30 Office Olympics Games & Ideas for Every Workplace

An office olympics turns an ordinary workweek into a friendly competition: teams, events, a points table and a medal ceremony at the end. Done well, it gets people talking across departments, moving away from their desks and cheering for colleagues they barely knew.

Done badly, it’s an afternoon that the same five enthusiasts enjoy while everyone else watches. This guide helps you avoid that. You’ll get a step-by-step plan, 30 office olympics games for desk, outdoor, virtual and seasonal setups, a ready-to-use scoring system, and tips to keep the energy going long after the closing ceremony.

What is an office olympics?

An office olympics is a team-building event where employees compete in small teams across a series of light-hearted mini-games, such as chair races, paper-ball basketball or trivia. Teams earn points for each event, and the team with the most points wins gold at a closing ceremony.

The idea got a pop-culture boost from “Office Olympics,” a 2005 episode of The Office, but today it’s a staple of workplace programs. It works in a single afternoon, across a full week, or as a month-long challenge that includes remote and hybrid teammates.

Why run an office olympics?

Engagement is low and loneliness is common. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report found that only 20% of employees worldwide were engaged at work in 2025, and 22% said they felt lonely for a lot of the previous day. An office olympics is a low-cost way to push back on both.

It builds connection across teams

Mixed-department teams give people a reason to talk to colleagues outside their usual circle. Those new connections often carry back into everyday work, making it easier to ask for help or share ideas. It’s a practical way to build social wellness at work.

It boosts morale and engagement

A shared goal, a bit of friendly rivalry and plenty of laughs create the kind of positive energy that’s hard to manufacture in a meeting. Teams that celebrate together tend to feel more invested in each other’s success.

It gets people moving

Many events involve light activity: walking, throwing, balancing or racing. That makes an office olympics an easy add-on to your wellness program and a fun break from long hours at a desk. For more ideas, see our list of physical team building activities for work.

It includes remote and hybrid employees

Gallup’s research on loneliness at work found fully remote employees report loneliness more often than on-site staff (25% vs. 16%). Virtual events and app-based personal challenges let distributed teammates compete on equal terms instead of watching from a video call.

How to plan an office olympics in 8 steps

Use these eight steps to go from idea to closing ceremony without last-minute scrambling.

1. Set your goal and budget

Decide what you want the event to achieve: cross-team connection, a morale lift after a busy quarter, or a kickoff for a wellness initiative. Your goal shapes everything else. Most office olympics run on a small budget: supplies from the stationery cupboard, snacks, medals and a few prizes.

2. Pick the format

• One afternoon: 5–6 quick events back to back, ideal for a single office.
• One week: one or two events a day over lunch, which keeps schedules manageable.
• One month: a running challenge with weekly events and a live leaderboard. This works best for hybrid and multi-location teams.

3. Form teams

Build teams of 4–8 people and mix departments, seniority and locations on purpose. Let each team pick a name, a color or a country to represent. Need inspiration? Borrow from our team name ideas.

4. Choose 5–8 events

Pick a balanced mix so different people get to shine: some games reward speed, some reward brains and some reward pure luck. Include at least one event that remote employees can join. The full list of 30 games is below.

5. Set rules and a scoring system

Write a one-line rule for each event and share a simple points table before the games begin. Clear rules prevent disputes. Clear scoring keeps every team motivated, even the ones not in first place.

6. Plan prizes, medals and recognition

Medals and a trophy for the winning team are a must. Add fun extra awards like “best team spirit” or “most creative costume.” Public recognition often matters more than the prize itself; our employee reward ideas cover options for every budget.

7. Promote it

Announce the event 2–3 weeks ahead with a kickoff email, a dedicated chat channel and a calendar invite. An “opening ceremony,” even a five-minute one with a torch made from a paper towel roll, sets the tone.

8. Close and celebrate

Hold a closing ceremony, award the medals, share photos and thank everyone who took part. Then ask for quick feedback so next year’s games are even better.

30 office olympics games and ideas

Mix and match these office olympics games to fit your space, schedule and team. Each one takes 5–20 minutes and uses supplies most offices already have.

Desk and indoor office olympics games

1. Office chair race

Teams race rolling chairs down a hallway relay-style, one person pushing and one riding (or solo, pushing with feet only). Fastest team time wins. You’ll need: rolling chairs, tape for start and finish lines.

2. Paper-ball basketball

Players shoot crumpled paper into a wastebasket from three distances worth 1, 2 and 3 points. Each player gets five shots. You’ll need: scrap paper, a wastebasket, tape.

3. Rubber-band archery

Draw a target on a whiteboard or paper and take turns flicking rubber bands at it. Closest to the bullseye scores most. You’ll need: rubber bands, a paper target.

4. Sticky-note challenge

Cover a teammate in as many sticky notes as possible in 60 seconds, or race to build the tallest sticky-note tower on a wall. You’ll need: packs of sticky notes, a timer.

5. Paper-airplane distance

Each player folds one plane in two minutes, then throws it down a corridor. Longest flight wins; add a bonus for accuracy into a bin. You’ll need: printer paper, tape measure.

6. Cup stacking

Teams build and dismantle a pyramid of plastic or paper cups as fast as possible. Knocked-over towers must restart. You’ll need: 15–21 cups per team, a timer.

7. Typing race

Players type the same short paragraph on a typing-test website. Score on words per minute, minus errors. You’ll need: laptops, a free typing-test site.

8. Office-supply relay

Teammates carry a stapler, a full coffee mug or a ping-pong ball on a spoon around an obstacle course without dropping it. You’ll need: spoons, ping-pong balls, office supplies.

9. Desk-chair curling

Slide a weighted bin or roll a chair toward a taped target on the floor. Closest to the center scores, and you can knock opponents away. You’ll need: a bin or chair, masking tape.

10. Mini golf with office supplies

Build a few holes from books, binders and cups, then putt with a broom handle or rolled-up poster. You’ll need: golf or ping-pong balls, office supplies.

Brainy and creative games

11. Company trivia

Mix questions about your company, your industry and pop culture. Run it as a quick-fire round or a full quiz. You’ll need: a slide deck or quiz app.

12. Office Pictionary

One player draws a work-related phrase while teammates guess against a 60-second timer. You’ll need: a whiteboard or paper, prompt cards.

13. Caption contest

Share a funny photo (a pet, a team picture, a stock image) and have teams write the best caption. Judges or a vote decide. You’ll need: a photo, a voting method.

14. Office scavenger hunt

Hide items or clues around the office, or give a list of things to photograph. First team to complete the list wins. You’ll need: a clue list, phones for photos.

15. Build-off challenge

Teams get the same pile of building bricks or craft supplies and 15 minutes to build a theme, such as “our office in 2030.” You’ll need: building bricks or craft supplies.

Outdoor and active games

16. Relay race

Classic sprint relays with a twist: batons are rolled-up reports or a stapler. Keep distances short so everyone can join. You’ll need: an open space, a baton.

17. Tug-of-war

Teams of equal size pull a rope across a center line. Best of three rounds wins. You’ll need: a sturdy rope, a marker for the center.

18. Three-legged race

Pairs tie their inside legs together and race to the finish. Expect more laughter than speed. You’ll need: scarves or soft ties.

19. Water-balloon toss

Pairs toss a balloon back and forth, stepping back after each catch. Last unpopped balloon wins. Best for summer events. You’ll need: water balloons, towels.

20. Step-count sprint

Teams compete to log the most steps over a day or a week. It is easy for everyone to join and scales to any location. You’ll need: phones or fitness trackers, a step-tracking app.

Looking for more movement-based options? Browse our physical team building activities and challenges for all fitness levels.

Virtual office olympics games for remote teams

A virtual office olympics keeps remote and hybrid employees in the action. These games work on any video call or through a shared app. For more remote-friendly ideas, see our virtual wellness activities for remote employees.

21. Online trivia

Host a live quiz with a free quiz app so every player answers from their own device and scores update instantly. You’ll need: a quiz app, a video call.

22. Virtual scavenger hunt

Call out an item (“something blue,” “your oldest mug”) and award points to the first person who shows it on camera. You’ll need: a video call, a list of items.

23. Photo challenge

Set a daily theme, such as best desk setup or best lunch, and let teams submit photos. Colleagues vote for the winners. You’ll need: a shared channel or app.

24. Step or activity challenge

Teams log steps or active minutes over a week. A live leaderboard keeps it competitive across time zones. You’ll need: a tracking app with leaderboards.

25. Typing test showdown

Everyone takes the same online typing test and posts their score. The team with the best average speed wins. You’ll need: a free typing-test site.

26. Guess the desk

Teammates submit photos of their home workspace and others guess whose desk is whose. You’ll need: photos, a slide deck.

Seasonal office olympics themes

27. Winter office olympics

Swap in winter-themed events like “speed skating” in socks on a smooth floor, paper snowball fights and hot-chocolate-stirring relays. Time it with the Winter Games for extra buzz. You’ll need: socks, scrap paper, mugs.

28. Summer games

Take it outside with water-balloon tosses, lawn games and a picnic closing ceremony. You’ll need: outdoor space, lawn games.

29. Holiday edition

Run gift-wrapping races, ornament toss and holiday trivia in December. Find more ideas in our list of Christmas team building activities. You’ll need: wrapping paper, ornaments.

30. Olympic-year tie-in

When the real Olympics are on, let each team represent a country and match events to Olympic sports, from chair “bobsled” to desk “curling.” You’ll need: country flags, a medal table.

Office olympics scoring, medals and prizes

A simple, public scoring system keeps every team motivated. Here is a format you can copy:

Result	Points
Gold (1st place)	5
Silver (2nd place)	3
Bronze (3rd place)	1
Participation (every team that competes)	+1
Team spirit bonus (per day)	+2

• Tie-breakers: most gold medals first, then a sudden-death trivia question.
• Bonus awards: best team name, best costume, best sportsmanship and loudest cheering section.
• Prizes: medals and a traveling trophy, plus extras like a team lunch, an extra hour off or a donation to the winning team’s chosen charity.
• Recognition: shout out winners in a company meeting or through peer recognition so the moment lasts beyond the ceremony.

Tips for an inclusive office olympics

• Offer events for all abilities. Balance physical games with brainy, creative and luck-based ones, and offer seated alternatives.
• Keep it optional. Invite people to compete, cheer, judge or keep score. Every role counts.
• Don’t center events on alcohol. Keep the focus on the games and offer good non-alcoholic options at any celebration.
• Plan for time zones. Run async challenges or repeat live events so distributed teammates aren’t left out.
• Watch the competitiveness. Friendly rivalry is the goal. Remind teams that the medals are made of cardboard.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Too many events. Five to eight events is plenty. More than that and energy fades.
• Unclear rules. Ambiguity leads to arguments. Write one-line rules and appoint a referee.
• The same people every time. If only the most outgoing employees play, rebalance your events and team mix.
• Leaving remote staff out. If even one event is virtual, everyone can earn points for their team.
• No follow-up. Without recognition program and feedback afterward, the boost fades within days.

Keep the momentum going after the games

A great office olympics leaves people wanting more. The trick is turning a one-day high into a habit of connection, movement and recognition. That’s where a platform like Woliba helps.

• Run events as team challenges. Use team activity challenges with live leaderboards so scoring takes care of itself.
• Include everyone, everywhere. In-office, hybrid and remote employees join from the same app, so location never decides who gets to play.
• Recognize the winners and the spirit. Celebrate medalists and great sportsmanship with employee recognition that the whole company can see.
• Measure the impact. Follow up with a short pulse survey to learn what people loved and what to change next time.
• Keep it going all year. Turn the games into recurring wellness challenges that build on the energy every quarter.

Bring your office olympics to life

An office olympics doesn’t need a big budget, just a clear plan, a good mix of games and a celebration at the end. Pick your format, build mixed teams, choose a handful of events from the list above, and make sure every employee, wherever they work, has a way to earn points for their team. For quicker wins between events, try these five-minute team building activities.