With the start of the new year comes company, client, and team meetings galore. Fun meeting ideas that are engaging are an important part of motivating your team to accomplish great work. No one, virtually or in person, wants to sit through a long meeting without interaction between team members. In fact, that’s what gives meetings a bad name.

The truth is, your meetings may be failing because they aren’t engaging enough. Research shows 9 out of 10 people daydream in meetings and 50% of people find meetings to be unproductive overall. Those are heavy statistics to swallow, but if your current meetings are dry and prolonged, these numbers probably make sense. And it is true, attending too many meetings or meetings that are too long can cause demotivation. But there are ways to avoid the disconnect and we’ve got them covered here.

At TeamBonding, we understand the importance of turning mundane meetings into memorable experiences that not only drive productivity, but also motivate teams to achieve greatness. To ensure your meeting is not just a checkbox on the calendar, but an eagerly anticipated event, consider checking out our activities to add on to your next big meeting! But before we look into some fun meeting ideas to bring your team together, let’s take a look at some of the important benefits meetings provide.

fun meeting ideas

Benefits of Motivational Meetings

  • Provides a space to communicate important updates and feedback
  • Aligns the group on roles, tasks, and priorities
  • Encourages discussion and teamwork
  • Strengthens team communication and unity as a company
  • Allows collaboration and unity between different departments

One thing to keep in mind is all meetings are different. A virtual meeting is different than an in-person meeting, and a small company meeting is much different than a large company meeting. Nevertheless, they matter and there are ways to engage everyone in each setting. Motivational meeting ideas can be hard to come up with on your own, so we are here to help do it for you. Here are fun meeting ideas that will motivate your team regardless of size, location, department, or even individual personalities.

Fun Meeting Ideas

1. Group Breakout Sessions

A fun zoom meeting idea or in-person idea is to break everyone up into small groups. If it is a large company meeting, try to plan the groups beforehand and encourage different departments to mingle. Odds are, they don’t really know exactly what the other departments are working on. Even for a large team that has different many areas of focus, breakout groups create a sense of belonging to the whole. This makes it easier and more engaging as they rejoin the big group because they have a better sense of the big picture and can follow along.

Group breakout sessions also allow voices to be heard and challenges to be addressed. In a large group, people may not feel the need or want to speak up. But everyone’s voice is important as it is a contributing factor to the company’s success.

2. Shout-outs and Recognition

Employee recognition is a key component of engaging employees in meetings. Recognition doesn’t have to be a large spotlight, but rather letting everyone know the hard work that someone is contributing. This goes for small and large meetings. For large meetings, ask managers of each department to provide insight into key performers and successes. Remember that not everyone enjoys recognition the same way, so it is important to make sure you know how to fulfill each employee’s needs. Check out our employee recognition survey to find out how to show your employees individualized recognition the right way.

3. Icebreakers and Team Activities

Not sure how to make meetings fun? Team building gets a bad rep. But so do meetings. The key to a good team activity, like a good meeting, is doing it the right way. Engage groups of any size and location in a fun activity that gets them talking and having a good time. This can be as easy as a (good) icebreaker or a short 30-minute activity. Icebreakers and activities loosen everyone up which will bring more positive energy as you get into the meeting topics. If you have an extra-long meeting, consider adding an activity in the middle to break it up and replenish the energy.

Here are some of our favorites:

4. Motivational Speakers

Bringing in a great motivational speaker is a fun meeting idea that will really get the audience thinking. The speaker can be someone outside the company who can provide different insights into mental health and wellness, business management, diversity and inclusion, or any category you feel is most beneficial for your team. Define the goal and intent of your meeting and look into finding a speaker that can provide knowledge in conjunction with what you’ll be talking about. Or, simply bring them in to talk about a topic you feel is important to your employees. One thing the pandemic has made easier is getting motivational speakers to your meetings virtually, and it is a fun zoom meeting idea if you can’t bring them in person that will have everyone talking after it’s all over with. There are always plenty of motivational topics for team meetings to choose from.

5. Showcase Pride

A fun meeting idea can be as simple as allowing your employees to showcase their pride. Everyone has something they are proud of, so let them share. In a big or small group, this is an engaging way to motivate all employees. Employees showcasing their moments of pride can inspire others to want to do the same.


Get Started Planning With These Motivational Meeting Ideas

Lastly, if you’re planning your yearly company meeting, don’t call it a meeting. All of these double as great New Year team meeting ideas. And be sure to get creative so it doesn’t sound like all business. Some examples could be 1st Quarter Kick-off, or Looking Ahead in 2024. Get your team excited for the new year and remind them why they love being a part of your business. And don’t forget to send out a recap because there can too much information to remember at once. A good New Year’s Resolution for the workplace? Have meetings that don’t have 9/10 people daydreaming. Good luck!

Anna Webber

Team Contributor

Subscribe

Sign up for tips on crafting the perfect team.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

Podcast

around the world podcast logo

Get ideas, inspiration and best practices from across the globe.

apple podcast logo spotify podcast logo amazon podcast logo youtube podcast logo

Be a Guest Blogger

Do you have any useful tips, tricks, guides, or valuable insights about company culture?

Learn more  

Drop your email for expert employee engagement tips.

Less drama? Greater productivity and job satisfaction? TeamBonding is here to help you build a stronger and happier team. Subscribe to get one-of-kind insights and news from our team building gurus and start boosting employee engagement today.

More great content based on your likes.

Creating a Culture of Innovation at Work

Innovation is a critical part of most businesses, and you need a culture of innovation in the workplace if you want to continually come up with new and interesting ideas/concepts. That said, if employees and leaders are resistant to change, it can be very difficult. In this article, we’re going to look at 10 ways to build and encourage a culture of innovation in the workplace despite pushback.

Read More  

Micromanaging Examples, Signs, and Solutions

If you’re a manager or leader and find yourself looking over employees’ shoulders, wishing they did something differently, making frequent corrections, or constantly asking for updates, you may be micromanaging. 

Read More  

Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Holiday Luncheon at Work

Traditional holiday parties and happy hours are the most common ways to celebrate the holidays in the workplace, but they are not the only option. What if you don’t like traditional parties or want to try something different? That’s where the holiday luncheon comes into play.

Read More  

10 Winter Event Ideas Your Team Will Love

Winter is a season that often brings people indoors, but it doesn’t mean that your team can’t still come together for some fun. The best way? A good old fashioned winter team building activity. Even coming back to work after the holidays can be arduous, but just because the holiday season has come to an end doesn’t mean the holiday spirit has to go with it. Keeping employees engaged and motivated year-round is vital to the success of all companies.

Read More  

Questions? Need a quote?

Complete this form to get started or call 877-472-2725.

Loading Icon

Create Your Free Account

Get exclusive access to new programs from the TeamBonding Lab, save your favorite ideas, and track your upcoming events.
Already have an account? Login

Please wait...

Sign-in

Don't yet have an account?
Create a Free Account

Forgot Your Password? Password Reset