What is a Team Happy Hour?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Why Host a Team Happy Hour?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n How to Set Up a Work Happy Hour<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 20 Best Team Happy Hour Ideas<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n How to Have a Happy Hour for a Virtual Team<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditionally, a happy hour is the time of day when restaurants and bars sell drinks at discounted prices, the perfect time to bring your team together to socialize after work. A happy hour captures the essence of that but with a focus on bonding with the team. You can meet at a bar or restaurant, or have participants get together at a different venue. Teams all over can use a happy hour to socialize, participate in team building activities and learn more about one another. The goal is simply to have fun together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you have a virtual or remote team? Skip to the last section<\/a> where we go over how to plan an engaging virtual happy hour!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Happy hours provide an opportunity to socialize and connect with one another outside of normal office hours. Has your team been especially busy and disconnected lately? Let a happy hour rectify that. You can play team building games<\/a>, ask ice breaker questions<\/a>, share cocktail recipes, and even dance if your team is bold enough! The main point of the occasion is to just enjoy more relaxed interactions with coworkers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Happy hours are a great way to connect as a team. By incorporating fun activities, you\u2019ll also give team members a chance to bond as they compete for the top score. This is a chance to meet and spend time getting to know one another in a more casual setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hosting a team happy hour can help foster a sense of camaraderie which translates to increased engagement and retention<\/a>. Employees get the chance to learn more about the teammates they rely on daily and appreciate that the company takes time to plan fun activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even when they see each other on a daily basis, the bustle of work can often lead to teams feeling disconnected. Happy hours are an easy way to encourage connection and build trust. They offer more opportunities for communication with one another \u2014 especially in a more casual setting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Planning your next happy hour doesn\u2019t have to be hard, but it should be thoughtful. If employees take time to join social events, it ought to be worth their while. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several options you can use to host your happy hour with the team!<\/p>\n\n\n\n A bar or restaurant is a fun place to host a team happy hour that breaks the cycle of the work week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros: An extensive drink menu, numerous food options, potential happy hour discount prices, a cool environment, and minimal planning for your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons: People will need to commute to the location, parking may be pricey or hard to come by, and the restaurant may be too busy to accommodate a large team. If possible, we recommend making a reservation! <\/p>\n\n\n\n The office is a great option for a happy hour because of the convenience it provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros: Everyone is already at the location so they won\u2019t need to leave early or worry about parking, and your company won\u2019t have to worry about paying a hefty bar tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons: It may not feel like a special event if the happy hour is at the office, people may stay at their desks and resist interacting if there aren\u2019t planned team building activities, and your company will need to figure out what drinks you\u2019re providing and how to get them to the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want your happy hour to feel especially personal, consider hosting it at a team member or team leader\u2019s house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pros: The occasion feels more like an intimate gathering with friends rather than a formal work hand out and people are more likely to relax and get to know each other in the casual setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons: This type of environment can feel awkward or too intimate for teams who don\u2019t know each other well or work in especially formal offices. Also, the host may be expected to pay for everything unless BYOB (bring your own bottle) or costs are discussed ahead of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is it really<\/em> a party without a theme? Themes help get folks excited about the happy hour and can influence what activities, games, and icebreakers you prepare. Don\u2019t hesitate to think outside the box with your themes! You can pick a decade theme like the 70s, 80s, or 90s, or choose something like \u201c50 Shades\u201d and encourage team members to wear a pair of sunglasses. Or you can try other simple themes like a color and host a pink party where everyone wears something pink. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To get the team even more excited, try reaching out and asking what themes they\u2019d like and have them vote for the one they want. When teams feel involved in the planning, they\u2019re more likely to feel more engaged and eager to participate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As you wait for everyone to arrive, it might be nice to play some tunes. Try building a playlist that reflects and coordinates with the theme. For example, if you went with a decade like the 70s or 80s, you\u2019ll want to pick music from that time too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Conversation and chatter are fun but be sure to have a few planned activities up your sleeve to help get the party started. We\u2019ve included 20 ideas below. You\u2019ll also want to have some ice breakers<\/a> on hand to help encourage conversation before the activities begin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on your venue, you\u2019ll need to think through whether attendees will need to provide their own drinks or if you\u2019re paying for options at a restaurant. If attendees are providing their own drinks and snacks, try including some easy alcoholic and non-alcoholic recipes with your invite to spark inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to kick things up a notch, provide a happy hour kit to your team! Companies like Happied Experience<\/a> remove the hassle by handling all the preparation and mailing of happy hour kits directly to your team or office. They can even provide a virtual host which can help make your happy hour one for the history books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With most of the logistics now squared away, it\u2019s time to invite people. Rather than sending a mass email or Slack message to the team, create a quick and beautiful invitation using tools like Evite<\/a> or Punchbowl<\/a> which offer easy-to-use templates for any design skill level. You can also leave paper invitations on people\u2019s desks or in their work mailboxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you go too far down the planning path, there are a few things to keep in mind so that you ensure everyone <\/em>has fun at your next happy hour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As the name suggests, your happy hour should be no longer than about 60 minutes. While happy hours are beneficial team building activities, any more than an hour might feel like a drain to employees who have lives, families, friends, and things to do outside of work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mocktails matter too. Keep in mind that, for a variety of reasons, not everyone drinks alcohol. It\u2019s important to communicate and set the expectation from the outset that drinking is completely optional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Themes are fun but don\u2019t get carried away with the complexity. Busy attendees don\u2019t always have time or energy to expend on costumes for an elaborate theme. Keep it simple and above all else, always keep it optional. Happy hours are meant to be fun! You don\u2019t want to drain energy before it starts by intentionally or unintentionally putting pressure on employees to go above and beyond to match the theme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The activities below are a fun way to get team members engaged and excited about your next happy hour. To get your team really<\/em> excited, consider offering a small prize to the person or team that scores the most points! You\u2019d be surprised how hard teams compete for a $10 Amazon or Starbucks gift card. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Virtual escape rooms<\/a> are a great team building activity to include at your happy hour! Escape rooms provide a series of engaging problems for teams to solve together and an opportunity to have fun. Suitable for large and small teams alike, escape rooms offer a way to encourage effortless socialization and conversation. Even if you\u2019re together in person, you can complete a virtual escape room as a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To engage teams before the party starts, consider taking a quick survey to determine which escape room sounds the most appealing to your team! Is your team interested in the crazy experiments of an undersea research laboratory or a prison break? Or perhaps your team wants to solve an international art heist or solve clues to find hidden treasure \u2014 there\u2019s something for every team!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking for low-hassle fun with an engaging host? Try an online game show<\/a> for five rounds of fast-paced entertainment. Game shows are incredibly popular for a reason \u2014 people love them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The friendly competition is sure to get your team excited. You\u2019ll enjoy surprise bonus rounds and hidden point opportunities. After splitting into smaller teams, you\u2019ll work to solve puzzles, crack codes, and complete brain teasers to compete for high scores and bragging rights. This online game show can accommodate anywhere from 10 to 150 players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Happy hours are about connecting as a team and taking a beat to socialize, have fun, and relax. Keep things casual and low stress by turning your happy hour into a calming paint and sip. You can provide adult coloring books<\/a> or painting supplies to your team or try an easy, online coloring<\/a> option. According to the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>, coloring has been shown to relax the brain. As your team paints, use these icebreakers<\/a> to encourage conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people love a good round of trivia<\/a> \u2014 especially if the topics are fun and engaging. Tap into your team\u2019s competitive side with fun themes and topics. You can curate your own list of questions from the topics below or use a tool like CrowdPurr<\/a> to create an engaging mobile-driven experience for your happy hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro Tip: Connect your trivia category to your happy hour theme! For example, if you go with a 70\u2019s theme, you can pair that with music, movie, or pop culture trivia from that decade. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Quiz your team on general movie knowledge, actors, and fun facts about the film industry and the biggest blockbusters of recent decades. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n From The Beatles to Beyonc\u00e9, find out who knows the most about chart-topping songs, albums, and artists. To mix things up, you can play 10- to 15-second clips from popular songs and have folks name that tune, artist, album, or release year! You can also try a Finish the Lyrics-style game. Show a popular line from a song and have teams compete to accurately complete the lyrics. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You name it, the choices are endless: Game of Thrones, Friends,<\/em> Seinfeld, The Office, Stranger Things, Breaking Bad. <\/em>Don\u2019t hesitate to poll your team on their top five TV shows ahead of time to pick the common crowd favorites for trivia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Which team members know when, how, and where the company got started? Who can list the company values? Share information about the company\u2019s origin and history while having fun! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Are your colleagues smarter than a fifth grader? Find out who knows the most random trivia like the biggest animal on earth or the largest ocean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Get to know team members as you take turns asking would you rather questions. This game is easy to explain and get started! Don\u2019t be afraid to get creative with your questions. Here are a few you can use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether your team has 15 members or more than 1,000, mystery games<\/a> are sure to provide an epic experience at your next happy hour! Take the pressure off making conversation by having teams focus on working together to solve the mystery with this team building event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how it works:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This event is a 75-90 minute experience for groups of any size. Think escape room meets murder mystery and with a leaderboard. Teams compete in a puzzle-filled race to track down an infamous art thief. Is your team up for the challenge?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A long-time household favorite, Scattergories is also easy to explain for those who are unfamiliar. Each player will quickly fill out a category list with answers that begin with the same letter and score points if no other player matches their answers. To win the game, you need to score the most points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if the words need to start with the letter \u2018C,\u2019 a team member’s answer sheet might look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n City:<\/strong> Chicago<\/p>\n\n\n\n Animal:<\/strong> Cheetah<\/p>\n\n\n\n Band:<\/strong> Coldplay<\/p>\n\n\n\n Flower:<\/strong> Chrysanthemum<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can create your own answer templates and categories, use the traditional game board set, or play online<\/a> as a team. Just have folks download the mobile app on their Android or iOS device ahead of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your team loves out-of-the-box activities, a scavenger hunt<\/a> might be a great happy hour game for them! You can have attendees find items around the office or keep things entirely virtual by asking teammates to find items on the internet or within an online game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bingo is a great party game! There are few things more exciting than getting to spin the Bingo wheel, watching your board fill up, getting to yell \u201cBingo!\u201d and potentially winning a prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn some fun facts about your teammates as you sip, eat, and socialize. This game requires absolutely no tools or setup \u2013 just ask your colleagues to list three things about themselves, two truths, and a lie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Compile a list of fun facts about a range of topics and have team members guess whether it\u2019s true or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will your colleagues know fact from fiction?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people have fond memories of bringing a favorite item to school as a child for show and tell. Tap into some nostalgia and have folks share something \u2013 anything \u2013 with the team. It can be a favorite mug, a vacation photo, cool memorabilia, or more. You\u2019ll find that teammates get excited and creative with what they share. You\u2019ll learn about your colleagues while sharing a couple of laughs. Just make sure to tell them about this ahead of time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is your team full of people who don\u2019t mind putting themselves out there? Then try charades during your next happy hour! Consider your party theme and have folks split into teams and take turns acting out topics, phrases, or concepts related to your happy hour theme. Need help generating options for teams to act out? Try a charades ideas generator<\/a>. You can even filter by topics like songs, singers, books, movies, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heads Up! is a hilarious game that is bound to get everyone involved. It\u2019s simple and only requires a mobile app download. Split your group into teams and have one person select a deck of cards from the app. That person will place the phone on their forehead and try to guess what the card says as fellow team members provide helpful clues. Choose from decks about the early 2000s, Harry Potter, famous moms, music, and more. Super easy and<\/em> super fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the creators of Heads Up!, Psych! challenges you to spot the real answer among your friends\u2019 fakes. You get points for the right answer and points for fooling your friends. It\u2019s as easy as downloading the mobile app to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Break out into smaller groups and have attendees take turns sharing random things they\u2019ve never done as other teammates indicate, usually by raising a hand or sipping a drink, whether or not they have done that thing. Here are some fun, work-appropriate questions<\/a> to get you started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn how to mix it up as master mixologists in an interactive mixology class. You can often find options in your nearest city. This makes for an out-of-the-box and guaranteed good time to spend with coworkers. It\u2019s always fun to learn something new together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get to know your teammates! Have folks submit unique fun facts or baby photos ahead of the happy hour and have everyone guess who each fact or photo belongs to. The sky\u2019s the limit here. You can have everyone submit favorite books, first concerts attended, favorite foods or drinks \u2014 get creative!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of your team will already be familiar with the rules, and it\u2019s easy to learn if not. Choose your own fun categories or build a game<\/a> around company trivia! Split your group into teams that will take turns choosing a topic category and a question in that category associated with a specific point amount. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Split into teams and have folks take turns playing this easy, classic game. Each team will select one person at a time to draw an image in under a minute. The drawer can use this<\/a> tool to randomly generate <\/p>\n\n\n\n Is your team fully remote or hybrid? Don\u2019t fret! You can still host an awesome happy hour \u2014 just make it virtual! While it may feel like this takes a little more planning, most of the event runs the same. Ice breakers<\/a>, activities<\/a>, and of course, drinks! Check out this guide on all the ins and outs of planning a fantastic virtual happy hour<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All work and no play will make your team very dull. Happy hours are a perfect way to introduce some fun while participating in activities that drive the behaviors you want to see at work like problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and out-of-the-box thinking to name a few. The ideas above are designed to encourage all this and more in easy, fun, and memorable ways. Armed with all this information, your next team happy is sure to be a hit \u2014 cheers!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A team happy hour is the perfect way to have fun while boosting morale & conversation. Browse our helpful guide and 20 happy hour ideas to get started.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":250143,"parent":54775,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":""},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"coworkers-bar-beer-cheers\"](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/coworkers-bar-beer-cheers-1024x538.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat is a Team Happy Hour?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why Host a Team Happy Hour?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Team Building<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Boosts Morale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Increases Trust and Communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"team-happy-hour-summer-drinks\"](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-happy-hour-summer-drinks-1024x538.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to Set Up a Work Happy Hour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Decide on a Venue <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bar or Restaurant<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
At the Office<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Team Member\u2019s Home<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. Pick a Theme<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Music<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"beer-team-cheers-friends\"](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/beer-team-cheers-friends-1024x538.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3. Plan Your Agenda<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Plan For Food and Drinks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Send Out Invitations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Three Key Planning Considerations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1.<\/strong> Timing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2.<\/strong> Not Everyone Drinks Alcohol<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3.<\/strong> Keep it Simple<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
20 Best Team Happy Hour Ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"team](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/virtual-escape-room-1024x624.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n1. Try a Virtual Escape Room<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"online](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/online-game-show-1024x624.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n2. Try an Online Game Show<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Paint & Sip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Play Trivia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Movies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Music<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
TV Shows<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Company Knowledge<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
General Knowledge<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
5. Play Would You Rather?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"mystery](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/mystery-game-1024x624.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n6. Play a Mystery Game<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Play Scattergories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Try a Scavenger Hunt<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Play Bingo!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. Play Two Truths and a Lie<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"team-cheers-wine\"](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-cheers-wine-1024x538.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n11. Play Fact or Fiction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
12. Have a Show and Tell<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
13. Play Charades<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
14. Play Heads Up!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
15. Play Psych!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"team-happy-hour-coworkers\"](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-happy-hour-coworkers-1024x538.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n16. Play Never Have I Ever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
17. Make it a Mixology Class<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
18. Play Guess Who<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
19. Play Jeopardy <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
20. Play Pictionary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"cheers-wine-champagne-rose-happy-hour.\"](\"https:\/\/teambuildinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/cheers-wine-champagne-rose-happy-hour-1024x538.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to Have a Happy Hour for a Virtual Team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion \u2013 Focus on the Connection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n