March 1, 2019
An office scavenger hunt is the perfect team building activity that will be fun for the whole workplace.
Office scavenger hunts are easy to set up and can range from a simple list of things you have around the workplace, to very elaborate and creative endeavors. The person or team with the most points wins, making it a fun and creative team building activity! Here are seven simple tips for making your own office scavenger hunt!
Want us to do the office scavenger hunt set up for you? Check out our variety of Scavenger Hunt team building activities to see if one of them suits your needs. You pick out the scavenger hunt event, and we take care of the rest.
#1 The Longer, The Better
Writing up a list is the hardest part of a team building scavenger hunt. It might be tempting to go easy and do a shorter list, but it’s more fun for the participants if they have more items to choose from. Consider giving list items different point values. Harder items, or items that might require being done outside the office, can be worth more points. Simpler items are more abundant, but worth fewer points. Themed lists can be fun, and help you generate ideas.
#2 Set A Time
The complexity of your scavenger hunt should be dictated by how long you plan to give your players to complete it. A simple team building scavenger hunt that you’re giving players two or three hours to complete should use things found in the office. However, if you spread your hunt out over a couple of days, you open up the option of more complex items which require players to participate outside of the office.
#3 Team Up
Scavenger hunts, especially the more complicated ones, are more fun with more people. Split your office up into teams of 4-5, and let them work together to complete your scavenger list. You can make items on your list that specifically require team work, such as “a picture of the whole team Kung-Fu Fighting” or “at least 5 different shoes.”
#4 Get Messy!
There’s nothing wrong with challenging your teams to a little creative mess. You can include items on your scavenger list such as “something you made” or “something with glitter or paint on it.”
#5 Take A Pic
Smart phones make photo team building scavenger hunts easy! This style is particularly good if you’re doing a longer hunt or a more complex list. Rather than bringing in physical items, players take pictures of specific places, scenarios or actions described on the list. You can also use photos to add some excitement on a mostly item based list. The photos will make a great office scrap book or annual slide show!
#6 Make it Personal
When composing your list, help your team members to get to know each other a little better by making a couple of the items on your scavenger hunt list personal. For example, items like “knick-knack from a co-worker’s desk” or “someone else’s favorite book” encourage players to engage with each other’s interests.
#7 Win a Prize
You’re more likely to engage players if there’s more up for grabs than bragging rights. Even something small like a $10 gift card for coffee can serve to motivate people to try harder. Just remember if you’re dividing your players into teams that the prize can be split among them.
If you’re looking for the latest trends of team building scavenger hunt themes, here you will find a few:
- Food themed adventures outside the office can help you better get to know your coworkers.
- Being a tourist in your own city and exploring the famous landmarks around you with a couple of office mates is sure to break the ice.
- Learn more about your coworkers by creating a fun facts list and filling in the coworkers name next to their fun fact.
- Create clues and hide findable artifacts for your coworkers to find in an office “Where’s Waldo?”.
It’s easy to create your own team building scavenger hunt that you can cater to the players. Make clues, events, and interactions something everyone can enjoy.
For more DIY team building ideas and activities, check out our tips for hosting your own Office Olympics.
