Say Sayonara to Buttoned-Up Office Party Themes: 10 Fun Ideas for Staff

By Lauren Hamer

Time for another office get-together. No doubt, you’re dreading a forced conversation with your colleagues. We get it. Traditional office parties are usually toned-down affairs muddled by attendance that’s “strongly encouraged.” Management relies on fun staff-party ideas to boost morale and strengthen work relationships because it’s what the experts suggest. But for many, mandatory icebreakers and karaoke dance parties only spike the blood pressure of co-workers drowning in deadlines.

BBC suggests companies ditch “the tyranny of forced fun at work” and strive for informal bonding instead. This requires brainstorming office-party themes for events that people actually want to attend, what we dub the anti-party. Often it’s the promise of free food — a proven morale booster — that summons attendance. Luckily, anti-parties and catering go hand in hand.

This article vows to bring the anti-party to the office (’cause there are limits to traditional fun). Toss the rule book in the trash. Here are ten fun staff-party ideas that will help boost office morale — icebreaker trust falls not included.

10 office party themes for people who don’t like office parties:

1. Honorable mentions

It’s time to highlight your employees a la The Office. Forget “Employee of the Month.” Go with silly achievements like “best dressed,” “loudest laugh,” and “most outgoing” instead. Create your own custom certificates and present them with fanfare at an awards dinner. You can either go casual with a catered lunch or black-tie formal at a restaurant reserved for you and your guests.

2. Impromptu snack surprise

What’s better than a box full of puppies (surprise!)? A cart full of free food. Here, there are no RSVPs, no plans, and no pressure. Just an impromptu feel-good moment centered around snacks. Consider an ice-cream cart rolling through aisles on a cart midday, or a bagel and coffee bar the morning after a big company win. Stuffy party etiquette is quickly forgotten when people bond over food.

3. To the streets: Food truck edition

Trendy food trucks are popping up in nearly every major American city. Invite a few trucks to your office and allow the team to “walk the street” and choose a catered meal on you. Workers will have no problem ditching their cubicles for a social lunch with friends if you hire a myriad of local trucks specializing in farm-to-fresh ingredients, street food, or other delectable treats.

4. Escape room extravaganza

If you want to foster productive work relationships, try booking an Escape Room event. Guests are more likely to engage in pleasantries with their team when armed with a common goal — to get out of a room by solving cryptic puzzles and clues. Dinner on the house for teams who “escape” in time.

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