5 Ways to Promote Camaraderie in the Workplace (Besides Happy Hour)

Building camaraderie in the workplace is one of the core features of a successful business. At Justworks it’s even built into our core values. It’s safe to say that most people love a little happy hour every now and then, and it can be great for team bonding and fostering authentic camaraderie within the workplace. But happy hour ends up leaving some feeling excluded.

There are situations when people can’t drink because of health reasons, while some people simply don’t drink alcohol. Others may have children and can’t partake in happy hour often. Whatever the reason, you want to make sure that everyone has a chance to spend quality time with the team.

It’s pivotal that everyone in the company feels included with the team bonding events. When employees are included they feel valued at their company which promotes better work ethic and results in happier employees. Getting creative with the types of events that cultivate camaraderie is a great way to make sure everybody can get to know each other and have fun as a team.

Promoting Camaraderie the Inclusive Way

Work-life balance can be daunting, but planning team bonding events that are shorter or take place during the day is a great way to make them more accessible. It’s important to note that you don’t have to be a manager to utilize these ideas. Employees can always take initiative and bring the company together as well. With that being said, here are five unique ways to build camaraderie in the workplace.

Take a Group Cooking Class

This one is great because you could schedule this during your lunch hour in case some employees can’t stay after hours. Unlike happy hour, your employees would get to have an activity to do together and have time to eat and chat. It’s a more productive event to boost camaraderie because you’ll all be creating something together.

Organize a Potluck Lunch for Your Team

There are numerous different ways you could do this one. You could ask each employee to either bring in their favorite dish to share, or a special cultural dish. This is a great way for everyone to get to know their team members better and try some different food in the process. Combining food and bonding is always a great idea, and can always be done within lunch hours.

Improv Workshops

Improv is a great way to promote team bonding. Luckily you don’t have to be an aspiring actor to take a workshop. It’s a great way to have fun and get employees to step out of their comfort zones. Businesses have been turning to improv workshops to help with team building, and these workshops have been known to improve communication amongst employees. With each scene, the point is to take whatever suggestion you’re given and run with it; this exercise is commonly known as “yes and.” It’s a great way to foster listening and communication skills amongst employees while getting out of your comfort zone and having fun while doing it.

Give Game Day a Try

Organizing a game morning or a game afternoon to accommodate those employees who can’t make it after hours is a good way to make sure everyone is involved. A great way to incorporate game day would be to have trivia games and even prizes for the winning team. A little friendly competition won’t hurt. You can get very creative with this one and the more creative the better.

Try out an Escape Room

This is definitely an activity to get your employees active and to get them to use their best investigative skills. Escape Rooms are exactly what they sound like: a group of people trapped in a room where it’s up to everyone to work together to find clues and escape. The rooms are always themed; a group of you could be escaping a haunted cell or a library. The options are vast, so consider your company culture and different personalities to pick the right one.

Employees are the most important part of a company, and making them feel welcome and cultivating a sense of belonging is key to a flourishing business.

Regardless of which event you choose, the main point is to make sure everyone can participate and get to know one another. Developing bonds with your co-workers allow you to create a trusting work environment and a happy high performing team.