Engagement Technique: The Olympics
Who says the Olympics have to involve elite athletes?
The Office Olympics is a team competition made up of fun, inclusive challenges that test everything from problem-solving and creativity to teamwork, communication and, occasionally, physical ability.
The aim isn’t to find the fittest person in the office. It’s to create an event where everyone has a chance to contribute and every team has an opportunity to win. After all, not every gold medal has to be earned on a running track.
AI was used in this post
How it works
Split employees into mixed teams and create a series of short events.
The best Office Olympics include a variety of challenges so different people can shine throughout the day.
For example:
🧠 Trivia and quiz rounds
🧩 Escape room or puzzle challenges
🎯 Paper aeroplane distance or accuracy
🏗️ Marshmallow and spaghetti tower challenge
🎨 Creative or branding challenges
⚽ Mini sporting events such as table tennis, putting or bean bag toss
🤝 Team communication games
🃏 Surprise “Taskmaster-style” challenges worth bonus points
Award points throughout the competition before finishing with a medal ceremony for the winning teams. Gold, silver and bronze medals add a surprisingly competitive edge!
This could be done in one afternoon as a social, it could be spread across a period of time, you could add professional development tasks in to it, or make it for charity and fundraise too.
Why it works
The best teams aren’t made up of people with identical strengths. By mixing different types of challenges, people who don’t normally stand out get opportunities to shine.
Someone who isn’t interested in sport might solve the puzzle that wins the round. Someone quiet in meetings might produce the winning creative idea. Someone who rarely works with another department might discover they make a brilliant teammate.
The event also helps break down silos. People work with colleagues they wouldn’t normally spend time with, creating new relationships that continue after the competition has finished.
Most importantly, it creates shared memories.
Months later, people are still talking about the impossible quiz question, the paper aeroplane that somehow flew backwards, or the person who accidentally became the office table tennis champion.
What to watch out for
Don’t make it all about sport – The more varied the events, the more inclusive the competition becomes.
Design for different strengths – Include challenges that reward creativity, communication, problem solving and teamwork, not just speed or strength.
Keep the rules simple – People should spend more time playing than listening to instructions.
Focus on friendly competition – Competition should bring people together, not create winners and losers. Mixed teams and light-hearted events help keep the atmosphere positive.
Think about accessibility – Make sure everyone can take part, regardless of age, fitness level or ability. Offer alternative ways to score points where needed.
Takeaway
‘The Olympics’ is about creating an event where people laugh together, discover each other’s strengths and build relationships outside of their day jobs.
Because sometimes the strongest teams are built while trying to stop a marshmallow tower collapsing five seconds before the whistle.
This post is part of our Engagement Techniques series of practical, low-cost ideas to bring more connection and meaning into work. Find the rest here
👉 Want to explore techniques like this in more depth? I run interactive employee engagement workshops where we bring these ideas to life.