Beginner’s Guide: Is a Fun Committee Really Fun?

We are seeing a surge of ‘fun committees’ at firms to increase employee engagement and boost morale. Internal communications and employee engagement are essential to the success of any organization. Work should be about more than just the work we do daily – it should be a place where creativity thrives, connections are built, and yes, fun happens. That’s where a fun committee comes in. More than just party planners, these workplace champions help create moments that make employees genuinely enjoy where they work and feel refreshed to go back to that to-do list.

“How does this correspond with internal communications you may be thinking. While internal communications and employee engagement serve different functions and may even be different teams, employee engagement is still a strategic area within internal communications. A fun committee aims to utilize communication as a tool to increase employee motivation and their emotional connection to the firm and fellow employees. Employee engagement cannot exist without effective internal communication and relies on these tactics to be successful.

What are some employee engagement ideas your team can emulate?

1. Employee recognition platform. This space offers employees a way to recognize each other and show colleagues that you appreciate them and their contributions. Incentivizing these recognitions have proven to be successful, with some firms choosing to award points per recognition and some choosing to award quarterly awards based on most awarded, most given, etc.
2. Catered lunches/happy hours. Now this one may seem obvious, but sometimes things are popular for a reason. While lunches and happy hours alone don’t build a positive company culture, they certainly do contribute to it and make employees feel appreciated.
3. Virtual trivia. This is another easy way to include any remote team members or connect teams who live in different cities.
4. Office activities/clubs. Getting to know colleagues outside of a professional setting is beneficial to improving relationships and increasing camaraderie. Different ideas for office activities or clubs your firm can implement include an office book club; sports clubs such as soccer, running, or pickleball; office movie nights; etc.
5. Volunteer days. More firms are offering a paid day off to volunteer in the community or participate in firm sponsored volunteer events. Volunteering is good for the community and is a great way to offer much-needed help to worthwhile organizations. Volunteering is also a great mental health break and can foster feelings of connectedness.
6. Tie into existing holidays/events. Complete March Madness brackets, celebrate quirky holidays such as National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, World Kindness Day, International Women’s Day, etc. Get creative with it – one firm even celebrated National Water a Flower Day with seed packets for everyone. Aiming for one celebration per month can be a great way to give people something to look forward to outside of the daily grind.
7. Fun committee ‘grants’. Staff can submit an idea for some kind of group activity that is open to all staff (though it can be limited on how many people). The committee then reviews all of the submissions and selects three every year. Some winning suggestions included paint ball, an afternoon high tea, disk golf, Magic the Gathering night w/pizza, and “bark in the park” baseball game. This is a great idea that adds more events without the committee having to be the ones to plan it every time (with the added benefit of encouraging staff to get involved). The grant application process opens shortly after busy season so the activities can take place in the summer and fall.
8. Holiday parties. While this may seem like an obvious answer, these will never go out of style. Employees love getting dressed up and having a reason to celebrate and in turn feel celebrated. Some firms are also incorporating a spring or summer event to round out the festivities. Giving away raffle prizes or gift cards is a fun way to show appreciation.
9. Diversity & Inclusion team. Work with your DEI or HR teams to celebrate cultural holidays and make it fun! Whether that’s an in-office event with a themed lunch or an internal webinar in honor of something like Black History Month or Women’s History Month to educate and celebrate history, plan something your team won’t forget!
10. Encourage creativity and cross-team collaboration whether through a monthly challenge or a way to improve a process or product. While this may not seem like a traditional fun committee tactic, it can be a fun way to spice up an annual team meeting or for a couple employees to problem solve on their own. One firm implemented a cross-serve challenge to encourage cross-serves for different services and teams with an incentive for the top 3 finishers.

Employee engagement improves collaboration across teams and also encourages cross-department interactions. Fostering relationships beyond the work environment is an excellent way to bond with your team and build camaraderie. It also boosts employee satisfaction and helps employees feel more connected to their company while reinforcing company values and creating a shared sense of identity. Believe it or not, a fun committee can also improve the company’s retention rate as it shows the company prioritizes a work-life balance and is more likely to keep employees happy and committed. Fun breaks and activities help employees recharge which can lead to higher productivity and reduce the chance of burnout. A little fun can go a long way in making work more enjoyable and productive!

Playfulness and fun activities can also foster the perfect environment to boost creativity and innovation and spark some fresh ideas. Turns out, a fun committee is actually fun – who knew? (Well, we did. And now so do you.)