Hobbies And Interests
Sleuthing Spies
For this observational game, co-workers must take good hard looks at their fellow workers - literally. In advance of the office party, ask each employee for a picture of herself at some point during her childhood. Place the photographs around the party space with numbers underneath them, and give each person a piece of paper with everyone's name on it. Throughout the night, when an employee thinks he has matched the childhood photograph to the person, he should write the number displayed underneath the childhood photo next to the person's name on the paper. At the end of the evening, the employee with the most correct matches wins.
Who Am I?
This party game can serve as a great icebreaker between employees who perhaps do not interact on a regular basis. Each employee at the party receives a post-it note on his back on which the name of a famous person is written. Throughout the party, employees ask others for clues about "who" they are, such as asking about the person's profession, relationships and physical attributes. Once the employee guesses "his" identity, he is permitted to remove the post-it from their back. While there is no winner in the game, the "Who Am I" game is a blast and can be played in small or large groups.
Who Do You Know?
"Who Do You Know?" is a game that forces each and every person at the party to engage in conversation with everyone else, which is not only a great social aspect of an office party but also a great team-building exercise for a group of employees. At the beginning of the party, each employee is given a list of statements of things that other employees have done, such as "I have climbed a mountain" or "I have three adopted children." Employees must talk to each other to find out which of the statements match which people. The first employee to correctly identify each statement with the correct person wins.
Beware the Bow Collector
"Bow Collector" is a classic game that has been played at many different types of parties, but works especially well at an office party where cocktails can add even more fun to the mix. Every employee is given the type of bow that adorns the top of a gift, which they wear as a brooch during the party. At the start of the party, announce a forbidden word that employees cannot say during the party, such as "Christmas" or "Holiday." The object of the game is for co-workers to try to get each other to say the forbidden word. The employee who spoke the word must then give his bow to the employee that made him say the word. At the end of the party, the employee with the most bows wins.