You found our list of the best company contest ideas.
Company contest ideas are competitive activities workers engage in to win prizes or gain recognition. Examples include costume contests, random acts of kindness, and flower pot decoration. The purpose of these activities is to promote teamwork, encourage healthy competition, and engage teams.
Company contests can be an employee onboarding idea. You can give winners budget swag as prizes.
This list includes:
- employee engagement contest ideas
- team competition ideas
- virtual contest ideas for employees
- fun competition ideas for work
- office contest ideas
Here we go!
List of company contest ideas
Work contests are a great way to create a fun and competitive spirit in the workplace. From trivia to clean-up contests, here is a list of the best contests for organizations to engage their teams.
1. Caption This!
Team leaders looking for virtual contest ideas for employees cannot go wrong with Caption This! For this idea, you can share a funny meme or picture via your online collaborative platform. Then, let each employee submit their captions. To promote fairness, you can let the audience choose the winner based on the most creative or funny caption. Caption This! is a simple idea that employees can play in the break room.
2. Costume Contests
Costume contests are a great way to encourage creativity among your team. Often hilarious, these contests are ideal for both small and large groups. You can start by giving the team prompts where participants will showcase creative clothing per the theme. You can either set a specific theme or let participants choose any costume themes.
Examples:
- Halloween
- Christmas
- Under the sea
- Heroes vs. villains
- Celebrities
- Hollywood
- Animal kingdom
- TV shows
- Masquerade ball
- Rainbow party
- Pajama party
Instead of having one award, be sure to have different recognition categories, like best pair, best-dressed group, funniest, most creative, or scariest. If you have a large group, then you could have three to four employees as judges. For small groups, let each employee vote and announce winners at the end of the activity.
3. Trivia
As an interactive and fun activity, team trivia is a fantastic choice of office contest ideas. Trivia contests are versatile and can suit small and large groups. This idea is also a great way to engage workers, boost knowledge in relevant areas, encourage creativity, and build camaraderie. You can opt for general questions on current affairs, entertainment, worldwide events, or industry-specific questions. Another great idea is to quiz participants on company values, policies, or products and services, especially if you have new employees. Company-based trivia is a clever way to remind employees what an organization stands for and any recent changes. You could even personalize the activity with an inter-employee trivia session where participants learn more about one another.
4. Office Desk Decorating Contest
An office desk decorating contest is a worthwhile challenge that will excite the workplace. You could choose a fun theme related to your team’s interests. Besides announcing the event beforehand, you could surprise workers with decorating materials. Then, give the team five to ten minutes to complete the challenge, depending on the complexity. You could also let participants decorate their office desks without a specific theme.
For instance, participants could:
- Add pops of color to office supplies
- Personalize mouse pads
- Frame prints or paintings
- Color-code office supplies
- Add desk flowers or plants
- Add magazine or newspaper stands
Office desk decorating contests can liven up the workplace and boost participants’ morale. You can even host the decorating contest during work slump times like the afternoon. You could also have an office decorating contest where each department will use its team member’s creative skills to decorate the entire office and take the prize home.
These contests provide the perfect avenue for organizations to create a spirit of camaraderie between workers and senior leaders. For instance, you could have senior leaders judge the competitions.
5. Sports Contests
Sports contests top the list of team competition ideas. These contests are also a great way to create excitement among your team. If you have a large team, then you could split your workforce into smaller groups.
Examples:
- Champion league: This is a great idea for large companies. You could start by splitting workers into teams, such as departments, that will compete against each other. A soccer champion league will promote friendly competition in the workplace.
- 100-meter sprint: Participants will sprint for 100 meters as their team cheers.
- Sack race: Participants will race to the finish line while hopping in a potato sack.
- Tug-of-war: Two or more groups of workers will do a strength test by pulling a rope to get the opposite team over the center line. Other than two-group tug-of-war, you could have a different twist with a three- or four-team game. If playing with more than two teams, let participants line up in different directions, facing each other. Then, put one rope on each team’s position. Participants will pull the rope on the ”go” signal.
If you have space limitations, then you can choose other low-contact sports, like softball, badminton, or table tennis. Employees who do not want to participate in active sports can cheer on their teams. You can host sports contests in outdoor spaces like a beach, park, or field.
6. Clean-Up Contest
A clean-up contest is a great way to bring teams together and impact the community. You can either opt to clean up the local beach, neighborhood, public parks, or rivers. You can also use the clean-up contest to educate your workforce and the community on proper disposal techniques. For this idea, start by dividing participants into small groups. Then, map local waste spots in your community or a nearby beach area. After the contest, let a group of team leaders inspect the communities or beach area. You can then determine the winning team based on factors like the individual who fills the most trash bags within the shortest time. As a result, your organization can make a sizeable change in waste reduction and disposal while also bringing your workforce together.
7. Random Acts of Kindness Contest
A random acts of kindness contest is one of the simplest yet fun office contest ideas. For this socially conscious idea, participants will do a random act that will surely put a smile on society members’ faces. You could start by dividing your team into small groups of up to ten participants. Then, give each group a list of activities they will complete within a specific timeframe.
Examples:
- Give five strangers compliments
- Pick up litter
- Help a senior citizen with groceries
- Plant a tree
- Let another employee take the prime parking spot
- Buy a meal for a person in need
- Donate flowers to a nursing home
- Visit a children’s home
- Offer someone who is moving large items a hand
- Write a personal note of encouragement to a stranger
You can even make the contest daylong or weeklong, depending on the number of workers and the challenges. The group that completes the most acts of kindness wins.
8. Photo Contests
Photo contests are a great way to foster teamwork in the workplace. For this activity, participants will submit photos. You can then select the winner based on factors like creative captioning or compliance with the theme. To inspire creativity, opt for original ideas. For instance, participants could use photos to create a storyline.
Other photo contest ideas include:
- Funny group selfies
- Hometowns
- Childhood pictures
- Favorite food
- Memorabilia items from past decades
- Sunrises or sunsets
- Recreate celebrity award selfies
If you want to promote your brand, then you could challenge your team to share pictures on their social media. For social media posts, let participants create a creative hashtag or pun alongside photos. The picture that gets the most engagement or likes wins.
9. Flower Pot Decorating Contests
Ideal for a small group of workers, a flower pot decorating contest is a great choice for team leaders looking for employee engagement contest ideas. For this activity, start by sourcing enough pots for every participant. Then, get different paint colors and brushes. Participants will then decorate a flower pot or create an original one using random materials. You can then select the winner based on originality, artistic impression, aesthetic appeal, and quality.
For remote workers, you could send a package with decoration essentials or provide gift cards that workers can use to purchase the materials. Then, participants will take pictures of their final product and share them via an online collaboration platform. You could also have a session where each participant explains the motivation behind their decorations. Employees can even plant flowers in their pots and place them on their office desks. Alternatively, you can have a flowerpot gift exchange session between participants.
10. Cocktail-Making Contests
A cocktail-making contest makes for a relaxed competition. Participants do not need any experience, and workers can sip the cocktails after the activity. You could invite a mixologist to teach your team cocktail-making tips and the vital elements behind crafting a delicious drink. Then, form teams and let each group pick its leader. Next, provide all the ingredients, set the timer, and allow participants to create their best drink. The mixologist can then review the cocktails and choose the winner based on taste and the right mix of ingredients.
11. Steps Challenge
As one of the easiest wellness-oriented team competition ideas, a step challenge is a great way to encourage your team to engage in physical activities. Participants can take the challenge at their own convenience, provided you set a timeframe for completion. For instance, you could let each employee record their walking activity via activity apps like Strava. To increase the number of steps, encourage participants to take the stairs or walk a distance to or from work. Other than encouraging healthy competition, a step challenge will bring teams together as they work toward the common goal of being healthier. You can give wellness-related incentives to participants who reach a certain number of steps by the end of the challenge.
Check out Strava.
12. Creative Contests
If you are looking for fun competition ideas for work, then a creative contest is a great way to start. Through the activity, you will unveil participants’ artistic side and foster teamwork. Creative contests are also a great idea for team leaders who want to engage individual workers. You could have a presentation where each employee showcases their artistic side.
Examples include:
- Writing poems
- Drawing
- Painting
- Singing
- Storytelling
Participants who have similar skills could even pair up for future collaborations.
13. Cook-Offs
Cook-offs are enjoyable activities where workers can bond over food. While some scenarios may require participants to bring in precooked meals, we encourage organizations to challenge their teams. For the ultimate challenge, let workers unveil the ingredients as spectators watch and then set the timer. Participants are free to make any meal based on the types of ingredients.
Instructions:
- Pick a theme that every team or individual will recreate. Some great ideas include grilling, salad making, and baking.
- Set up the cook-off stage. If you have a large group, you may need a setting that makes the most of the available space. You can hold the cook-off in an indoor venue, your outdoor office space, or a local park. For a precooked meal cook-off, you can have a picnic-style setup.
- Come up with criteria for judging the teams. Some factors you can use to determine a winner include the creative use of ingredients and cooking equipment, presentation, and taste.
- Once all team players finish making the food, let all participants taste each meal and suggest winners.
If you have a large team, then requesting all participants bring in a specific dish is a great idea. Another great idea is hosting a company-wide cook-off and allowing your workforce to invite their families and friends.
14. Employee Social Media Advocacy Contests
If you are looking for fun competition ideas for work that will also promote your brand, then an employee advocacy contest is a great idea. For this activity, participants will share brand-related content on their social media. For instance, workers could share blog articles, new product launches, job postings, or a glimpse of the company culture. To track the performance of the social media posts, you can request that participants submit their stats. Alternatively, you can use tools like Smarp to track the performance of the content, especially if you have a large group. While letting participants share any brand-related info is a good idea, you could have better results with a content strategy guide. Also, be sure to provide a social media content policy and brand style guidelines. A good start is researching the ROI of the content and the ability to expand organic reach.
Employee social media advocacy contests can increase brand awareness, improve employee engagement, and aid in a PR crisis. You can use factors like top contributors, organic reach, engagement, brand sentiment, and traffic to the company’s social media or website to determine the winner.
Learn more about Smarp.
15. Scavenger Hunts
Scavenger hunts are a fun yet challenging activity suitable for any group of workers. You could start by dividing your workforce into smaller teams. Then, provide a list of challenges that participants must complete within a given time. These activities are very versatile and are suitable for indoor or outdoor spaces. Scavenger hunts are also a great choice of virtual contest ideas for employees.
Examples:
- Take a photo of ten employees with the same birth date or month.
- Take pictures of all exit signs in the office.
- Share a picture of your pet.
- Recreate an old family photo with your colleagues.
- Take pictures of major local landmarks in your city.
- List ten animals that you can hear.
- Dress up like a celebrity and share pictures.
- Take a picture of a rare animal in its natural habitat.
- Find ten items buried in the sand.
- Share the oldest picture or video in your gallery.
Besides being enjoyable, scavenger hunts can also improve the team’s communication, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills. Be sure to provide challenges that your team will enjoy. Also, ensure that all participants understand the hunt rules.
Conclusion
With the right planning and execution, a company contest can be a fun and effective way to drive innovation, improve performance, and increase employee engagement. Luckily, businesses can organize many competitions, such as idea-generation, sales, and skill-based contests. If you want to motivate participants, then we encourage you to consider creative prizes and nonmonetary recognition. Some unique recognition ideas include outings with the CEO, extra paid time off, donations to a charity of choice, and company-sponsored trips.
After your event, be sure to hand out swag bags or conference swag.
FAQ: Company contest ideas
Here are answers to common questions about company contest ideas.
What are company contests?
Company contests are events or competitions that a business organizes for its workforce. Organizations can incentivize these contests with rewards, such as prize money, extra time off, or trips. Company contests can improve employee engagement and productivity and provide a fun and competitive environment for workers.
What are some good ideas for office contests?
A wide variety of contests can suit different workers’ demographics. However, organizations must be strategic when choosing the ideal contests for their team. Some of the factors that businesses should factor in include team size, timeline, budget, participants’ interests, and company goals and values. Some good ideas for office contests include scavenger hunts, cocktail making, and employee social media advocacy contests.
Why should you hold company contests for employees?
While company contests promote competition in the workplace, these activities can also bring teams together.
Businesses should also hold contests often because they:
- Provide a fun and competitive environment that can help increase employee engagement and motivation.
- Create a sense of camaraderie and teamwork among employees, which can lead to a positive and productive work environment.
- Motivate employees to improve their performance both in their professional and personal lives.
- Foster innovation by encouraging employees to share their ideas. Through these ideas, businesses can improve the company’s products, processes, or services.
- Provide avenues for businesses to recognize their workforce for their achievements and contributions. Rewards and recognition are among the most effective ways to boost workers’ morale.
- Build stronger relationships and communication among employees, leading to better teamwork and problem-solving.
- Attract and retain top talent. These activities can make organizations more attractive to job seekers, as they portray that the company values employee engagement and development.
Company contests can be a powerful tool for improving employee engagement, motivation, and performance. The right choice of activities can also positively impact the organization’s overall success by boosting workers’ morale.
