21 Fun HR Games for the Workplace (2024)

You found our list of the best HR games.

HR games are fun and interactive experiences that HR can use as trainings or team building exercises. These games are business strategies that allow human resource teams to train, develop, and evaluate workers. Examples include guess that baby, penny for your thoughts, flip it over, and help me. These activities aim to help HR professionals learn more about each other.

These games can be part of your HR project ideas and employee engagement activities. These games can help improve company culture, employee retention, and workplace positivity.

This list includes:

• HR games for employees
• HR games for college students
• online HR games
• HR simulation games
• HR games for managers

Let’s get started!

List of HR games

HR games can help test and train teams. Managers can also use these games to create trust and bonds among members. For new teams or teams with recruits, HR games can improve communication and teamwork. Here is a list of HR games for managers to try.

1. Ghost Hunt in the Haunted Mansion (Top Choice)

With Ghost Hunt in the Haunted Mansion, you can offer your team a hosted escape room experience that will have their hair standing on end! Teams will go on a virtual tour of the iconic Winchester Mansion and uncover its dark secrets.

Ghost Hunt in the Haunted Mansion offers:

• 90 minutes guided by a world-class host
• eerie jump scares and encounters with Ouija boards
• mysteries and evil forces within the mansion
• intricate puzzles, valuable clues, and captivating stories

Your team’s wits and quick thinking will be put to the test as they explore the haunted mansion to find an escape. If you are interested in a heart-pounding adventure, then check out Ghost Hunt in the Haunted Mansion!

Learn more about Ghost Hunt in the Haunted Mansion.

2. Ultimate Trivia Showdown (Highly Rated)

If you are looking for a hosted HR trivia game, then check out Ultimate Trivia Showdown! We bring a fresh take on this classic activity that will keep teams entertained.

Key features of Ultimate Trivia Showdown include:

• a 90-minute experience led by a talented host
• engaging games like The Champion Challenge and Smarty Pants Ultimate Trivia
• high-energy question rounds, games, and puzzles
• customizable questions covering a diverse range of categories

We can host this experience at any venue of your choice, and we will provide all the needed supplies. Throughout this thrilling competition, every player will have the chance to showcase their knowledge. To help teams sharpen problem-solving skills, add Ultimate Trivia Showdown to your team building agenda!

Learn more about Ultimate Trivia Showdown.

3. Desk Wars

Desk wars is a creative and competitive team building activity that involves using a limited set of office supplies to construct a specific structure or object. Hosts must give teams a challenge or task, and they must use their ingenuity and collaboration skills to complete it within a time limit. For instance, teams could build an office supply sculpture or a desk organizer. The catch is that players can only use the desk supplies provided. This activity encourages problem-solving, resourcefulness, and teamwork while adding an element of fun and friendly competition.

4. Appreciation Circle

The appreciation circle is a simple yet powerful team building activity that focuses on fostering positivity and strengthening team relationships. Team members sit in a circle, and each individual expresses appreciation for the person on their right. This activity encourages participants to recognize and acknowledge the contributions and qualities of their colleagues. Games such as this promote a culture of gratitude and camaraderie.

5. Bucket List Sharing

Bucket list sharing allows team members to share personal or professional aspirations with each other. Each team member lists three items from their bucket list, including what they want to achieve, experience, or learn in their lifetime. Optionally, the team can create a group bucket list for professional goals. This activity promotes bonding as team members discover shared interests, goals, and dreams.

6. Name That Slogan

Name that slogan is a fun and interactive game that tests participants’ knowledge of famous slogans and jingles from various brands or companies. Teams listen to audio clips or view slogans and must guess the associated brand. This game has an element of nostalgia and light-hearted competition while also highlighting the influence of branding and advertising in our lives.

7. Role Reversal

Role reversal involves temporarily swapping roles or responsibilities among team members, especially those from different departments or job roles. This activity provides a unique opportunity for individuals to gain insights into the challenges, tasks, and perspectives of their colleagues. Role Reversal encourages cross-functional understanding, empathy, and a broader appreciation for the diverse roles within the organization.

8. Innovation Challenge

The innovation challenge is a collaborative problem-solving activity where teams must find creative solutions to a specific challenge or problem. Participants brainstorm ideas, devise strategies, and create prototypes or proposals to address the challenge. Teams then present their solutions to the larger group, promoting knowledge sharing and diverse perspectives. This activity encourages innovative thinking, teamwork, and creativity.

9. Guess That Baby

Guess that baby is one of the newer HR games for employees. Managers will ask teams to send images of themselves as babies. The managers compile the pictures into a shareable file and send the link to the team. The team’s job is determining which baby picture belongs to which teammate. This game can spark conversation and establish common ground. In the end, the leader shares the baby picture alongside the team members’ present-day image.

Check out more guessing games for work.

10. Help Me

Help me is a game that helps team members build friendships. To play the game, start by having every member write out a personal or work problem. Managers should ensure that each comment is entirely anonymous. Managers can compile the written issues into a file and send the link to the whole team before letting employees pick out a point. If a member picks their own point, then let them try again. Once every participant has chosen, have them offer a solution to their selected issue. Then, open the floor to allow conversation between teammates where others can provide a more profound answer to the problem.

11. Memory Wall

A memory wall is a very detailed game that brings the team together. HR staff should get every member to write a work-related topic or point and post the write-up on an online board. The manager can have a member pick out one point and provide a relevant memory. Team leaders can make the game even more personal and write members’ names rather than points or topics. Teammates can then pick out a colleague’s name and give a positive work-related memory of them. Managers should repeat the action for every employee and have folks share their hidden memories of their teammates.

12. Last 30 Seconds

The last 30 seconds is an intense game that connects team members. HR leaders ask team members to recall various happy, exhilarating, and generally positive memories. Teammates should get enough time to think of the best memory. Once members are satisfied with their recalled memories, ask them to pick one moment they would like to relive during their last 30 seconds of life. The game asks a profound question, and many teammates might be unable to answer. However, those employees who do answer can share a deep experience and story that helps create a connection with other teammates.

13. Who Am I

Who am I is an excellent HR game that helps teammates eliminate stereotypes and help see how personalities can affect others. The game is relatively easy. First, players will write out various personality types, like hardworking, quiet, restless, and poor attention, and then randomly assign these tags to each member. Two players must begin a conversation. Then, each player must act out their colleague’s title. Once one teammate guesses their own personality tag, they leave the game. Members should continue until every player has guessed what their tag is.

14. Silver Linings

Silver linings focuses on building communication and relationship between workers in a team. This game can help foster interest and trust. To play the game, HR managers need to pair up team members. One member should narrate a story of a time they were not very happy or proud of their actions. When the speaker completes their narration, the second member should retell the story but in a positive light. The reteller must only highlight the strengths of their teammate in the story. Groups should repeat the process for the other member. This game encourages workers to see beyond a team member’s weaknesses and see the strength in fellow teammates.

15. Penny for Your Thoughts

Penny for your thoughts is one of the more popular HR games for college students. The HR team leader gets a bunch of coins with years ranging from the birth of the youngest team member to the current year. Of course, HR managers will need to know the youngest member’s age to make the game work. The facilitator will have members pick a coin and share a fun story or memory of an event from that year. Teammates can play penny for your thoughts online using a random year generator.

16. Flip It Over

Flip it over is an excellent bonding game that demands workers’ teamwork and creativity. To play this game, lay down a blanket and place four players in the center. The goal is to flip over the blanket without stepping outside of the blanket. If a player steps outside of the blanket, then they have to start over. Players can grab the blanket on the edges and carefully work their way around until it is upside down. Flip it over is a very intense game requiring much trust and out-of-the-box thinking.

17. One Sentence Story

One sentence story is one of the online HR games that requires creativity and attention. The game begins with the HR manager telling a story with just one sentence. Teammates must take turns continuing the story with only one sentence. Storytellers must only add twists and new storylines. Members should keep going until the team has crafted an intricate tale. Managers can go further by limiting the vocabulary, scenarios, locations, or characters allowed in the story. The more limitation in place, the more fun and creativity are required from team members.

18. Frostbite

Frostbite is a tactical game requiring teamwork, creativity, attention, thinking, and listening skills. Managers will need to set up groups of three to six. Every group will choose a leader. The leader will have frostbite and is unable to move. Another set of players will have bound hands, and the final set will have blindfolds. Members must work together to solve a puzzle or challenge with their limitations. Frostbite is primarily an offline game, but HR managers can include it as one of their online HR games if proper planning is in place. Rather than a physical puzzle, use an online puzzle. Instead of blindfolding the last team, other members can turn off their cameras. Whichever team completes the task with the limitations wins.

19. Absurd Questions

Absurd questions is one of the most engaging options among HR games for employees. To begin the game, send out absurd questions to team members. It works best to give each member a different question or two or three teammates one question. The catch here is the questions need to be unreal and bizarre. Managers can make all the questions work-related topics. Once participants all get a topic, have members give answers, then open the floor for the whole team to comment. Members should continue until each player has answered.

20. Hotel Magnate

Managers looking for HR simulation games can turn to Hotel Magnate. In this online game, players build and run a successful hotel. The game has excellent details with design, management, and decision-making features. Players compete to gain game points to advance and make purchases. HR companies in the hotel or hospitality industry can use Hotel Magnate to train recruits and even existing workers. Managers can keep up with how team members handle the hotel game while highlighting flaws or strengths. Teams can download the app on Steam.

Check out Hotel Magnate.

21. Birthday Lineup

Birthday lineup is one of the best HR games for managers. Team heads gather members from the oldest to the youngest in a lineup. However, the catch is teammates need to line up accurately without speaking. Although the birthday lineup is best for offline teams, the game can still work online using number organization instead of physically lining up. The game will force team members to recall old memories and use body language and other creative means to organize the list correctly. HR managers can offer hints when the game gets complicated but should ensure members get to work the game out independently.

Conclusion

Creating bonds, unity, and teamwork is essential for workplace productivity and harmony. To achieve that unity, HR staff often need a more flexible approach. Using games breaks the strictness of a workplace and relaxes teams. A relaxed team experiencing entertainment, creativity, and intrigue will more likely create deeper relationships with workmates. While easing a team’s mental and physical state, HR staff can also use these games to test for many skills. These skills include creativity, analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, rule following, and leadership. There are multiple HR games, but the list above offers more exhilarating and powerful teamwork-based options. Managers can explore these options and create happier and more productive teammates.

Next, check out HR skills and HR tips.