You found our list of creative theme day ideas for work.
Theme day ideas for work are fun day-long activities companies can use to encourage employee interaction. Examples include Tea Party Day, Health and Wellness Day, and Food Truck Day. The purpose of these activities is to boost employees’ morale for work, improve the company culture, and increase productivity.
These ideas are similar to spirit week ideas for work, sprit day activities, and dress up day ideas, and are effective ways to foster company pride and boost morale and motivation for work. For a virtual version, check out these fun virtual spirit week ideas, games, and activities for work.
This list includes:
- fun dress-up themes for work
- holiday theme day ideas for work
- food day theme ideas for work
- employee theme day ideas
- fun workplace theme days
Let’s get started!
List of theme day ideas for work
If you are looking for simple activities to cultivate camaraderie and a sense of community among your workforce, then you will love our theme day ideas. These activities allow employees to bond through fun ideas and showcase distinct interests and personalities outside work. From Murder Mystery Party Day to Tree Planting Day and Crafts Day, here is a list of the best theme day ideas that will suit different groups of workers.
1. Costume Day
Fun dress-up themes for work are fantastic ideas companies can use to entertain their workforce. These activities require employees to be creative around the set theme. You can either select a company-wide theme or let workers choose any costumes.
Costume day theme ideas:
- Dressing through decades
- Hollywood glamor
- Ugly sweater party
- Superheroes
- Cartoon characters
- Twins day
Depending on participants’ preferences and company culture, let employees dress up in costumes during the show time or the entire day. You can make your theme selection interesting by including bites, drinks, or full meals. Other fantastic ideas that complement costume days include activities such as classic board games, scavenger hunts, or dancing. Be sure to alert attendees to wear work-appropriate costumes.
Here are some virtual costume contest ideas.
2. Tea Party Day
A Tea Party Day is an elegant idea to get colleagues together for a wonderful bonding time. The activity is also an excellent idea for companies searching for low-pressure theme day ideas for work. Simply get different tea types, add a few delectable bites, and start the party. You can consider snacks such as scones, tea sandwiches, and cookies. Then, throw in some engaging games, such as tea-themed icebreakers and scavenger hunts. You can make the day more memorable by offering participants tea-time care package kits, including infusers, teas, mugs, napkins, and bites.
For a virtual version, check out these virtual tea party ideas, games, and activities.
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3. Office Olympics Day
If you are looking for competitive employee theme day ideas, then you cannot go wrong with office Olympics. You can let every employee select the ideal activities. Then, form teams. To encourage a spirit of cohesion, you could set different times for each game and let colleagues cheer on each other during the competitions. Some fun office Olympic ideas include three-legged races, tug of war, and ping-pong basketball. You can even engage your team in Olympic activities centered around office supplies.
Check out this list of DIY office Olympic ideas and games for teams or virtual office Olympic ideas for remote teams.
4. Outdoor Day
Workers will appreciate an outdoor day if your employees mainly work in an indoor office setup. Weather permitting, you can engage your team in many fun activities that will rejuvenate participants and foster team bonding. You can host budget-friendly outdoor games such as truth or dare, scavenger hunts, or freeze tag. Some fun, budget-friendly activities that workers may enjoy include walks to parks, hikes, or photo challenges.
Check out this detailed list of fun outdoor team building activities, games, and events for adults.
5. Bring Your Pet to Work Day
Bring Your Pet to Work Day tops the list of fun workplace theme days. Employees will enjoy working alongside their furry friends as other colleagues interact with the pets. Just be sure to have sign-ups for pets so that you know how many animals to expect and can make proper preparations. If your office is not pet friendly, then you could consider hosting the activity in an outdoor space such as parks or pet-friendly venues.
Here is a list of the best office pets for happy workplaces.
6. Health and Wellness Day
With workers’ productivity greatly depending on employees’ wellbeing, a Health and Wellness Day is a fantastic theme for any company. You could organize wellness activities to benefit each participant and promote better company culture.
Examples:
- Guided meditation
- Healthy potlucks to encourage good eating habits
- Corporate walkathons or runs
- Cycle to work day
- Mental health talks
- Yoga
Be sure also to offer long-term health and wellness perks such as access to paid meditation apps or subsidized gym memberships. You can also foster workers’ wellbeing by providing employees regular breaks and observing health and wellness-related occasions.
Here is a list of employee wellness program activities, games, and ideas.
7. Family Fun Day
A Family Fun Day is one of the best holiday theme day ideas for work. The idea is a great way to acknowledge the role of workers’ loved ones in maintaining employees’ work-life balance. For preparation, you could let workers list family members who will attend the party. Then, get ample space, preferably an outdoor area, and plan the day’s activities depending on the demographics of attendees. Some fun family fun day ideas include scavenger hunts, board games, face painting, craft stations, and picnics.
Here is a list of fun corporate family day activities and ideas.
8. Murder Mystery Party Day
A Murder Mystery Party Day is one of the best theme day ideas for work that will encourage teamwork and foster creativity. For this activity, workers will solve a crime through fun clues, hired actors, and fake identities. We advise that you start by getting a venue or setting up your office with a killer vibe. Think of a historic home, a theatre, an art gallery, or a haunted house as the scene of a crime. Then, incorporate costumes and gather silly objects such as water guns, slippers, or flowers as murder weapons. You can then hire actors or let talented employees take up the roles as per the choice of murder mystery theme. Be sure to serve creative cocktails based on fictional characters and also have a themed playlist.
9. White Elephant Exchange Day
If you are looking for fun workplace theme days, then you could try a White Elephant Exchange Day. With the unique twist to gifting, employees may be in for a surprise.
Instructions:
- Request every employee to bring in a silly or creative gift.
- Let all participants gather in the venue, lead all workers in drawing numbers, and let the first participant pick a gift and open the item.
- Subsequent players can either unwrap a new item or steal another gift.
- If another participant steals a worker’s gift, the employee can choose an unwrapped item or steal a gift from their colleague. However, participants can only steal each gift twice.
To make the theme day more interesting, you could encourage participants to bring funny and thoughtful gift ideas. Be sure to have a gifting theme within a specific budget.
10. Worst Gift Ever Day
The Worst Gift Ever Day is a hilarious twist for corporate gifting activities. You can have a secret Santa setup where workers gift each other similar products to the worst items that they have ever received as presents. Encourage participants to think of a terrible gift idea while also keeping the activity respectable towards recipients. These ideas can range from bizarre to impractical and prank items. You can also have an interactive session where every participant gives the story behind their worst gifts. Then, let other players weigh on whether the items are great or bad gifts.
11. Film Day
Film Days top the list of employee theme day ideas that work well for in-office or outdoor setups. If you want your team to have fun outside the office, you can rent a theatre or have a film-watching set up in an outdoor space. We advise you to select the latest film release or let workers vote on the ideal choice. Be sure to bring snacks and drinks and let participants nosh while watching. If you want to treat your workforce to a theatre day, then be sure to book tickets early.
Here is a list of the best team building movies about leadership and teamwork.
12. Crafts Day
A Crafts Day is an excellent choice of workplace theme that will foster skill-building among participants. Depending on your choice of activities, you will help your employees showcase their artsy sides. For example, you could set up a craft area in your workplace or tour an art market within your region. Some great craft ideas include making handmade notebooks, custom gift boxes, wall art, and painting.
13. Under the Sea Day
Under the Sea Day is a unique theme for employers who are on the search for engaging workplace activities. The idea leaves room for workers to partake in several fun activities. Rather than surprising your employees with a sea-themed decorated venue, you could involve all team members in setting up the space. Just request every participant to bring in a sea-themed décor item and let workers jointly decorate the venue or office space. You can even host food day theme ideas for work via the Under the Sea activity. For instance, you could bring the ocean theme to work by bringing in catered seafood options or a grill-out session. Just be sure to have other food options for participants who may be allergic to sea foods. You could also plan fun sea-themed activities such as dress-ups and scavenger hunts.
14. Masquerade Party Day
A masquerade party is a fantastic idea that team leaders can use to break the ice between co-workers. Employees will have fun trying to figure out the co-workers behind the masks. You could instruct participants to follow a specific dressing theme, such as a formal white or black tie attire, ensuring that all players have masquerade masks. Another great idea is setting up a mask decoration station, preferably with items like feathers, sequins, and cutouts. You can enhance your party with food options such as finger foods and drinks. For an even more memorable event, you can invite party entertainers such as jugglers, impersonators, or circus performers. Be sure to include a photo booth and let workers take goofy pictures for memorabilia.
15. Barbeque Day
Barbeque parties are great choices for companies looking for food day theme ideas for work. The activity will encourage interaction among workers and also facilitate relaxation. You will also get to see the grill masters among your workforce. For barbeque food choices, think of simple items such as hot dogs, different types of ribs, and burgers. You can also include other food types, such as chips, salads, fruit bowls, and drinks. Consider having fun games and have the right mix of tunes for the day. You can base the right type of activities on the demographic of your workers, your budget, and the venue.
16. Food Truck Day
A Food Truck Day is a fantastic option for companies that want to host parties for a large workforce. For this activity, companies could have several food trucks at the workplace that will serve free meals to all workers. You can start by deciding the number of food trucks serving your workforce. Then, get an ideal location, preferably a large parking lots. You can even surprise workers as they head out for their lunch break, provided you know the most popular meals among your employees. You can foster inclusion in the workplace by getting different native cuisines and a mix of staple dishes. Other Food Truck Day ideas include street, donuts, vegan, fast food, seafood, and coffee shops.
17. Fun Hair Day
A Fun Hair Day will encourage workers to get silly and show off their wild sides by featuring hairstyles that workers would not wear on a normal day. Employees can go for simple hairstyles or even more elaborate creations that may require tons of preparation. For instance, participants can wear oversized accessories, show off unique hair colors, or use colored bobby pins to style their hair. Depending on workers’ interests, you could pair the day’s activities with fun dress-up themes for work. The Fun Hair Day will encourage workers to show off their personalities and promote respect for different cultures.
18. Tree Planting Day
A Tree Planting Day is a great way to encourage workers to contribute to environmental conservation efforts. You could start by finding a local organization that supports tree-planting causes. Then, head out and let each employee plant five to ten trees.
Tree planting day ideas:
- Let workers create educational content about the importance of conservation
- Provide seedlings for workers to plant in their yards
- Offer a gift basket with items that will encourage sustainable practices
- Organize a company-wide conservation walk
- Have an environmental conservation talk with a renowned speaker
- Donate to causes that support conservation
Tree planting activities will help your workforce connect outside the office over efforts to reduce climate change and provide habitats for wild animals.
19. Meme Day
As one of the most hilarious holiday theme day ideas for work, a Meme Day is a must-try. The activity will have your entire workforce laughing with out-of-the-box ideas. For this simple activity, instruct workers to pick and recreate a popular meme. Employees can paint their faces, switch up their hair, or even act out a popular meme in front of all players. You can even have a contest where you reward the most creative meme recreation. Be sure to set up a photo booth area and let workers take as many goofy pictures as possible.
20. Random Acts of Kindness Day
A Random Act of Kindness day is a theme that will teach your workforce the importance of being socially conscious. Workers will also learn to be mindful of other members of society and practice empathy. You could list several acts of kindness and let your workers complete the challenges in groups within the shortest time frame.
Examples:
- Help a senior citizen cross the road
- Give genuine compliments to strangers
- Pick up litter
- Give up your seat to another traveler on a crowded bus
- Buy a meal for someone in need
- Send flowers to a nursing home
- Mentor a junior colleague
You could choose kindness challenges that your team will complete within a week, day, or several hours. You can encourage participants to snap pictures where possible. Then, let workers relieve their days’ experience and share lessons from the theme.
Conclusion
Theme day ideas for teams are relatively easy and inexpensive to organize. However, if you are planning activities for large groups or busy offices, we advise you to select low-maintenance options that are not hectic for workers to prepare. Theme day activities have multiple benefits for companies and workers. These ideas encourage collaboration and teamwork and lead to better work performance. Regular theme day activities will motivate and energize employees throughout the work week. Just be sure to host your theme day events in an appropriate venue and encourage participants to observe company policies.
Next, check out our list of summer team building activities for work and indoor team building activities are group games and exercises.
For more ways to entertain groups, browse this list of ways to have fun with employees.
Grace He