Fun Games To Help Improve Workplace Mindfulness

As workplaces continue to open back up following the pandemic and people slowly return to offices that have stood empty for months, employees are having to readjust their ways of working once again. While Covid might not be the greatest danger in the office anymore, there are still plenty of safety issues that can arise, particularly among people who are just getting used to coming back to the office.

In order to improve workplace mindfulness and safety, it is important to ensure that employees are mindful of their surroundings and about their own well-being. Although workplace injuries fell during the pandemic, it is unlikely that this trend will continue as more people return to the office. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to ensure that we raise awareness among employees, including implementing gamification in training and learning. Games have long been a useful tool for delivering information and helping people remain in the moment and mindful of their surroundings. They can also be used to help relax your employees, get them interacting with each other and feeling positive about their return to work.

Here are a few to try during your next safety briefing to help people stay focused.

Poker

Poker requires people to be focused on the moment, paying attention to other players’ mannerisms and tells in order to find an edge, but it is also remarkably simple to play. There are only two essentials for playing this game; a knowledge of poker hand rankings and a deck of cards. Delivering information by using poker terminology or even by playing the game with staff can help improve mindfulness and increase information retention, critical factors at improving workplace safety. If nothing else, it will get people to focus on their colleagues and maybe help gain more personal understanding.

Darts

Similar to poker, this is another simple game that doesn’t require a huge amount of equipment. Just a board to aim at and a few darts. Because it is so simple, it is easy to ignore the skill and focus required to do well in the game. It is great for mindfulness at the start of a work meeting or at the end as a way to reinforce any topics that have been brought up or to simply allow staff to relax for a few minutes before turning to work.

Two Truths And A Lie

This classic game requires no equipment but can help you get to know aspects of your employees that have nothing to do with their work. In it, everyone states two things about themselves that are true alongside one that is a lie while everyone else guesses which one is the lie. It can be a great way to encourage employees to bring their whole self to work by sharing a bit more about themselves while also increasing camaraderie and helping you to discover areas of expertise that might be hiding in plain sight.

Scavenger Hunts

Everyone has been on a scavenger hunt at some point in their lives, so they are a really good way to get people moving around the office and focusing on their surroundings a bit more. They can also be used to deliver points about workplace safety by having staff find areas of concern and acknowledge the ways they could improve them and make them safer.