The 10 Best Spirit Week Ideas for Work

Veronica Brundle - Nov 4 2021, 11:50:14 AM

It’s no secret that work cultures are changing – the recent pandemic showed us that. Over the past two years, businesses have had to adapt to working remotely rapidly – no more water cooler chats or communal morning coffee greetings and gossip.

So, how do employees feel about being isolated from their peers? Some love the flexibility of working from home – others will look for any excuse to get back to the office. But according to a statistic on Finances Online, 75% of virtual teams worldwide feel that remote collaboration allowed them to be more effective in their jobs. That’s a significant number. But why does it matter?

Well, we all know how difficult it is to find top talent that fits in well with your company culture and gets along with peers. The hiring process is more complex and expensive than ever before – let’s try to keep your existing talent happy, shall we?

What is Spirit Week?

In response to COVID-19, more and more organizations are investing in virtual team building. Spirit week is a concept that so many businesses are adopting – the perfect way to boost your team’s bonding time.

Spirit week is a dedicated week in the calendar every year that drives engagement between colleagues. Several activities are planned, and each day of the week is themed – to give it more zest and excitement.

The point?

It encourages teams to dress up, attend virtual events, and play thrilling games – the whole week through! The week’s plans are scheduled and shared with teams in advance so that any prep work can be done ahead of time. This is all in preparation for creating a dynamically creative and enjoyable social week with peers.

To help you get started, we’ll share our top ten spirit week ideas for work with you.

Spirit Week Ideas for Work

Costume contests

It doesn’t have to be Halloween to break out the best costumes you have. Choose a different theme each day and let your colleagues dress to the nines while they play fun trivia and whodunnit games with you.

You can always go the usual superhero or TV series route for themes. Or go with something a little more abstract like “Decades Day” or “Twin Day/Opposite Day.” Remember – more obscure means more space for creativity!

If you want to go the whole nine yards, why not have a live murder mystery game where team members can take the role of a character, dress like them with costumes and props, and solve the case! Check out a Murder Mystery virtual experience.

Trivia nights

Who doesn’t love a bit of Wheel of Fortune? Game shows are one of the most popular ways to keep your team members thrilled about spirit week. Host a 60-minute trivia game night virtually, or encourage some healthy competition by breaking out into teams for ultimate quiz challenges. Feel free to add a leaderboard to the week – everyone wants to be number one by the end of day, Friday ;)

Escape rooms

Solving puzzles doesn’t have to be done in person only. Pick one of many virtual escape room games for your team to dive into. This activity is great if you want to push teamwork. Yes, we know it makes the dream work – but this is the most fun way to do it ☺

Get your teams to work together, reveal clues and crack brain teasers within the time limit. Look out for our Escape the Basement virtual game – a spooky and exhilarating experience!

Murder mysteries

If your team is one that loves to predict the murder before the Agatha Christie novel or movie is done – then this activity is just for you. You can choose virtual games where one team member is the killer, and everyone has to guess who. This is a more traditional game.

But check out Murder by Team Building – a slightly different take on a murder mystery. You’re divided into teams and tackle trivia and uncover evidence to crack the code that can stop a killer on the loose! Let a host lead the game over Zoom and enjoy the thrill of a hit crime scene – what’s not to love?

Herb gardening huddle

Okay, if you want to cool it down after many murder mysteries and time ticking challenges – this one may be an ideal mid-week activity. Take your laptop outside, soak up some sun and get your hands in some grub for a session of herb and veggie gardening.

Ideal for anyone wanting to start their garden in Spring, this session offers a fun and informative hour of planting and watering with a kit. Gardening is said to be quite therapeutic – so there’s no going wrong with this one. View our Herb & Veggie Gardening Workshop here.

Paint your masterpiece party

Everyone loves a creative break. It’s a fun way to bring people together. You can choose to paint a traditional Bob Ross over Zoom or Teams, or you could go with a more modern touch of abstract painting.

Take it to the next level by painting your pet – this way, peers get to enjoy painting and actually appreciate the artwork (instead of storing it somewhere in their basement).

Choose from basic or deluxe painting nights for your masterful creative session.

Taco Tuesdays

Escape to Mexico for a night filled with handmade tortillas, black beans, veggies, and proteins. It’s Taco Tuesday Night! Get into the groove, put that apron on and flour up for an entertaining and exciting fiesta!

Food brings people together – what better way to celebrate this than with tacos? Bon Appetit!

Virtual Coffee

Everyone loves to chat over a cup of coffee so why not do it even if you are not in person. The coffee tasting events will educate even the most educated coffee enthusiast with delicious and refreshing. During the summer enjoying cold brew is another great option.

Starting your morning with a coffee tasting is a great way to wake up and bring your team together.

R&R lunch sessions

“Mindfulness” seems to be the buzzword for maintaining wellness and managing stress. One of the best ways to say thanks to peers for all their hard work is to give them a session or two of yoga, meditation, or Yo Chi.

Choose from an array of wellness sessions that are sure to make lunch more revitalizing than just a quick sandwich in front of the TV. Dynamic Yo Chi sessions and engaging yoga classes are the perfect wellness activities for teams.

Virtual holiday party

Whether it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, or it’s dead in the middle of the year (you can still make it Christmas in July) – holidays are always a yes for anyone! Suit up as Santa, an elf, or a fancy dress for a night of cookie decorating or carols with cocktails. Whichever suits your team best – or do both!

Connecting with a personal touch

Encourage your team to do one random act of kindness each day of spirit week. It can be anything – from helping their neighbor bring in groceries to donating a can of food to a charity. Help out a colleague with a challenging task, or even compliment someone on their confidence or clothing. Any little bit of positivity drives that much more morale.

Feel free to use Convers(ate) as a closing activity where peers get to know each other on a slightly more personal level. It’s one of the most ideal ways to close off spirit week – leaving everyone more inspired and appreciated.

Spirit Week FAQs

Why is it called spirit week?

Spirit week was started by educational institutions like schools but is now popular in business too. The week shows the “spirit”, the culture, and the creativity of a company – hence “Spirit Week.”

What are some benefits of remote spirit week?

Hosting spirit week virtually helps to keep your team engaged, no matter which corner of the globe they’re on. It is designed to help peers connect, and come out of their comfort zones. You can also tie this week in with giving back to the community – donate to charities or encourage teams to do acts of kindness.

What are some good spirit week ideas?

As you can see, there are hundreds of spirit week activities you can do. Choose trivia games, murder mysteries, game shows, yoga sessions, gardening, or cooking lessons. It’s preferable to add a good mix of activities so that all personalities get to do a few activities they enjoy.

How can I get my team excited about spirit week?

Organizers of spirit week should plan the week, including the days’ themes before sending out any email invitations. Host engaging games, put up a leaderboard, and add prizes to the week – this way introverts and extroverts will both be encouraged to join.

Go on, lift those spirits!

Virtual spirit weeks are becoming more and more profound as we dive into virtual workspaces. They are designed to brighten up colleagues’ moods, boost morale, build relationships, and re-energize the whole company. So get pumped for your fun spirit week ideas for work.

All work with no fun is never a good idea. With spirit week – it’s all about the fun – that’s the point. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, but let’s close that gap with some enticing spirit week activities. After a week of absolute enjoyment, you won’t feel like you’ve been stuck in that same bedroom or study like the other weeks.