Your team deserves a Fun Friday after a week of hard work, stat. If you’re a manager looking for fresh Friday ideas to spend quality time with the team members, bridge workplace culture and relationships, and unwind after a busy and tiring week, this one is for you.
In this article, we’ll share everything we know about Fun Fridays and the best fun games and group activities ranked according to their engagement and ease. Here are 23 Must-Try Fun Friday games and activities you should try in 2024. Read on.
23 Fun Friday Games and Activities for Employees
So let's look at some of the best Friday games and employees that should make the last work day of the week more exciting!
1) Trivia Games
Number of Participants: Each team may have 2 members minimum. Players per team may vary depending on the number of available participants.
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour for the entire game. Duration may depend on the number of questions and the participants' pace.
Outcome: The team with the most correct answers wins. HR managers or team leaders can also offer small prizes or recognition for the winners to boost engagement. Trivia games use teamwork and critical thinking and promote friendly competition among competing teams.
A trivia game starts by dividing available players into teams. Trivia questions are prepared ahead talking about different topics—any topic at all—like celebrities, history, and company-specific knowledge. Teams will determine the corresponding answer to each question, answerable via multiple-choice or true/false.
Trivia games are fun and easy to make, plus they have the right amount of complexity to them, which makes them fun to play. Quizbreaker offers interactive trivia games with multiple modes and pre-generated questions. No need to set one up from scratch.
To play fun trivia games, you should check out our platform, Quizbreaker. We've created a multiplayer trivia platform where you can create trivia games that increase employee morale and help your team members learn a few new things. Teams like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and more trust Quizbreaker.
To try out our multiplayer platform, sign up today.
2) Online Escape Games
Number of Participants: Minimum of 2 members per team depending on the game, no cap for max number of members.
Time: The classic game can run between 30 minutes to an hour. Some games may have different time limits for each puzzle or stage.
Outcome: The first team to figure out how to escape the virtual scenarios, with the most time left, wins.
Teams must look for clues and solve different puzzles to escape themed rooms within a time limit. Each member must rely on each other critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Online escape rooms require effective collaboration and quick thinking to be successful.
Here are some of our favorite Escape Games:
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Modern Genius Escape Game revolves around the story of a mad billionaire named Ilan Tusk, who invents a teleportation device and goes missing. Players, guided by Tusk's AI Butler 'Alfred,' must solve puzzles in his mansion to find him and win a reward. It's a fun adventure for fans and critics of Elon Musk, taking around 55 minutes to complete. Check out this game
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Lost In The Arctic Escape is Set in a stranded arctic research station and has a paranormal twist. Your team needs to investigate a mystery of otherworldly origins. Despite needing hints, the ending is rewarding, making it a repeatable experience for paranormal enthusiasts. Check out this game
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Black Noir Online Escape Room is praised for its engaging narrative and diverse puzzle-solving themes, ideal for small and large groups. Teams navigate through various themed rooms, making it highly recommended Check out this game
These three fun and exciting murder mystery games are all available on our platform as well! That gives you all the more reason to sign up for Quizbreaker today! Check out our escape games now.
3) Icebreaker Quizzes
Number of Participants: Ideally played by big groups, but small groups can also play. Minimum of 2 players, no max.
Time: Usually ranges from 10 minutes to 1 hour
Outcome: Participants will get to know their co-workers a little more. Their name, interest, and experiences.
In the group, participants must answer personal, non-invasive questions about their interests, hobbies, and experiences to “break the ice.” It can be “Share your name, role, and the first thing you do in the morning after waking up.
Do you want to automate your icebreaker quizzes? You should try out our icebreaker quiz feature on Quizbreaker. Schedule them on Fridays and get the team to play a quick round of icebreaker quizzes before we head into the weekend!
Sign up for Quizbreaker today.
4) Murder Mystery Games
Number of Participants: Preferably 6-8 to over 20 participants
Time: The entire program can run for 1 - 3 hours
Outcome: The players will reveal the true identity of the murderer. Similar to the game Among Us, where the impostor is pretending to be one of the players.
In murder mystery games, participants assume character roles and interact to solve a fictional murder. The players will gather clues and solve puzzles during the game.
Need some recommendations for online murder mystery games? This list of our top 20+ favorite murder mystery games should help you. Go ahead and read that next. But before that, we have dozens of other Friday games to share.
5) Personality Test Sharing
Number of Participants: Ideally played by big groups, but small groups can also play. Minimum of 2 players, no max.
Time: 1-2 hours (indefinite)
Outcome: The group will know each other's personality types and how they can relate to or affect the way they perform in a collaboration and work relationship through in-depth discussion.
All players will take the personality quiz or assessment and then share their results in a group discussion hosted in a virtual chatroom. For personality test assessments that your team can use, check out this list of the 12 best ones you should try.
6) Pop Quiz
Number of Participants: Any group size
Time: 10-15 minutes, ensuring a quick and engaging activity during meetings or gatherings.
Outcome: Test knowledge about certain topics, foster employee engagement, and encourage quick thinking and friendly competition within the team.
Players must answer questions under a time limit to test their knowledge about a topic of varying difficulty. They’re mostly easy and fun questions like “What’s Einstein’s name? It starts with the Letter A”, “What’s H in the table of elements?”, etc.
7) Share and Tell
Number of Participants: 5-10 joiners
Time: 30 minutes up to 1 hour, depending on the pace of the activity
Outcome: Share and tell helps employees personally connect with co-workers. It allows joiners to empathize and understand each other as they share meaningful bits from their lives.
Participants will bring and show an item, or maybe a story, to share with the group. Each takes turns presenting their item or story.
8) New Food Tasting
Number of Participants: Any group size, small to big groups
Time: 30 minutes up to 2 hours, depending on the participants’ pacing
Outcome: Participants get to taste new culinary experiences, and promote conversation as they explore shared experiences in trying different tastes and cultures.
Participants will try unfamiliar food options, either prepared by the organizer or store-bought. They can discuss the flavors, textures, impressions, and overall experience.
9) Movie Night
Number of Participants: Any group size, preferably medium to big groups
Time: 2-3 hours or more
Outcome: Provides a relaxing and enjoyable activity to unwind and bond over shared cinematic experiences.
The participants will watch a movie in person or virtually together and enjoy the film as a group. They can discuss their experience afterward.
10) Bingo
Number of Participants: Great for big groups
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour per Bingo round
Outcome: Participants mark off matching items on their cards to achieve a winning pattern, such as a line or full house. Winners will receive prizes or recognition for hitting the jackpot.
Bingo cards are given to the participant, each containing a grid of numbers. A caller randomly selects numbers and announces them to the group. As a fun atlernative, you can also play icebreaker bingo with your team. We’ve got a full guide on how to run this kind of bingo for your Friday nights. Check it out.
11) Life Skills
Number of Participants: Suitable for groups of any size, the more the better
Time: From start to finish, 30 minutes to several hours
Outcome: Participants will develop new skills and enhance valuable life skills that can contribute to personal growth, career, and well-being.
This activity consists of practical activities focused on developing essential life skills such as communication and problem-solving. The activities may include role-playing scenarios, FGDs, and skill-building exercises, but made more fun.
12) Dance Party
Number of Participants: All team members are free to join (small or big groups)
Time: 1-3 hours.
Outcome: Participants dance freely, express themselves, and have fun. Dance parties foster joy, camaraderie, and positive energy. Important for promoting physical activity and self-expression in workplace settings and relationships.
Did you know that dancing can increase levels of the feel-good hormone Serotonin? That makes dance parties great ideas to make Friday more eventful at work. Gather your employees to enjoy music and dance in person or virtually.
Next reading: 24+ Easy-To-Do Team Building Activities for Work (2024)
13) Science Break
Number of Participants: Best for big groups (10 people or more)
Time: 15-30 minutes
Outcome: It gives a refreshing break from routine activities while promoting curiosity and learning. Participants gain new insights into scientific concepts and may be inspired to explore further.
Team members engage in brief interactive science demos or discussions. These can include fun physics experiments, biology trivia, or chemistry demonstrations.
14) Go Outside and Get Moving
Number of Participants: Great for big groups (10 or more people)
Time: 20 minutes to 1 hour at most
Outcome: Physical activities promote health, mental well-being, and team bonding for the participants.
Team members can go outdoors to do physical activity and get fresh air. There will be different activities, players can bring any outdoor game they want. Other options are walking, jogging, calisthenics, and sports.
15) Nature Walk
Number of Participants: Suitable for any group size
Time: 30 minutes to several hours
Outcome: Nature walk encourages appreciation for the beauty of the environment. Participants can observe and immerse themselves in the beauty of the surroundings and hopefully get inspired.
Teams should also visit natural settings like parks, forests, or nature reserves for fresh air. It’s an effective way to appreciate and reconnect with nature.
16) Go Bowling
Number of Participants: 2-6 players only per lane, but bowling alleys usually have multiple lanes available so big groups can also participate
Time: 1-2 hours per finished game
Outcome: Winners may win a prize or recognition for giving their best during the game. It encourages friendly competition and camaraderie. It’s a fun and social activity for participants to enjoy together.
Bowling is a fun activity that anyone and everyone can learn quite quickly. And even if no one is really any good, it’s still fun to play. Each of them gets two chances per turn. The more pins they take down, the higher the points you’ll receive.
17) Yoga
Number of Participants: 10 or more joiners, great for bigger groups
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour/session
Outcome: Yoga can help improve the muscle flexibility and strength of the participant and bring zen during the session. Yoga helps with physical and mental well-being as this activity aims to give a supportive and positive atmosphere, encouraging connection and unity among joiners.
Hire an expert yoga instructor to do a series of guided poses, meditation, and breathing exercises. Apart from being a great way to decompress before the weekend, it’s a great wellness program that can improve your team’s overall health.
18) Learn Origami
Number of Participants: Great for groups of 5-10 joiners
Time: Time may vary depending on the complexity of the origami techniques. Minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour max.
Outcome: Participants learn a new skill and develop their creativity through the art of origami. They can experience a sense of accomplishment once they successfully fold and create intricate paper designs.
Learning origami starts with gathering origami papers. Afterward, participants will follow step-by-step demonstrations to create various origami figures using different folding techniques.
19) LEGO Challenge
Number of Participants: LEGO challenges can accommodate any group size. Can be played individually or by teams
Time: 30 minutes up to 1 hour/theme. LEGO challenges can last up to a couple of hours.
Outcome: After times-up, joiners share their creations with the group. Judges, if any, can choose a winner and reward them for their efforts.
LEGO challenges start with a theme and then a set of LEGO bricks will be distributed to the participants. These are timed challenges to build something according to the chosen theme using only LEGO bricks.
20) Charades
Number of Participants: Charades can be played by small groups consisting of 2 members per team, 4 active participants in total. Can also be played by big groups with multiple teams.
Time: A round of charade typically lasts for 30 minutes to several hours
Outcome: Promotes communication, creativity, and teamwork as participants work together to guess the clues and act them out. Encourages laughter, bonding, and friendly competition among players. Provides a lively and entertaining experience that fosters camaraderie and connection within the group.
Playing Charades is quite easy. The available players are divided into teams. Each will take turns acting out clues without speaking while their team tries to guess the correct answer. The serving “actor” can use gestures, facial expressions, and body language to convey the word or phrase.
21) Hangman
Number of Participants: Minimum of 2 participants per team, can be played by big groups with a bigger number of available players
Time: 10-20 minutes/round
Outcome: Hangman encourages vocabulary, spelling, and critical thinking skills for players to deduce the hidden word or phrase behind the clues.
One player thinks of a word or phrase and draws a series of blank spaces to represent each letter. Other participants guess letters one at a time. If a guessed letter is in the word, the player fills in all instances of that letter. If not, they draw part of a hangman figure.
22) Never Have I Ever
Number of Participants: 5-10 players, great for both small and big groups
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour, which will vary on the difficulty of the activity
Outcome: The game of NHIE promotes deep conversation, laughter, and getting to know each other. It encourages honesty and vulnerability in a lighthearted setting.
Players take turns making statements followed by an action they've never done. For example, "Never have I ever been to Singapore". Players who have done the action put down one finger, or take a drink if playing the drinking version.
23) Scavenger Hunt
Number of Participants: 2-10 joiners for each team, great for both small and big groups
Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour. Time may vary depending on the difficulty of the activity.
Outcome: Once the game ends, winners will receive a prize or recognition. The game's goal is to build effective collaboration and problem-solving, and use creativity to help them finish the challenges.
Playing scavenger hunts can also be a fun way to end the work week. Break your employees into teams and start a scavenger hunt list. All teams have this list of items to look for within an area. To win, teams will race against each other to locate the listed items and finish the tasks within a specified time limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are recurring questions about company Fun Fridays, games, and activities:
How can all employees be informed and encouraged to participate in games?
There are many ways to inform and encourage our employees about company activities. One of the best ways is by announcing ahead of time. An announcement board or a page dedicated to announcements is significant for this one. Managers can also set a fixed weekly schedule for fun activities on Fridays after work.
Effective communication will shine in these instances. That’s why you need to develop it early on. To encourage employees, here are some of the most effective ways we’ve tried so far that you can take note of:
- Clarify roles and responsibilities for each team member
- Set a common goal
- Be consistent with providing guidance, feedback, and support
- Avoid micromanaging
- Find ways to include introverted team members
- Make team-building games part of every meeting
- Send personalized gifts
- For remote-based companies, be creative and look for opportunities to meet in real-life
There are plenty of creative ways to foster commitment and employee engagement. Creating a system for your team requires a lot of effort and creativity. But, once you establish an effective strategy, getting repeated results when engaging your team members shouldn’t be as difficult.
What are Fun Fridays at work?
Fun Fridays are leisure times where employees can take a break from work and engage in fun team-building activities In many ways, they’re similar to 'Lunch and Learn' sessions, except Fun Fridays are more focused on entertainment and enjoyment, not learning and improving their skills for work.
You can play board games, fun activities, and team-building icebreakers together. The list above should be a great place to start.
How do you ensure your team-building games and activities are inclusive for all employees?
There are many ways to keep inclusivity in check when implementing workplace team-building activities. The best option is to add an assortment of games and activities to your Fun Fridays for different interests, abilities, and preferences.
There'll always be a compromise regarding inclusivity, but workarounds are always possible—OR just ask your team directly.
What are the primary benefits of incorporating Fun Friday activities into the workplace?
Many businesses use team-building games and activities to address plenty of reasons. Fun Fridays are very useful for boosting morale, building workplace relationships between colleagues in the team, and rehabilitating overall employee engagement.
Final Thoughts
Since the start of 2023, there has been a jump from 51% in 2022 now over 69% in companies who started offering flexible working setups—and the news is it’ll only keep going up in the following years.
As more teams transition to hybrid or fully remote setups, team-building activities, in-person or virtual, serve as vital bridges for connecting remote colleagues and promoting employee well-being. As you can see, Fun Fridays and team-building activities are invaluable for boosting workplace motivation and fostering collaboration, especially now that more companies are becoming flexible and remote. Giving employees shared experiences and encouraging skill development enhances team dynamics and contributes to a positive work culture.
There are many reasons why every business should take advantage of engaging their employees. As mentioned, Fun Fridays and team-building activities:
- Build trust and mutual respect among team members
- Promote productivity, better decision-making, and increased job satisfaction
- Effective communication, which leads to effective collaboration
- Encourage employees to branch out in both personal and professional growth
- Reinforce company culture and values
- Increase employee engagement and sense of belongingness
- Foster a positive work environment
- Lower employee turnover
Fun Fridays and team-building games and activities are helpful when done right, it makes and simplifies co-working for everybody. Let your imagination go wild without sacrificing discernment when building a team-building strategy. Be creative and inclusive, and have fun!
