Halloween is a great opportunity for fostering a festive, friendly, and fun environment in the office. As the kick-off event for the upcoming holiday season, October 31st will set the tone for your workplace culture in the months to come.
What are some initiatives that are inclusive and enjoyable for all - from the Halloween enthusiast to the non-enthusiast - and that will inspire maximal participation from your team? Here are some fun ideas for your office Halloween activities with your employees.
Run a Halloween costume contest
Encourage your people to dress up for the occasion by holding a costume competition. You can hand out awards to the most outstanding ideas, such as scariest costume, punniest costume, best office-themed costume, and best group costume. To include employees who prefer not to dress up, an alternative activity for them could be to bring in an old Halloween photo from their childhood and give a special reward for the cutest throwback costume.
Out of consideration to your staff (and to prevent any potentially awkward situations), be sure to reiterate your company's dress code policy in your staff-wide communications before Halloween. Expectations should be made clear in advance so that your people are well aware of what is and is not permitted to wear to the office.
Arrange a Halloween arts & crafts workshop
Get crafty with your team by creating something together. Host an arts and crafts session at lunchtime or after office hours to make participation more accessible to your entire staff. When it comes to choosing your project, opt for a practical craft that your team members can place on their desk or an ornament that they can take home to decorate their space for years to come. Some ideas include a painted mason jar pen holder and hardcover books turned potion books. Arts and crafts are a great team bonding activity to get people from across departments with shared interests to collaborate.
As well, consider electing an artsy individual from your team to lead a workshop - this will ignite their creativity and show that you encourage leadership initiative, which will reflect positively on their work they produce for your company.
Organize a Halloween-themed lunch
The colorful and tasty treats associated with Halloween are the mass appeal of the holiday. Even the employees with the least amount of Halloween spirit will be drawn in by the prospect of food. With the help of the aspiring chefs and bakers within your staff, arrange for a team lunch on Halloween, with dishes, delicacies, appetizers, and desserts inspired by the spooky symbols of the haunting holiday. In addition to sweet treats like chocolate and candy, balance out the feast by incorporating healthy options like pumpkin pie, fruit spiders, jack-'o-lantern hummus, boo-nanas, and pumpkin oranges.
Plan a team trick or treat
Bring back the trick or treat days to your office by challenging each of your company departments to come up with a fun treat or surprise to give away. This effort will encourage employees to venture away from their areas and interact with co-workers from different teams. For your employees with children, make their Halloween extra special by giving them a goody bag full of candy to give to their kids.
Host an office Halloween party
Throw a casual team gathering during the last couple business hours of the day to spread the Halloween spirit before your employees head off for their evening festivities. Provide the snacks, the music, the festive decorations, and a couple of fun, optional activities to participate in, but above all, allow your staff time to socialize with and enjoy each other’s company. Be mindful of noise out of respect for employees who would prefer to work.
