relax, enjoy a hobby or favorite past-time of theirs, and return to work with a refreshed sense of wellbeing.

Here’s how to do it:

Inspired by the experiential reward experts at Bucketlist, this morale-boosting idea is designed to let employees de-stress from the worries of work for a day or two during their very own mini-sabbatical. Request a free personalized demo to find our more about their ever-expanding catalog of experiences and mini-sabbatical options.

👉 See Bucketlist in action

 

16. Thirsty Thursday

Ah, the good old fashioned happy hour. Is there anything that brings employees together better than good conversation and a few adult beverages?

But don’t make it an escape from work – and definitely don’t settle for jalapeno poppers and a blooming onion over at TGI Fridays. Create an interactive libation experience in the workplace

Sam Whiteside of The Motley Fool describes their take on the traditional happy hour:

“Every Thursday starting at 4 p.m. and running until around 6 p.m. a different team from around The Fool hosts Thirsty Thursday in our game room! The team gets to select what drinks and food are provided and also get to showcase any projects they are working on. Lots of fun, collaboration, and Foolishness is spurred from these happy hours!”

Here’s the scene from a recent Thirsty Thursday at The Fool:

Thirsty Thursday Motley Fool

Why we like this:

Social bonds are a necessary part of creating an engaged culture and high morale org. Nothing achieves this more than the tried and true happy hour.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Set aside a day of the week or month for a company-wide happy hour.

2. Have a different department host the event. Encourage each department to create a theme that reflects the character of that department.

3. Do it on company time and at the office to demonstrate your company’s commitment to fun.

 

17. Monday Morning Coffee

coffee with team to boost morale

Garfield was right: Mondays can be tough. Even when you love your job, the weekends never quite seem long enough.

That’s why it’s important to offset the occasional Monday blues.

Sabrina, from engagement software TINYpulse, shares their strategy:

“One thing that we do on our own marketing team is Monday morning coffee. Let’s admit it, we all get the Monday blues. And most of the time, we’re not ready to jump head-on into our work on Monday mornings. So instead, our team visits various coffee shops around the neighborhood (we’re located in Seattle, so there’s no shortage of coffee shops within walking distance) just relax for about half an hour.

Sometimes we talk about work, sometimes we talk about our weekends — our goal is to start off the week on a positive note so we can feel productive for the rest of the day and week.”

Another great way to use coffee to boost morale?

Use it to schedule one-on-ones. Alex Khurgin from Grovo explains:

Coffee is all it takes for a manager to treat her report to a one-on-one outside the office. It’s probably the most important thing a manager can do.

For one thing, just the act of scheduling these meetings tells employees their manager cares about them enough to spend time regularly chatting. But beyond that, savvy managers have these meetings down to a science. They start by asking the employee for any recent “wins,” rather than jumping right into the minutiae of day-to-day work.

This gives employees permission to think about their effort in terms of achievements, not tasks. That’s the point at which it’s appropriate to move on to asking about frustrations and addressing them head-on. All the while, the manager gathers feedback, takes notes, and does it distraction-free.

One-on-ones that start with positive progress and then address serious blockers help employees cultivate a winning mindset and get accustomed to feeling capable. Making a team member secure and confident is the most powerful morale booster any manager can give.

Why we like it:

Simple, but effective. It gets the team out of the office and immersed in the community, in a relaxed atmosphere.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Research local coffee shops. Half the point is exploring your neighborhood and getting to know the community. Don’t just settle for Starbucks!

2. Set an objective. It can be personal or work-related, but don’t miss out on an opportunity to have a directed conversation.

3. Appoint a note-taker to make sure any action items are recorded so team members can follow up.

 

18. Nerf Battles

Think Nerf guns are kids stuff? Think they have no place in the office?

Think again.

Darby Dupre from YouEarnedIt shares her company’s epic Nerf tale:

“Last week, we held our first ever Nerf Battle Royale. Our employees pooled together their YouEarnedIt points to fund and launch what turned out to be a powerful team-building exercise.

For 30 minutes, the entire office became a battleground where strategy, collaboration, and out-of-the-box thinking meant the difference between life and (virtual) death.”

youearnedit nerf battle

youearnedit nerf battle 2

 

Why we like it:

It’s not just fun and games. Nothing says teamwork like launching a full scale Nerf invasion. The bonds you create will strengthen your team’s ability to work together and solve problems. Plus, Nerf battles signal to your employees that it’s ok to have fun at the office.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Pick up some Nerf guns at a local toy store.

2. Set ground rules. Try a capture the flag style game, which involves strategy, teamwork, and collaboration.

3. Create a trophy for the winning team. You’d be surprised how motivating bragging rights can be.

 

19. Kick out the Jams

listen to music at the office

Nothing quite sets the mood like music, making it a fun and easy way to improve morale in any office setting.

What’s more, certain types of music make repetitive tasks more enjoyable, improve focus, and can even make us more creative.

Instrumental music works best, as lyrics have a tendency to distract. Luckily there are great instrumental versions of popular songs available from artists like the Vitamin String Quartet.

Why we like this:

Music not only sets the right mood, but can also help aid focus and productivity.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Subscribe to the SnackNation Ultimate Productivity Playlist on Spotify. This constantly updated playlist contains more than ten hours of instrumental music curated by the music fanatics at SnackNation. Artists include Explosions in the Sky, Classix, Tycho, Deceptikon, El Michels Affair, Menahan Street Band, and a ton more.

2. Press play, bliss out.

 

20. Connect Employees with On-Demand Services

Inspired by the likes of Uber and Lyft, the on-demand economy is in full swing. Workplaces amenities like massages, haircuts, and car washes are available on-demand in most major cities.

At SnackNation, we utilize the LA and Orange County based car wash service Washos, which provides a quality, on demand car wash at a reasonable price. But since SnackNation just facilitates the service, it’s of no cost to the company, and still provides a morale-boosting amenity that our team appreciates.

on demand car wash

Why we like this:

Your employees are always pressed for time. Help them get weekly errands done during the workday by facilitating access to these on-demand services.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Research locally available on-demand services. Massages, haircuts, laundry services, and carwashes are all popular in the on-demand economy.

2. Appoint a team member – either an HR staffer or office manager – to facilitate the service at the office. You can often negotiate a lower price based on a guaranteed number of customers.

 

21. Laugh out loud

Lift spirits, and keep employees connected with laugh out loud exercises for your whole team! “Pandemic blues,” is not just a catch-phrase and the comedians at Laughter On Call are uniquely qualified to address the stress and anxiety your people are likely feeling!

Why we like this:

With morale boosting events such like their virtual Happier Hour and Laughter Gym, they create a respectful space that distinguishes between laughing at people, which is not allowed, and laughing with people, which is celebrated!

When teams establish this kind of “no wrong answer,” communication, they create a psychologically safe environment where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas, and opening their minds to what is possible beyond the conventional.

Here’s how to do it:

The team at Laughter On Call help to create connection through shared laughter, with a variety of group-friendly programming.

 

22. Food Trucks

One of the most appreciated on-site perks at Google is their famous cafeteria, which provides gourmet-quality food for their employees. Of course, very few companies can afford to provide an amenity like this.

Food trucks are a great solution because they provide access to new and exciting food options, without the need to build a kitchen or hire a world-class chef.

food truck SN

SnackNation’s Steve Odachowski is a big food truck fan:

“Food trucks are a cool perk. You get to eat something new every day, and it’s not just different food, you know it’s local food. It’s really a taste of what the local food scene has to offer. It’s also something to get excited about every day. One of the happiest emails I read every morning is definitely the food truck email.”

Why we like this:

This is completely cost-free, but you’ll get credit for providing your employees with gourmet quality lunches. Bonus benefit – your employees will waste less time driving to and from local eateries or grocery stores, and thus will be more productive. Score!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Research local food trucks in the area and contact their owners. Let them know that you can supply them with customers.

2. Promote food truck arrivals with a company-wide email.

3. Get in touch with an office manager or HR leader in neighboring businesses to coordinate and share information on food truck arrivals. Once your location has a reputation for providing hungry lunchtime workers, the food trucks will keep coming.

4. Bon appetit.

 

23. Personal Development

Ever heard the phrase, “Dead-end job?”

It’s very common for morale to suffer when employees feel like there’s no room for growth.

To ensure this isn’t the case, be proactive about growth and development.

Personal development is huge here at SnackNation. We hold weekly personal development meetings (Sensei Sessions), during which senior leadership or regular team members present on personal development topics.

Here’s our CEO, Sean Kelly, talking about goal setting during his sensei:

 

We also recently launched Individual Development Plans (IDP). These plans ensure that team members are setting personal and professional goals and making steady progress. If you want to download a template of our IDP, click here.

The result is a feeling that we’re all getting better, both as individuals and as a company.

Why we like this:

The success of your business depends on the quality of your people. Why wouldn’t you assist your employees grow and get better?

Here’s how to do it:

1. Have employees fill out Individual Development Plans, which layout a framework for personal and professional goals.

2. Plan monthly meetings with managers to track against goals.

 

24. Form a Book Club

book club

A company sponsored book club solves a problem that tons of employees face, but few employers take the initiative to address:

Most people want to read more, but simply don’t have the time.

Gallup recently found that Americans with full-time jobs work an average of 47 hours per week, or the equivalent of 6 full work days. Nearly 40% logged more than 50 hours per week. With family obligations presumably taking up most of our free time, this leaves precious little room for personally enriching activities like reading.

The scope of your book club can vary. A book club that focuses on the Harry Potter series is perfectly okay, but for double the value, throw in some business or self improvement titles as well. Your company as a whole will likely benefit from new ideas and more focused workers.

Matthew from MyEmployees elaborates on how he runs his book club:

“Every week we hold a 1 hour book club meeting (half the company on Wednesday 10a-11a, half on Thursday 10a-11a). We use this time for discussion on personal development books on subjects like motivation, financial discipline, stress management, interpersonal relationship development. It’s one of the highlights of the team’s week, and one of our primary employee engagement drivers.”

Why we like it:

Sure, books are great, but book clubs aren’t all about learning – half the benefit is social. These casual meetings create the bonds and connections between individuals that help improve day-to-day morale.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Announce the formation of a company book club at an all-hands meeting or company-wide email, and ask employees to sign up and join.

2. Crowdsource book ideas to ensure that employees are engaged with the material.

3. Pick one person to present each week. Make sure the leader has some talking points to get the discussion started.

4. Assign snack (or wine!) duties to individual team members. Half the point is to socialize with colleagues in a casual, low-stress situation.

 

25. Group Fitness

Group fitness is a great way to kill two birds with one stone – create a bonding experience for your employees while improving the organization’s overall health and fitness.

Exercise, of course, has been shown to improve mood and cognition. Group fitness adds a social element that will help strengthen personal relationships at work.

Group fitness fanatic (and SnackNation’s resident yogi), Kelsey Cook, explains:

“Group fitness is great for team building and getting to know people. It’s a relaxed setting that’s still in the office, but apart from the typical day-to-day office grind. Plus having the company arrange group fitness activities shows that they care about our personal wellbeing, not just what we can contribute to the company. Plus it’s a fun way to let off some steam!”

on site yoga

Why we like this:

There is virtually no downside to group fitness. It’s a great bonding opportunity, increases mood, and the health benefits will result in higher employee productivity in the long run.

Here’s how to do it:

1. You don’t have to hire a fitness coach or build an onsite gym. Start a running group or meet for group workouts, yoga, or meditation at a nearby park.

2. Appoint a fitness leader to keep the enthusiasm going and team members motivated.

3. Be consistent! The more workouts, the more benefits you’ll see.

 

26. Clothing Swap

clothing swap

Recently, SnackNation Project Manager Hannah Avellaneda wanted to de-clutter her closet. But rather than just throw out or donate her clothing, she felt like she could be doing more.

Noticing that the women in our office had great style, she coordinated with other office fashionistas, and the SnackNation Clothing Swap was born.

It worked like this: the group all gathered their excess clothes, laid them out in the company warehouse, and traded with each other. The remaining clothes were then donated to a survivor of domestic violence through an organization called Becky’s Fund.

Hannah explains:

“The clothing swap was a lot of fun and a great ice breaker for a lot of the new employees. It also gave us a good sense of accomplishment and purpose. We are able to give back both internally and to the external community. We all got to de-clutter a little bit, and were super appreciative that our hand-me-downs were put to good use.”

Why we like it:

Not only did the clothes go to a good cause, but the swap became a great conversation starter, and the basis for several close friendships in the office.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Set a date for a clothing swap.

2. Have team members clean out their closets and gather excess clothes.

3. Find a space to lay out clothes and trade items.

4. Find a suitable charity to donate to.

 

27. Volunteer Days

Like expressing gratitude, volunteering takes you out of the myopia of your day-to-day work and provides a broader perspective. They’re a great way to get out of the office, relieve some stress, and do some good – something that will always improve morale.

SnackNation’s resident volunteer coordinator Elisa Silvestro had this to say about the impact of volunteering:

“Company-sponsored volunteer days are great for morale. For starters, they show that your company is invested in you becoming a well-rounded person who is involved in the community, not just an employee.”

snacknation at feeding america

The SnackNation team helping out at Feeding America HQ in Los Angeles, CA

Morgan from the employee reward company Blueboard agrees:

“Volunteering is an awesome way to boost morale and give back to your neighborhood community. We recently volunteered with San Francisco’s Project Homeless Connect to help share aid to the homeless community in our immediate SoMa neighborhood which was a really cool way to get out of the office routine and build more understanding and appreciation for your local community.”

Why we like this:

Besides the bonding benefits, nothing boosts mood and morale in an office than helping others.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Find a local charitable organization that aligns with your company’s mission. At SnackNation, we’re all about health and nutrition, so we chose Feeding America, which helps fight food insecurity for millions of Americans.

2. Arrange a volunteer day during a Friday workday.

3. Make it voluntary – you’ll still get a massive turnout, and it will be more meaningful when people chose to donate their time.

 

28. Play GeoGuessr at the end of your next virtual meeting

GeoguessrThe online group game, GeoGuessr tests your geography knowledge with your team by dropping you somewhere in the United States (or the world) and forcing the entire team to use clues and Google Maps to determine where you are located.

Why we like this: Completely free, easy to join, and lasts only five minutes — this employee morale idea is your answer to how to end your next Zoom call or virtual meeting.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Have the meeting leader share their screen and pull up Geoguessr

2. Select your game mode

3. Play with your team for five minutes at the end of your meeting!

 

Conclusion

As you can see, morale boosters don’t have to break the bank. There are tons of effective solutions that you can implement at little or no cost to you. So what are you waiting for?

Have a great idea that you don’t see above? Let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear it.

Free bonus: Download a cheatsheet of our Top 50 Fun Office Games and Activities That Make Work Awesome. Easily save it on your computer for quick reference or print it out the next time you want to plan a fun event for your coworkers.

111 Comments

  • I love the nerf battles! We are going to be ramping up to do this in our office 🙂 So many great ideas here! We volunteer quite often as a team but are always looking for new ways to get involved with the community.

  • Jane Elliott says:

    I love the idea of the company bringing green into the office with plants, instead of employees having to purchase plants. It’s a great idea.
    The book club is also a wonderful idea (I like it that MyEmployees doesn’t have it cut into employees lunch breaks). If the books are too “business”-minded, I’d love to do this.
    No doubt healthy snacks give double the satisfaction for employees: free food that’s tasty, and it’s also healthy, won’t make employees tired (from too much sugar).

  • Michelle Thomas says:

    I really enjoyed this article! These are some great tips to keeping the work place fun and exciting! I really liked the idea of doing a “fail of the week”. Often times people beat themselves up over a mistake. The thing is we are all human and we all make mistakes. So instead of feeling embarrassed or ashamed why not face it head on and learn something from it. I think I will suggest that we do this in our office!

  • Lisa says:

    We hold a year-long photo contest then have employees vote on the photos. The photos with the most votes are used in next year’s company calendar and large canvas prints are made to adorn our walls.

  • Kaleb says:

    In my opinion, #3 Express Gratitude has the biggest affect on an individual and workplace. This is the simplest task that often gets overlooked because of the lack of degree of difficulty. By doing so, people feel wanted and acknowledged for their work.

  • Morgan Hill says:

    Our office likes alcohol. In and out of the office happy hours are a huge winner!

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Yep… happy hours are tried and true. Thanks for sharing, Morgan!

    • Sharon says:

      I am trying to get more people I work with to do a happy hour outside of work. It would give everyone a chance to interact outside of the stress of work.

  • Laura Stevens says:

    Lots of great ideas here. Our office is very small (7 people) and all accountant types… pretty straight laced… slowly trying to break down the barriers with trivia quizzes at our monthly meetings and making the kitchen more of a gathering place with our Snack Nation Box!

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Great to hear, thanks Laura! That’s definitely one of the benefits. Food brings people together, and people who “break bread” together tend to bond.

  • Jess Sepulveda says:

    I love the idea of the speaker wearing a Viking hat during a meeting. Made me crack up thinking of our execs having to do this…life needs more laughter. Gonna have this as a suggestion 😉

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      YES! Let us know how that works out. (And include pics if possible!)

      Richard Sheridan talks about making the office more fun in his book Joy Inc. Tons of fun and different culture ideas in there.

  • TJ Patel says:

    I wish we could do a clothing swap — sadly I work in a male-dominant company with not much interest in clothes.

    However, we definitely excel in the happy hour category. We have a Friday Beer Cart which people are always ecstatic about. Even though there is always free beer available in our fridge, the guys go wild for having it brought by their desk!

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      We’re actually doing another clothing swap with male employees soon. If clothes aren’t your thing, maybe there’s something else you can swap? Old sporting equipment (golf clubs, surfboards, skis), or old computers. You can donate the leftovers to a local school.

  • Ashley Landavazo says:

    Love the crushing it meetings. We have shout outs in our huddles but making it really its own thing may get the spirits up. Definitely want to start implementing the biggest fail of the week.

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Fail of the week is one of the coolest ideas I’ve heard – let us know how it turns out, Ashley!

  • Judi Fixler says:

    Great article and great ideas. Will try a few. Thanks.

  • Christy says:

    We have brought in a food truck before and it was such a great lunch break. Everyone got to hang out and eat good food. It really brought up morale in the office.

  • Alice H says:

    My God. “Steve, I will cut you.” That made me laugh out loud at my desk!

  • Mika says:

    All of these are great! Would love to look into Squeegy and your version of Happy Hour for our office. Of course, getting a games room is a goal in its own!

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      If there isn’t the equivalent of Squeegy in your city yet, you can also partner with local businesses to have them come in for services like carwashes, laundry, or haircuts. It’s great exposure to new potential clients, so it/s usually a win-win!

      Thanks for the comment!

    • Christina says:

      We actually do the group fitness at a set time three times a week. It’s a nice break and a quick way to catch up with coworkers.

  • Christi Grider says:

    Love the Nerf war idea! I work in a very creative environment so I know we’d get some crazy, fun ideas for this! I live in Austin, TX and our city’s motto is “Keep Austin Weird” so the 1st Morale Booster is pretty easy to come by in our office. Just yesterday, we had a “mohawk off” – people styled their hair in mohawk fashions and we all had a ball…laughing and watching this weird fashion show.

  • Karen Lujan says:

    Great ideas (as usual)

  • Heidi says:

    I love the fail of the week idea. It’s important to not only be able to laugh at yourself and be accountable for your actions, but it is extremely important to lean a lesson after each “fail”

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Thanks Heidi, we definitely agree. This practice spreads the knowledge we gain from individual mistakes to the rest of the org.

  • Valerie says:

    A Post It War will be going down soon in our office. We’re currently making internal department moves and we’d had 10 new hires the last two months so this will be the perfect (and inexpensive) team building activity. We have windows that back up to the Atlanta Beltline so local bikers, walkers, runners will have something fun to look at as well.

  • We actually do a lot of these in our office – I personally have a mini Nerf gun at my desk. 🙂 I LOVE the coffee idea in Seattle. Here in San Francisco, we’ve got a lot of local coffee vendors so this would be really fun to try!

  • kelley christian says:

    We need nerf guns in our office!

  • Kelly says:

    I would absolutely LOVE to bring some of these activities into my offices! We have so many good corners and pillars to hide behind, that a nerf gun war would be incredibly epic. Also, I can see a happy hour mixed with post it art being not only fun, but ending in some hilarious creations.

  • Jeanne says:

    Great tips! Thank you!

  • Desiree says:

    We are about to move into a hip, new office space so I am excited to implement many of these ideas. Nerf Battles are definitely happening! I love the idea of holding a photo contest. We’re moving October 1 so I think I might hold a 3 month photo contest starting now. The winners will be revealed upon move in when the photographers see their pictures up on the walls of our brand new space!

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Love that idea, Desiree! It adds an element of anticipation, and it will be really cool when the artwork in your new space was created by the people within your organization. Thanks for sharing.

  • Hannah says:

    I love the fail of the week idea! We all make mistakes and it’s always nice to remember that we’re all human.

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Thanks Hannah – we agree, it’s a great way to signal that it’s ok to make mistakes here and there. The last thing you want is an organization that never takes risks because they’re too afraid of being wrong.

  • Anita Maasen says:

    Definitely going to push for a Nerf Battle at our office! That sounds like a blast 🙂

  • Aleeza says:

    We really wanted to do the post it challenge!!

  • Jennifer says:

    We are always looking for new ways to express gratitude. I’m excited to try some of these.

  • Stacey says:

    It’s so hard to find activities that everyone will like. These are great ideas. Thank you

  • Sherry M says:

    #3 is great. I love it because it doesn’t take a lot of effort to make someone’s day or even week just by giving them the credit they deserve. A lot of people do not feel acknowledged and just something small like that is just amazing.

  • Diana says:

    I would love ideas that could be applied to our employees, with them being on the road all week long we’re always looking for ways to show them they’re appreciated. The food truck idea is great!

  • Darlene says:

    I really love so many of these ideas, especially a book club and expressing gratitude. They are just two simple, low cost things that could really bring people together!

  • Rebecca says:

    We currently do activities together outside the office. Such as volleyball and yoga. We have a conference room that is labeled Ping-Pong Conference Room and when not be used for meetings the tournaments begin. But I love the Nerf ideas. I’m sure it is going to be a big hit.

  • Tamara says:

    I thoroughly enjoyed this article – you provided excellent examples and practical ideas that can be tailored to any company. Employee morale has always been a high priority for me in my various roles and this article gave me some excellent suggestions. Thanks!

  • DeAnn says:

    I have to figure out how to make Nerf battles happen. The plants on the desk is a great idea as well.

  • Lindsay says:

    We already have some low key nerf battles here. It would be great to incorporate the whole team. I also love the post-it idea. Our space has a ton of window that are visible to outside world.

    I’m going to work on Coffee Mondays. I think this will be a great way to start the week and bring everyone back in from the weekend with a positive vibe.

  • Stacey says:

    We do volunteer days every other month, then treat everyone to dinner and drinks after. It’s been great in helping build cross departmental relationships.

  • julie says:

    Can’t wait to try some of these ideas with my team!

  • Stephanie says:

    We recently bought four Sonos speakers and have a collaborative Spotify playlist. As a young group, it’s fun to hear what other people like to listen to, and keeps the energy up while making cold calls during the dog days of summer where voicemails reign supreme. Although as a predominately “older” environment we had to make a few rules, but overall it seems to be working well.

  • Maris says:

    Great ideas! I’d love to try the planter idea. For the holiday season, my team does a volunteer day and then ends with a movie and happy hour. Recently, we visited a puzzle room where we split up into teams to compete to see who could make it out of the room fastest. It was a fun way to foster some healthy competition and build teamwork.

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Awesome ideas, Maris, thanks for sharing! I’m a huge fan of volunteer days – especially when you can tie the activity to your company’s mission.

  • Judi Fixler says:

    We have done some of these ideas, but one we have not, but definitely will… is the post-it note challenge. I love it, and we have big windows to decorate. Thanks.

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      You’re very welcome! The post-it note idea is great – it’s super fun, and sparks creativity in your org.

  • Anna says:

    The plant idea is fantastic! I will definitely be doing this as we approach the colder months. I think it might be fun to provide supplies for decorating the pots too. And the idea of making it into a green thumb contest is even better.

  • Prateek Modi says:

    The clothing swap sounds like a great idea! Definitely going to implement that this month at my office. Although, I’m not sure how many people in my office in India will buy this idea!. Nevertheless, just discovered this blog while surfing the web and I must say, the content is quite brilliant.

    Can you post something about healthy snack options that are available in Asia/India :)?

    Great job guys.

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Thank you, Prateek! We’re just in the U.S. for now, but you never know what the future holds. 🙂

      Please update us on how the clothing swap goes! It was one of the coolest things we’ve done in our office.

  • Christina Swords says:

    Morale boosters are totally worth it. I’ve seen such a difference in the employees when the bosses show them that they care and want to do something to give back for everything we do. We haven’t done anything nearly as cool as the ideas listed here, but I really want to try the Post-It Note Wars. Thanks for the great ideas!

  • Denali Swisher says:

    Love that Personal Development was noted, as I think this is great! It shows that companies are invested in their employees and their continued growth.

  • Erin says:

    These are great ideas! I especially like the ‘Get Weird’ and we do something that falls into that category in our office: to encourage mundane meetings to go as quickly as possible, we often conduct them while standing. If it goes long enough that someone sits down, the host knows they’ve likely gone a bit long, and we all toss Nerf footballs at him/her to move things along. 🙂 The other idea that I love is the Monday Morning Coffee – our small team would really benefit from that, and I can’t wait to suggest it!

  • Kendra says:

    Love these! I think the Nerf Gun War would go over really well in our office. I’m definitely going to try and get that going!

  • Chloe says:

    I’m in the process of developing some team-club’s at the office, and this is great inspiration! Thinking that a yoga club and art club are much needed around here (let’s face it- I’m looking for an excuse to do post-its art) 😉

    • Jeff Murphy says:

      Awesome, great to hear, Chloe! Now is that one club or two? A combined yoga and art session might actually be pretty cool… 🙂

      Thanks for the feedback!

  • Stephanny says:

    This is all nice to read!

  • Sara Caban says:

    monday morning coffee is a great idea! we do bagel weds!

  • Andile Ndlovu says:

    The Nerf battle is a hit in out office! I can’t wait to try out the flowers and food truck ideas. Thank you!

  • Giulianna Perrotti says:

    Post it Note Wars forever!

    But, seriously, group workout rules!!

  • Ashley Goodwin says:

    The post it notes wars sound awesome! We are having a party for our employees in October and I think we may have this as one of the challenges/games we are going to play! Thanks for the idea!

  • Josh says:

    I like #4. Seems like not just the individual with the fail could learn but the entire team can learn from an individual’s failure which doesn’t make it seem like of a failure at all.

  • Sharon says:

    Love the post-it war idea.

  • Adam Vukich says:

    The best way to boost morale in my opinion is to recognize that work/life balance is important and stick to 40 hour work weeks so that your employees can go home and unwind.

  • Jennifer says:

    So many great ideas here. I love the nerf battles Idea – I wish our office space was large enough for an event like that! I am working now to pull some volunteer opportunities together. I think that is great way to do some team building as well as get the company out into the community.

  • Noah says:

    These are some really cool ideas!

  • Emer says:

    Great!!!!

  • Cindy says:

    These are all great ideas. Some familiar, others more unique. Personally love the Monday Morning Coffee w/ your boss. The one-on-one time is nice and it helps to build relationship w/ your boss, giving you the opportunity to talk about anything you want…whether work related or not. Great to get out of the office to before you get into your weekly grind.

  • Justin Jones says:

    I like the Monday Morning Coffee Idea. Good idea to start the week.

  • Jacquline Schroeder says:

    I love all of these ideas! My company does “Beer Fridays” it’s a social gathering where we all drink and eat awesome snacks! Every couple of week I choose a team to throw their own themed part. They love getting creative, and being able to choose what they do.

  • We do several of these already, and our employees love them. After I read this blog the first time, we tried out a few more. We’ve done a clothes swap, had a food truck come out to the office, and next month we are doing some volunteering together. The food truck (which didn’t cost the company any money) was a huge hit! Everyone loved the convenience of it and that it was something different from the norm. They also appreciated the company arranging it for them, and many have asked for us to do it again.

  • Elb says:

    Great, thanks!

  • melissa says:

    Love Snacknation

  • Trish says:

    Great ideas!

  • Matias says:

    I want them all

  • Brendan whalen says:

    The importance of activities like these is so undervalued these days. I love the ideas!

  • Kevin Li says:

    I think the nerf battle idea will bring joy to so many in the office who are still kids at heart. All of these are great ideas!

  • John Krause says:

    These are all awesome ideas! Thanks!

  • Coggno says:

    Awesome ideas thanks for sharing 🙂

  • Andrea Armstead says:

    Hi there, very excited to see some of these ideas. I work for a federal agency so some of these things we can do and some we can’t. Any ideas for things we can do in the federal government?

  • Mae Perez says:

    Indeed a great read to share.

  • Cindy Hawthorne says:

    I’m on our strengthening staff committee. We have implemented several things. We have an egg hunt every year just before our Easter monthly meeting. We have Secret Summer Santa where we draw names in June and for 2 months we secretly put thoughtful things on each other’s desk without getting caught. We get pretty creative. It’s awesome! We also have an owl garden statue that we have every month at our meeting that we named Owlbert. We draw a name and celebrate that person’s awesomeness but clipping paper feathers all over it with positive things our coworkers think about them. The get to have Owlbert on their desk all month.

  • jane says:

    These are some amazing ideas! I was researching ways to get the people in our building engaged because the days get dull very easily over here compared to our main building. I’m definitely considering Coffee Monday and group yoga.

  • Working on personal development is really one of the best ways to go. It brings a healthy work environment where everyone is actually happy and satisfied to be there due to development. Good article by the way, look forward to more.

  • Harvey says:

    Wow, such a great collection of ideas. We use some resemblance of a few of these but it’s great to have more ideas and to be able to keep things fresh.

  • Charudatt says:

    Companies need to understand that employee morale is the collection of feelings workforce has in the workplace. Satisfied employees can successfully maintain safe business practices.

  • Harshita says:

    Nerf Battles, Kick on the Jam, so many amazing ideas to make employees feel happy. We use some of them in our office in these tough times and it cheered everyone soo much. Through these activities, employees feel so much more enthusiastic and active. Thank you!

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