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Boost Team Culture with a Little Fun: 3 Simple Games for Your Office

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Let’s face it, your workday can sometimes feel like a long, serious march toward… well, the end of the day. The deadlines, the meetings, the endless emails—it all adds up, and before you know it, the energy in the room couldn’t power a Snoopy Snow Cone Machine (which is funny because they don’t require power). After nearly 30 years on stages and in workshops around the globe, I can tell you that a little bit of fun at work isn't just a bonus—it’s an essential part of a healthy, productive team.


You don’t need a giant budget or a company-wide scavenger hunt to make work fun. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple, shared moment of pure silliness that creates team connections that are priceless.


Here are some of my go-to, practical tips for bringing some fun to your workday. (The beauty of these games is that they are already on your phone or desktop!)


The Wordle Team Challenge


I am a huge fan of games that trick your brain into having a good time. My top recommendation for a quick, daily team activity is the New York Times’ Wordle. It’s a great way to kick off the morning with a little friendly competition and a lot of laughs.

Here’s the game plan:

  • Everyone plays the day’s Wordle on their own. No peeking! The honor system is in effect here, people.

  • Once you’ve solved the word, take a screenshot of your score. But don’t share it yet. This is where the fun comes in.

  • Next, find a funny image that perfectly captures your performance. My personal ranking system goes like this: I use an image of Larry Bird (or Steph Curry, depending on your age) knocking down a three-pointer for a score of 3, Rory McIlroy for a solid Fore (that one was for all you golfers out there), and the Stranger Things gang for a respectable 5. Get creative and find your own celebratory crew!

  • Once the entire team has posted their funny image, you can finally reveal your Wordle screenshot. The anticipation is half the fun.

  • Need a tie-breaker? For those with the same score, you can make up a rule on the spot—like whoever has the most yellow squares gets bragging rights, or the person with the most green gets to pick lunch.

This simple routine is a perfect daily ritual for both in-person and remote teams. It takes five minutes, and it’s a great way to connect and get your brains firing before the actual "work" begins.

This little dose of fun can be the most productive thing you do all day. Proof that laughter and friendly competition are powerful tools for building stronger, more resilient teams.


LinkedIn Games: A Productive "Break"


If you're already on LinkedIn and want to inject a little more fun into your day, did you know they have games built right into the platform? This isn’t about procrastinating; it's about giving your brain a quick, two-minute mental stretch. Think of it like a coffee break, but for your mind. It’s a low-key way to engage your brain and add a little joy to your feed.

I'm a big fan of two in particular:

  • Crossclimb: This is a great game for a quick mental workout. It’s a mix of word association and logic. I’ve found that teams who play this together often get a kick out of seeing each other's thought process. It's a great little puzzle that sparks some friendly "How did you get that?!" banter.

  • Pinpoint: This one is all about categories and speed. It’s perfect for those with a competitive streak. You can even challenge your colleagues to beat your score, turning a quick break into a mini-tournament.

What I love about these games is that they are right there in your workday flow. You're already on LinkedIn, so why not take 90 seconds to reset and have a laugh? It's a great way to start or end a meeting with a bit of a brain teaser, or to just hit the reset button after a tough conversation. Oh...and compare scores/time. Friendly wagering is acceptable as well.


The Ted.com Purring Test


Now, let's talk about the real Purring Test. It's not a sound you make with your throat; it's an interactive game that tricks your brain into having a good time by making you feel like a cat trying to communicate with a human. Wait, no, that's not it. It's about getting inside the "mind" of an AI cat. So, the game is a fun way to test your ability to think outside the box and try to figure out what a feline-AI hybrid might be thinking. It's quirky, it’s fun, and it’s a great way to challenge your team to think in new ways.

Here's how it works:

  • The game gives you three clues. The clues are often funny and mix history, culture, and some weird AI logic.

  • Your job is to guess the one-word answer.

  • The game is a hilarious and absurd exercise that can spark some great conversations.

It's a perfect brain break to get your team to laugh together and test their deductive reasoning skills. It’s not just a game; it’s a shared moment of "What on earth just happened?" that can create real, genuine connection.


Here are links for the games:


Ready to Bring More Fun and Engagement to Your Team?

If you enjoyed these tips, imagine what we could do together in person! I lead workshops that help teams laugh, connect, and build stronger workplace cultures—all while boosting creativity and collaboration. Check out www.scottparkerleadership.com to see how we can make your team not just productive, but energized, inspired, and having fun while doing it.

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