Employee Appreciation Day Games
Employee Appreciation Day offers a fantastic opportunity to celebrate your hardworking team, boost morale and bring some extra joy into the workplace. Planning games is a wonderful way to make staff feel genuinely valued while taking a break from routine to smile and laugh together.
Whether your company has transitioned to remote work, embraces a hybrid model or staff collaborate face-to-face in offices, there are amazing appreciation day games to engage every employee. From virtual activities that bridge the physical gap to team building challenges encouraging collaboration to amusing ideas guaranteed to be a blast, this guide outlines 30 thoughtful game concepts with ideas suited to all formats.
Get ready to have some fun while making your people feel special on Employee Appreciation Day this year! Let’s take a look at 10 great game ideas across 3 categories:
Employee Appreciation Day Virtual Games
Kicking things off with our virtual employee appreciation games since remote work is so common nowadays. These ideas can be prepared ahead of time and sent out company-wide on Employee Appreciation Day.
Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Get your camera phones ready for this fun virtual scavenger hunt game! Email out a list of silly tasks and items for employees to photograph themselves with and share back in a central chat or over email. Things like “Find an item beginning with every letter of the alphabet” or “Recreate a famous movie scene.” The Blade 5 Dual Core is a perfect prop for creative photo taking.
Guess the Baby Picture
Prior to the event, have employees submit their awkward baby pictures. Compile the photos with names removed into a slideshow or document and have everyone try to guess who’s who! It’s sure to draw out some laughs. The CSHope Funny Baby Bib makes a great prize for the winner.
Virtual Talent Show
Give American Idol a run for its money with your own company-wide virtual talent show! Have employees sign up to show off their skills – whether it’s singing, dancing, juggling fruit or showing off their lowercase alphabet penmanship abilities. Let the laughter and applause flow. The Kasots Aitolos Diatonic Harmonica makes for a solid musical prop.
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The Masked Singer
Similar to a talent show, put a mysterious spin on things by having contestants perform in silly costumes with their identity concealed. Play the theme song, have employees guess who is behind the mask after each performance and award prizes! This Big Party Pack Bundle includes enough props for an office full of masked singers.
Virtual Escape Room
Work together to crack codes and solve puzzles in a thrilling virtual escape room. Companies like The Escape Game Remote Adventures design custom digital escapes to encourage teamwork. Gift some clues with this Spy Decoder Wheel!
Cook Along Party
Have a company webcam dinner party by picking a recipe for everyone to cook together! Grill up Grandma’s Lasagna or bake Aunt Sue’s Funky Cupcakes. Talk through steps while cooking and enjoy each other’s finished products over video chat. Send ingredients with this Delicious Food Gift Basket.
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Digital Scavenger Hunt
Like an in-person scavenger hunt but virtual, send employees a list of digital tasks to photograph or record themselves completing. Things like “Take a selfie with your laptop balanced on your head” or “Capture your pet singing karaoke.” Gifts like this Digital Camera Underwater with CASE make it fun.
Best Desk Competition
Have employees submit photos of their most creative at-home offices and desks to be voted on for prizes! Check out gear like funny toilet paper keyboards, two-story blanket forts and furniture made from cardboard boxes. Award the Desk Champ trophy with this Customizable Engraving Plaque.
Show and Tell Session
Scheduling blocks where employees can sign up to show off their favorite possession, new hobby or pet and tell the story behind it. Discover exciting new sides of coworkers! Document it with this Digital Voice Activated Recorder.
Virtual Bingo
Send out cards and call numbers for a classic game of virtual bingo! Customize squares with things like “Knows the microwave popcorn button perfectly,” “Owns more than 20 coffee mugs” and “Takes their pet on car rides.” Winner, winner! Celebrate with this 120 Bingo Chips Set.
Team Building Employee Appreciation Day Games
Switching gears to team games that bring employee groups together (even if just on screen) to solve problems and overcome challenges.
The Web of Appreciation
Gather into small teams on video chat and have everyone share something they appreciate about each team member. Capture the appreciation on a string made of yarn/string they are holding. Once finished, have them display their web of appreciation! Enhance via delivery with this Baker Ross Craft Teamwork Stencilsx.
One Word Storytelling
Go around your video call with each person saying one word to construct a silly story. Try to keep it cohesive! Works great in small teams. Add to the fun by incorporating this BigMouth Inc Story Time! Word Magnet Poetry Kit.
Two Truths and a Lie
Have each team member share 3 “facts” about themselves – 2 truths and 1 lie. The rest of the team votes on which one they think is the lie. Reveal the lies and learn more about your colleagues! Award prizes like this What Do You Meme? The Hilarious Card Game.
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Guess the Job Duty
Give clues act out or describe your main job responsibilities while teammates try to guess your exact role! Works best with larger teams from different departments. Perfect for some laughs and learning. Reward correct guesses with this I Know, Right?! Adult Party Game.
Puzzle Breakout Boxes
Receive puzzle boxes containing games, cipher codes and other mental challenges to solve in teams for escape room-esque fun! Hire companies like The Escape Game Remote Adventures to set everything up for the big day. Level up puzzles skills with MasterMind Board Game Classic version.
Virtual Cocktail Party
Split up into randomized groups, pour your favorite drinks and mingle amongst one another from home! Set a timer and rotate groups to meet new people just like an in-person event. Send ingredients ahead of time with this Craft Cocktail Crate.
Digital Tower Stacking
Challenge teams to build the highest tower they can using random household items and without it falling over! Compare masterpieces over video chat and award tallest tower. Test skills with this Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Block Set.
Online Charades
Break into groups on individual video calls to play charades… with a digital spin! Have one person pantomime something on the screen for teammates to guess like popular meme. This BigMouth Inc Meme Guessing Game is perfect for practice!
Would You Rather
Pose silly “would you rather” scenarios to teams and have them explain why they made particular choices! Things like, “Would you rather have fruit punch for sweat or sour cream for tears?” Reveal choices with this Inflatable Microphone.
Virtual Drawing Challenge
Split up into separate video calls with one “artist” who must draw objects teammates shout out within a minute. Regroup to showcase masterpieces! Judge creations with this Melissa & Doug Colorforms Picture Creator Creative Activity Set.
Fun Employee Appreciation Day Game Ideas
Lastly, straight-up silly and entertaining game concepts guaranteed to spread joy company-wide!
Custom Meme Contest
Have employees submit memes starring coworkers with captions describing something funny or quirky about them! Vote on the best and funniest memes. Great way to poke fun and spread laughs. Winner takes home this Box of 100 Sheet Meme Sticker Paper.
Haiku Challenge
Give teams a random word or phrase as the first line of a haiku poem and have them complete the rhyme over video chat! Share haikus for big laughs. Gift perfect poems with this Haiku Poetry Magnet Kit.
Best Mullet Wig Pageant
Provide silly mullet wigs as props for employees to style, decorate and model the best “business in the front, party in the back” look on a video call runway. Let coworkers vote on most spectacular wig. Winner receives this Chloe’s Clippers Purple Mullet Wig!
Funniest Work-From-Home Background
Have everyone dress up their home office space with props, decorations and fun backgrounds to spread some laughs before a big video call! Vote on favorites like tropical beaches, astronauts floating in space and minion sidekicks. Promote creativity with this Inflatable Dinosaur Costume.
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Name That Tune
Test your audio recognition skills by playing short music clips and having teams race to shout out the correct song title and artist over video chat! Vary decades and genres for all music tastes. Keep spirits soaring with this Singing Machine Bluetooth Karaoke System!
Best Impression Contest
Have employees submit their best impressions of celebrities, movie characters and famous musicians! Compile video submissions of coworkers doing their best Elvis lips, Julia Child accents and Robin Williams genie voices and vote on the winner. Reward spot-on acts with this Celebrity Face Mask Bundle.
Virtual Pet Showcase
Gather round gushing over adorable pets on video chat! Have employees introduce furry friends, showcase tricks and tell funny tales about their creatures. Ooh and ahh over the cuteness together with delivery of this Pet Treat Gift Basket.
Cornhole Tournament
Break into teams for a friendly game of virtual cornhole! Display your game boards on cam and toss bean bags at the wall of your home office space. Keep score and cheer each other on from afar. Reward top scorers using this Cornhole Carrying Case from Amazon.
Netflix Watch Party
Choose a beloved comedy special to stream simultaneously with your work crew! Chat over the side-splitting show in real time. Recommend starting with Jim Gaffigan: The Pale Tourist. Then discuss with this Funny Gaffigan Quote Fridge Magnets Set.
Happy Hour Comedy Roast
Toast to teammates with a silly virtual roast session! Poke fun at one another’s strange WFH habits, biggest office blunders and dopiest Zoom moments in good humor. Share toasts and jabs with items from this Funny Socks Gift Box!
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Final Verdict
Employee Appreciation Day offers the perfect chance to uplift workplace culture and make people feel truly valued through fun games and activities. With 10 virtual, 10 team and 10 entertainment game ideas covered, you have ample concepts to choose from to make your staff smile based on your company’s unique needs.
Focus on laughter, participation and positive energy as you celebrate Employee Appreciation Day this year. Bring out everyone’s silly sides, foster connections and create special memories. Show staff how much you care by taking time to play! With the right games and attitude of gratitude incorporated, your workplace will be brimming with inspiration and joy.
