18 National Leave the Office Early Day Ideas & Activities

Here is our list of the best National Leave the Office Early Day ideas.

National Leave the Office Early Day ideas are activities and events you and your team can participate in during a work day that ends early. Examples include team lunches, picnics, or office parties. The purpose of these ideas is to observe National Leave the Office Early Day with fun and rejuvenating activities.

This holiday is similar to National Have Fun at Work Day. Beyond giving PTO, many offices celebrate the occasion by organizing company offsites or team building events. Observing this occasion is a way to have fun at work and an idea for employee engagement.

This list includes:

• National Leave the Office Early Day event ideas
• National Leave the Office Early Day activities
• National Leave the Office Early Day celebration ideas

Let’s get started!

List of National Leave the Office Early Day ideas

National Leave the Office Early Day is celebrated annually by employees across the country on June 2, or the closest work day. There are many ways to celebrate together, from team building events to self-care activities. Here are the top ideas for National Leave the Office Early Day.

1. Team Lunch

If you are looking for National Leave the Office Early Day event ideas, then team lunches are a great idea.

First, choose a restaurant team members enjoy. From American and Italian to Asian or Mediterranean food, your opportunities are endless. We recommend choosing a restaurant not too far from the office to ensure that all employees can arrive easily. Hosting a company-provided lunch in-office is an ideal way to engage all teammates. You can schedule this activity for the end of the day, and team members can head home directly after the meal.

Here is a guide to doing a virtual team lunch.

2. Happy Hour

If your team is out of the office by 3 PM, then this is the perfect time to head to a nearby bar for happy hour. During happy hour, your team can enjoy drinks and appetizers at low prices.

Attending happy hour is a classic team activity that most employees enjoy. This outing is the perfect opportunity for coworkers to let loose with each other and enjoy their time off the clock. We recommend using this time to catch up with teammates on a personal level instead of talking about work-related topics.

Check out this list of work happy hour ideas.

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3. Spa Trip

If you are looking for a relaxing and low-key activity, then we recommend planning a spa trip. There are many treatments to take advantage of at the spa, such as massages, facials, and mud masks. Some spas also have pools and hot tubs where you can enjoy a quick dip in the water.

Spa treatments are a great way to reduce stress and prioritize self-care. Organizing a spa trip with coworkers allows your team members to take their minds off work for the afternoon as you relax and recharge.

4. Group Hiking

Organizing a group hike is a great way to exercise while enjoying National Leave the Office Early Day. Hikes can help to promote fitness and wellness by staying active and walking through the trail.

There are many social benefits to hiking as a group, such as building stronger friendships and engaging in one-on-one conversations. In addition, hiking allows your team to disconnect from technology and enjoy nature with teammates. Participating in a hike during National Leave the Office Early Day is ideal because you can get out of the office early enough to enjoy a long walk before the sun sets.

Check out more outdoor team building ideas.

5. Picnic in the Park

If you are looking for a change of scenery, then we recommend finding a nearby park for a team picnic. To make your picnic a success, bring a blanket and basket to hold all your food.

To engage employees in this activity, ask each team member to bring one item to the picnic, from appetizers and main dishes to drinks and desserts. A picnic in the park is a perfect activity for a sunny afternoon.

6. Movies

If your office is near a movie theater, then we suggest going to the movies after leaving work early. Movie theaters play a variety of films, so your team is sure to agree on a showing that all members will enjoy. Plus, coworkers can enjoy snacks like popcorn, candy, and nachos at the movies.

You can also set up a screening in the office with the help of a projector. Simply set up seats and a screen, and invite employees to relax and watch together. Outdoor movies are an enjoyable choice.

Some employees prefer activities that require less talking. Watching a movie is the perfect activity for more reserved team members.

Check out this list of team building movies.

7. Game Night

An office game night is one of the best activities for National Leave the Office Early Day event ideas. This activity is sure to bring out your teammates’ competitive sides.

If you are not sure what to play at game night, then here are our top suggestions:

• Pictionary
• Bingo
• Guess the Baby
• Heads Up
• Charades
• Two Truths and a Lie
• Never Have I Ever

We recommend hosting your game night in a common area of your office or a team member’s home. A good idea for this activity is to set boundaries and let employees know that they should forget about any work responsibilities as soon as noon hits. Instead, employees should focus on letting loose and having a good time with coworkers.

If you would like to make this event even more exciting, then you should incentivize employees with valuable prizes such as gift cards, an extra day off, or cash. In addition, playing games together is a great way to build teamwork and collaboration skills.

On a related note, here is a list of office game room ideas.

8. Nail Salon Trip

If you would like to prioritize self-care and beauty, then going to the nail salon is a great way to spend National Leave the Office Early Day. Leaving work early gives your team enough time to get pampered together at the nail salon with manicures and pedicures.

Getting a nail salon treatment can help you and your team get into a relaxed mindset. Plus, you will all be able to show off your new manicures the next day in the office.

Pro tip: Manicures can be for men too!

9. Beach Trip

National Leave the Office Early Day is celebrated by employees across the country every June. If you are in an area that experiences hot summer weather, then we recommend spending your afternoon indulging in a trip to the beach.

Encourage employees to pack towels, umbrellas, and beach snacks when planning a team beach trip. Here are a few fun activities you can enjoy when your team is at the beach together:

• Swimming
• Surfing
• Playing Volleyball
• Reading
• Eating ice cream

If you would like to make your beach activities more competitive, then you can host a sandcastle-building contest and offer a prize to the winning team. We recommend wrapping up the night by enjoying tasty seafood and drinks at a nearby restaurant.

Check out this list of work beach party ideas.

10. Fitness Class

If you want to promote a healthy lifestyle, then attending a fitness class is an ideal activity for National Leave the Office Early Day. Participating in a group fitness class is a great way to remain active, especially for employees who sit at their desks all day. Plus, group classes can help keep all members accountable and motivated to work out.

Here are a few suggestions for fitness classes that teams can participate in together:

• High-intensity interval training
• Jogging
• Yoga
• Kickboxing
• Spinning or cycling
• Self-defense
• Zumba
• Pilates

By participating in a fitness class as a team, your team can work together while prioritizing personal health and wellness. In addition, team members can motivate and encourage each other while sweating through the class.

Even if you have a few gym and fitness enthusiasts on your team, we recommend choosing a class for beginners. Choosing a beginner-level fitness class will give all team members a chance to keep up with the group workout.

Here is a list of team workout ideas.

11. Karaoke Night

One of the most high-energy and interactive National Leave the Office Early Day celebration ideas is to host a team karaoke night. Karaoke is a great way to bring your entire team together for a fun afternoon away from the office.

During the activity, you may notice that some teammates are nervous about getting on stage and singing in front of coworkers. We recommend helping these team members face their fears by singing in small groups. By doing group songs, no team members will feel pressured about getting on stage by themselves.

Karaoke is a great way to engage employees in a fun team bonding experience. By participating in this activity, employees are sure to get their minds off of work for the night as they make unforgettable memories with coworkers.

12. Paint and Sip

A great team building activity for National Leave the Office Early Day is to attend a paint and sip class as a group. Paint and sip is a group painting party led by experienced instructors who guide participants through the steps of painting a masterpiece. The best part is that your team can sip on their drink of choice throughout the exercise.

If you notice that your team is in a rut, then attending a paint and sip can be a great way to help boost creativity, inspiration, and motivation. Paint and sip classes are ideal for artists of all levels, from beginners to experts.

13. Museum Trip

When planning National Leave the Office Early Day activities, you cannot go wrong with team outings. Team outings are a great way to get out of the office and into a fun activity. Museum trips, in particular, are educational team outings that can help your team gain knowledge on new subjects. From art to science, there are many different types of museums to consider visiting with your team.

We recommend choosing a museum that your team is sure to love. For example, if you work in marketing and advertising, your team may enjoy visiting an art museum to relish their creativity. While at the museum, we suggest engaging in insightful conversations with teammates about the various exhibits and masterpieces.

14. Sightseeing Tour

If your office is in a major city, then we recommend arranging a sightseeing tour. Touring the town together is an ideal way to get your team out of the office for a breath of fresh air. Walking tours can help your team get active, whereas bus tours allow you to cover more ground. Regardless of your mode of transportation, employees are sure to enjoy seeing all of the sites that the city has to offer.

We recommend snapping as many pictures as possible so all team members can remember this unique National Leave the Office Early Day activity.

15. Escape Rooms

The extra time you gain from National Leave the Office Early Day is a great opportunity to participate in a team building activity, such as an escape room. Escape rooms can help your team build key skills like collaboration, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving.

An escape room is a group activity in which a team must work through different clues to escape the room in a given timeframe. In this activity, teams must work together to solve a series of logical puzzles and riddles. All team members should be ready to participate and engage in out-of-the-box thinking and teamwork.

To ensure an unforgettable experience, we recommend finding a location near your office that offers team escape room experiences. Or, if you are feeling creative, then you can also look up online templates and guides to help you make your own escape room.

Here is a list of tips for escape rooms.

16. Volunteering Activity

If you are looking for National Leave the Office Early Day activities to help you give back, we recommend organizing a team volunteer activity. This activity is a meaningful way to spend your afternoon off from work.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Assemble care packages
• Collect and donate canned foods
• Participate in a fundraiser
• Clean up your local neighborhood
• Donate blood through a blood drive

If you are unsure where to begin, we suggest choosing a cause your entire team supports. For example, human rights, wildlife conservation, or hunger and homelessness. Then, you should participate in an activity that is related to the cause you would like to support. For instance, if you support hunger as a cause, then arrange a canned food drive.

Volunteering during your afternoon off is a great way to positively impact your community.

Here is a list of more group volunteering opportunities.

17. Office Party

One of the best National Leave the Office Early Day celebration ideas is to hold an office party. For this activity, you will need drinks, food, decor, and an agenda full of fun activities.

To make sure all team members have a great time at your office party, here are a few activities you might want to incorporate:

• Office trivia
• Game tournament
• Dancing
• Talent show
• Cocktail hour

We recommend hosting your office party in a public space, such as a catering hall, or at a team member’s home. Office parties are a great way to allow employees to let loose and bond with coworkers. In addition, this activity can lead to a boost in employee happiness, satisfaction, and productivity.

Check out this list of office party ideas.

18. Photo Scavenger Hunt

If you would like to provide a fun, competitive activity for National Leave the Office Early Day, then we recommend organizing an office scavenger hunt. To plan a photo scavenger hunt, you should put together a list of different poses and items you would like employees to capture in pictures.

For example:

• Take a picture near an exit sign
• Take a selfie with the company mascot
• Go to the park and take a picture with the tallest tree you can find
• Snap a picture with the company’s CEO
• Find the funniest street sign near the office
• Take a picture of yourself eating your favorite vending machine snack

The easiest way to plan this activity is to split employees up into a few small groups. Then, each team should explore the office and the surrounding area until players capture as many pictures as possible. We suggest setting a time limit of one hour to give team members enough time to play. The team that captures the most pictures wins.

Here is a list of photo scavenger hunt ideas.

Conclusion

National Leave the Office Early Day is celebrated on June 2nd each year. If the date falls on a weekend, however, the holiday can be on the closest work day.

If you want to promote bonding and team building, then a great idea is to spend National Leave the Office Early Day with coworkers. By enjoying different activities together, you can have a change of scenery outside of the office and enjoy a fun time with teammates. In addition, participating in different activities and events can help promote team building and camaraderie among teammates.

Next, read about the benefits of happy employees and employee stress management ideas for work.