You found our list of the best virtual fun Friday ideas.
Fun Friday is an occasion for coworkers or classmates to get together, relax, and get to know each other better at the end of the week. Virtual Fun Friday activities are an opportunity for peers to connect and unwind remotely. Examples of ideas for online fun Friday events include remote happy hours, Zoom movie nights, and online trivia. The purpose of these activities is to foster camaraderie and cheer in virtual offices.
These events are an example of a virtual employee engagement activity and a remote team building exercise, and are similar to virtual spirit weeks. These occasions can act as a get to know you activity and employee morale booster.
This article includes:
- fun Friday activities during work from home
- fun Friday games to play online
- fun Friday virtual activities
- fun Friday activities on Zoom
- virtual games for fun Friday
- online fun Friday games
Here we go!
List of virtual-fun-Friday ideas
Here is a list of online fun Friday activities to keep groups energized and motivated at the end of the week.
1. Work Wrap-Up Power Hour
Come Friday afternoon, motivation and productivity can dip downward. Few folks want to head into the weekend with the nagging feeling that they are behind on work. Work wrap-up power hours are mini online pep rallies that inspire employees to complete tasks and make headway.
There are several ways to structure this activity. For instance, coworkers can pull up a Slack channel at an appointed time, set a timer, and a leader can send periodic messages to keep team members on task. Or, team members can meet up on Zoom with mics off and work silently. Audiences can help folks stay accountable. You can even create a playlist to help the group power through the work.
At the end of the hour, take ten minutes to celebrate the hard work together.
Here is a list of online Pomodoro timers that can help with this activity.
2. Award Shows
Doing a weekly mini award show is one of the more unique virtual fun Friday ideas for work. Throughout the workweek, team members can submit nominations for coworkers. Categories can be premade, such as “team player of the week,” or employees can create categories to fit the week’s events, such as “fastest muting of mic when kids started having a belching contest mid Zoom call,” or “most hilarious unintentional email typo.”
Awards can be funny, serious, or a mix of both. You can create digital certificates as a prize, or could offer digital gift cards. This activity is a way to practice employee recognition as well as a means to create inside jokes and foster camaraderie in virtual offices.
Here is a guide to doing online team award shows and a list of most likely to questions for inspiration.
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3. Weekly Surveys
Weekly Surveys are a just-for-fun way to reflect on the week and share current moods and likes with the team. Folks often enjoy filling out personal surveys on social media, and may jump at the chance to share about themselves and learn more about coworkers.
You can create a Slack channel or thread for replies, or send out a team email and ask teammates to reply all.
This activity can help spark work friendships between teammates with similar tastes and interests, and can be a way for remote coworkers to interact and learn more about each other.
Here is a list of employee engagement survey questions for inspiration.
4. Riddle Reveals
Riddle reveals are ideal for teams who love a challenge. At the beginning of the week, share a riddle or a puzzle. For example, a super Zoomed-in photo, a screenshot from Geoguessr, an equation, a scavenger hunt clue, or a word riddle. Every few days, you can drop a hint. Then, at the end of the week, post the answer. You can give a prize to the first employee who guesses correctly, or enter correct answers into a company raffle to be drawn at week’s end.
Or, you could wait until Friday to do a timed problem solving challenge such as an online escape room or a virtual murder mystery game.
For more inspiration, here is a list of team building brain teasers and a list of problem solving games.
5. #weekend-plans
#weekend-plans is a Slack channel where coworkers can discuss the upcoming weekend’s highlights. For example, concerts, parties, mini road trips, new hobbies, kids’ recitals, or Netflix binge sessions. Photos are encouraged, and coworkers can chat more via thread. Members can even plan in-real-life meetups within the channel. After the weekend ends, posters can follow-up with pictures or comments.
Check out more Slack channel ideas.
6. Margarita Making Class (Team Favorite)
If you are looking for a hosted happy hour to end the week, then consider Margarita Making Class! During this unique experience, teams can master the art of crafting mouthwatering cocktails while enjoying engaging games.
Margarita Making Class offers the following:
- a 90-minute session led by a skilled mixologist
- cocktail or mocktail kits mailed to participants
- valuable insights and techniques for crafting the perfect drink
- energizing activities and games that foster team bonding
Also, you can customize the games or enhance the experience with additional cocktail options. Be sure to elevate your next happy hour by adding Margarita Making Class to your agenda!
Learn more about Margarita Making Class.
7. Battle of the Buzz
Battle of the Buzz is a more competitive spin on virtual happy hours. In this activity, coworkers square off in a series of online drinking games. Contestants can compete in teams or individually. Keep in mind that group games inspire more camaraderie. Participants do not have to drink alcohol to join the fun. Players can indulge in a beverage of choice, such as milkshake, coffee, or kombucha. The only rule is that if you lose, you sip.
Pro tip: If allowing alcohol, then plan this activity towards the late afternoon or early evening so that employees are not imparied at the start of the workday.
Check out this list of Zoom drinking games.
8. Live Concerts
Live concerts are one of the best fun Friday activities on Zoom. You can thank employees for a week of hard work and help teammates transition into weekend relaxation by providing real time entertainment online. Simply find a performer, schedule a session, and send attendees a link to a livestream or video call. You can book a professional performer or recruit employees for volunteer performances, depending on the budget and frequency of these events. Best of all, employees can tune in while still working, meaning that this fun Friday activity is an option for bonding even during busier times.
9. Open Mics
Open Mics are one of the most low-touch remote fun Friday ideas. These events do not require much planning or setup beyond scheduling a video call. Either before or during the event, collect sign ups for acts. Then, spotlight each performer during their slot. Employees might read poems, play guitar, test out a standup comedy routine, draw a requested picture on the virtual whiteboard act, or unveil some other hidden skill. This activity gives coworkers a chance to see and appreciate each other’s non-work abilities.
For similar ideas, check out this list of online talent show ideas and these virtual comedy show ideas.
10. Improv
Improv can be a fun way to end the workweek. These activities give employees an outlet to be silly and spontaneous, and the games encourage creativity and can break down social barriers between remote staff. To do improv on Zoom, first prepare a list of games, then meet up with a group on a video call. For best results, pick a mix of large group games and smaller scenes. For activities that use volunteers, spotlight the performers during the scene. Attendees can choose to participate by making suggestions or acting out recommendations, making this exercise a fit for introverts and extroverts alike.
Improv teaches risk-taking and builds confidence and trust. Plus, the games are a way to end the week with laughter and spark creativity.
Here is a list of improv exercises for Zoom.
11. Board Games
Online board games are a fun way to get together and do a group activity. Most folks already know the rules of classic board games, and the exercise gives teammates a common mission. Since participants have a clear goal to focus on, small talk becomes optional, and this activity is ideal for coworkers who may not know each other well or have much in common.
Here is a list of online board games to play with teams.
12. Special Guests
Special guests are one of the more interesting virtual fun Friday ideas for work. Each week, invite a guest speaker or participant from outside the organization. These guests might be members from sister companies, local celebrities, family members, company alumni, or guest lecturers. To add an air of mystery, you can keep the guest a secret until the event and encourage teammates to guess the identity.
13. Movie Nights
Movie nights are easy ways for remote teams to have fun together. Watching the same film gives remote teammates a shared experience to talk about later, and attendees can make the event more social by commenting out loud or in the chat. Organizers can also pause the movie to play games such as trivia. Teammates can gather together on Zoom to watch TV shows too, especially if Fun Friday is a weekly event.
Here is a list of team building movies to foster camaraderie.
14. Online Video Breaks
Online video breaks are short, informal virtual film festivals where co-workers meet up on a Zoom call and share funny videos found online. The length of this event can be 10 to30 minutes. During these Zoom calls, participants take turns sharing screens and playing funny clips. These activities are a means for remote teammates to laugh and bond together, as well as a way to let go of the tension of the week. Attendees can vote via poll or chat to name a clip of the week. If unable to meet up to watch in real time together, then participants can post their funny finds to a thread or channel in Slack.
15. Raffles
Raffles are one of the most exciting virtual fun Friday activities for the office. These giveaways can encourage more folks to show up and participate in Fun Friday events in the hopes of winning prizes. There are several ways to structure these activities. For example, you can share the screen and spin a digital prize wheel, pull names out of a hat on a Zoom call, or use a Slack app like Picker to randomly assign winners.
Here are more ideas for workplace competitions.
16. Trivia
Trivia is one of the most obvious virtual fun Friday games for the office. To do this exercise, gather the group on Zoom. You can split the group into teams via breakout rooms and give each team a link to a form to complete, or have participants compete individually by using the Kahoot! app and answering via mobile device while displaying the questions on a shared screen. Another option is to use a Slack app for trivia or post questions to a Slack thread and have players indicate an answer by selecting emojis.
You can hold ongoing trivia games tournament style and create friendly rivalries between teams, or do standalone games. This activity encourages remote employees to pool their knowledge and reason together, and can also be a way for teammates to show off their smarts.
Here is a guide to doing trivia virtually.
17. Remote Lunch
Remote lunches are one of the most basic fun Friday activities on Zoom. Teammates meet up via video call to share a meal together. Attendees can order delivery, pick up takeout, or cook at home. The point of the call is to enjoy a meal and conversation together. Since eating is a regular daily activity, these events have wide appeal and major potential for bonding. Plus, these activities are easy to schedule on an ongoing basis. Simply choose a date and time and set up an automatic video meeting and calendar invite. Best practices for remote lunches is that the employer offers to cover the average cost of the meal, usually in the ballpark of $25, via reimbursement or food delivery e-gift card.
Pro tip: For best results, aim for the middle in terms of timezones. For example, a 12PM EST lunch time means morning for folks on the US east coast, so it may be better to aim for a later lunch around 2PM.
Here is a guide to doing remote team lunches.
18. Friday Family Feud
Virtual Friday Family Feud is a way to end the work week in the spirit of competition. Each week, two random departments will face off against each other in a battle of the classic game show. Throughout the week, you can collect answers to survey questions via a Google Form, or you can use premade questions. Then, teammates meet up on Zoom call and play the game together. Non-competing teams can show up to act as audience members. If unable to meet and play in realtime, then you can also facilitate the game via Slack thread.
You can play other popular game shows such as Jeopardy, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and The Price is Right in the same way, or can mix up the roster and play a different game each week.
Check out this list of starter Family Feud questions and answers, and check out more virtual game show ideas.
19. Truth or Dare
Truth or Dare is one of the most interactive virtual fun Friday games for work. Using a series of safe-for-work questions and challenges, you can encourage virtual employees to step outside of their comfort zones. Being vulnerable in front of coworkers can help accelerate the getting-to-know-you process in virtual offices, and these games can help work from home teammates share random facts and personal beliefs with peers.
Here is a truth or dare generator to help with prompts.
20. Virtual Coffee Tastings
Virtual coffee tasting classes are ways for remote teammates to come together and have a shared experience, as well as get a caffeine boost to power through the end of the work week. To schedule a tasting, find an online provider and sign up for a group coffee experience at least two or three weeks in advance. Be sure to get firm RSVPs from your teammates before signing up so that you know how many spots to pay for. The event hosts will send coffee samples to participants and instruct the group on how to best brew and enjoy the beverage on Zoom.
Here is a list of virtual coffee tasting classes.
21. Virtual Tea Tastings
Virtual tea tastings promote mindfulness and relaxation and are an excellent way to wind down the week. To schedule an online tea tasting, gauge group interest, find an event host, sign up two to three weeks ahead of time, and then meet up to try different teas, breathe, and meditate together. Tea tastings are a good option for calmer groups and for teammates who try to avoid caffeine.
Here is a list of virtual tea tastings classes.
22. Remote Office Olympics
Remote Office Olympics are tournaments where teammates compete with colleagues in a series of digital challenges. For example, typing races, trivia, and living room mini-games. Participants can play to win points for themselves and their teams. At the end of the activity, the leader announces the winners of the competition and awards medals accordingly. Just like the real Olympics, these games promote teamwork, fellowship, and good sportsmanship. Plus, since the activities are semi-physical, these games can help work from home employees be less sedentary.
Here is a guide to doing Office Olympics remotely.
23. tiny campfire (Popular)
Zoom campfires are cheerful online gatherings where folks come together to share stories and a snack. With tiny campfire, you can bring the thrill of the outdoors and s’mores inside! From games to riddles to snacks, this all-inclusive package will help your remote team feel like they are sitting around the campfire together.
Here is what you can expect:
- 90 minutes with a highly engaging host
- camp-style icebreaker games that start conversations
- spooky haunted riddles and camp lore
- specialty chocolates, marshmallows, graham crackers, and a tea-light candle
In addition, you can add an optional cocktail kit or an extra s’mores kit to your package. If you are looking to boost your team’s communication skills and relationships, then check out tiny campfire!
Learn more about tiny campfire.
Final Thoughts
Fun Fridays are a way to bring joy to the workweek. These events end the week on high note and boost remote worker morale. Remote workers often struggle with creating boundaries between work life and home life, and these occasions can help telecommuters to transition into weekend downtime. Loneliness and disconnection are also dangers in virtual offices, and Fun Fridays create camaraderie, community, and a sense of belonging within online-first workplaces.
These activities can be hours-long events or simple posts in Slack channels, and can be regular weekly events. The best virtual Fun Friday ideas are interactive and give work from home employees the chance to meaningfully connect with coworkers and get to know teammates better, yet do not necessarily involve much effort or planning.
For more work from home fun, check out these lists of video call games and out-of-the-box Zoom meeting ideas.
We also have a list of the best virtual beer tasting activities and more ideas to have fun at work.
Angela Robinson