Every company wants an energetic, enthusiastic, and dedicated workforce ready to go the extra mile to deliver their best. However, building such an outstanding team is not easy. Sure, comfortable furniture, state-of-the-art facilities, and training sessions are great ways to increase productivity and improve their skills. However, sometimes they want something else, something simple that can help them get away from their seat and screen for some time – just like interacting with other fellow employees, engaging in team-building activities, etc. That’s where the best vocabulary games can help!
Vocabulary games for the workplace have long been used as great icebreakers and team bonding tools. And you can use this formula too to bring your workforce on their feet with excitement and encourage engagement. Any other benefit? Well, vocabulary games also give room for critical thinking and analyzing things from multiple angles. So, these games also give additional perks of improving your teams’ skills.
Now you know vocabulary games are not just for kids but also the best engagement activity for adults. Let’s find some popular games for your team.
Best Vocabulary Games to Play
So, you are convinced to bring vocabulary games to your employee engagement equation but don’t know where to start. Here are a few of our favorite vocabulary games that are fun, understandable, and super engaging:
1. Crossword
Remember how we used to fight with our siblings to grab the New York Times copy so that you could play crossword first. That fun element is still present in crossword puzzles and playing it with office colleagues is the right time to burst the nostalgic bubble of crossword puzzles. You can print different crossword puzzles on paper and distribute them among teams. You can announce prizes for the winners to make the game more exciting.
2. Wordle
Another iconic New York Times word game that is almost a decade old. As the New York Times calls it: “…a love story,” this game is really interesting enough to become the love of people. The five-letters word changes every day, and people struggle to find its answer daily. So, why not ignite competitiveness in your employees too? You can ask all employees to guess the word and reward the winner with some interesting benefits or a prize.
3. Scrabble
It is hard to believe that your employees wouldn’t know about scrabble. They would have also played it somewhere, in family, among friends, or as competition in their school life. So, let them relive their past memorable moments and help make new memories with their colleagues. You can keep a scrabble board in the game or break room so that anybody can play this amazing vocabulary game in their leisure time. Or what about organizing a scrabble competition? Cool, right?
4. Corporate Spelling Bee
Yes, you heard it right! There is something like a corporate spelling bee. If not, you can be the first to create it. This game is best to play with both remote and in-house workforce. You can be creative while selecting words, from quirky and other languages to a pair of words; you can choose any word to spark some fun and excitement. It would be fun to see who takes the trophy home.
5. Hangman
Who doesn’t know about hangman? It is a very common and one of the most popular vocabulary games. As you might know, you have to think of a word, and other participants have to guess that word before you complete the hangman. It is also a go-to solution to break the silence in a virtual meeting. So, if you haven’t tried this before, do it this time. This game is a great icebreaker!
6. Say to Stay
Say to stay, actually called Categories, is a simple game. Everyone sits in a circle or a line. You need to pick a random category, and everyone sitting in the circle has to say a word that fits in the selected category. The employees need to think of the next word to stay in the game quickly. One who can’t think of a word loses. It’s a game of nerves, quick thinking, and a good vocabulary bank. It will be a surprise to know who has this rare combination in your company. Fingers crossed!
7. Pictionary
Pictionary is another old-school game, perfect to bring back to your corporate world in 2022. It is one of the most interesting vocabulary games, but it can be tricky. So, seeing your workforce going through the struggle to find answers can spark laughter because sometimes things get really funny. The gameplay is simple: one team member will pick a card, read the word written, and draw a pictorial representation of that word. The other members will have to guess the word through the image drawn. It’s a very exciting game and the best way to strengthen team bonding.
8. Charades
If you are not confident enough about the inner Picasso of your employees, then charades might be a better option to choose. It is kind of similar to Pictionary, but here participants have to perform actions instead of drawing. The other team members try to guess the word through the actions. You can select a category for giving words or randomly go with any word. Whatever you choose, one thing is sure; everyone will love this game.
9. Word Association
Word association is another simple ESL vocabulary game that doesn’t require some deep or critical thinking. The game begins when the first person says a word. It can be any word. The second person responds by uttering the word that comes to mind after listening to the first person’s word. The third person can continue the game by changing the word or continuing the association of words. A person loses if he repeats a word or takes too long to say a word. Sounds fun? It really is! Try it, and you will see everyone so immersed in it.
10. Word Search
Another favorite childhood game that is fit for adults as well. You can print out sheets with word search puzzles and hand them out to everyone in this word search game. They will have to find the words hidden in the jumbled-up alphabets. You can make this game a bit difficult without giving any clue of what types of words are hidden in the puzzle. This will spark more involvement, and to take this spark to the next level, announce a prize for the winner. It will be all fun, fast, and furious!
Conclusion
Running an organization with a happy workforce is the new corporate culture. Dull and serious faces not only give a bad impression of your company to the visitors but also show that your employees are working just for the sake of working – not because they love doing it. That’s why keeping your employees happy, entertained, and engaged is important to keep them active and productive. You can search out many workforce engagement activities like the vocabulary games mentioned above. Try them, and you will not regret it!
