7 fun employee engagement activities for summer

In the summer months, the office starts to feel bigger. Extending beyond the usual four walls to the surrounding parks, streets, beaches of the local area – and beyond. It’s a time for away days, off-sites and breakout sessions, often in the open air (weather permitting, naturally). It’s not about leaving work behind, it’s about taking it with you. And it’s a chance to build stronger bonds as a team, try out new things and do some literal blue-sky thinking. 

But if you’ve done the standard sports days and run clubs, you might be looking to go further and explore some other options.

Why employee engagement is important in the summer

Summer can be a quieter time in some offices, with lots of people taking leave, or working slowly towards a busier autumn. So you might feel like planning events through those summer months isn’t as necessary. But, that definitely isn’t the case. 

The sunnier days make for increased energy levels and motivation, which is a great foundation for outdoor activities. Fresh air and sunlight also increase mental wellness, which means everyone is likely happier and ready to do their best work.

Especially in the summer, when families tend to have more flexibility, offering flexible working to match and allowing employees to take advantage of the weather can be a huge plus. Anything from summer hours, which we do here at MOO, to offering more hybrid options will remind your teams you value work-life balance.

Showing you care for your employees’ holistic wellbeing demonstrates that you’re committed to fully supporting them. All of the below summer employee engagement activities can be a part of your approach, based on your team dynamic and everyone’s personal preferences.

Plan volunteer days

Corporate volunteering doesn’t have to mean jetting off to far-flung places. By keeping things local, you can keep your costs down and connect with the community around you. 

To make it count, think about what skills you can offer, matching the right people to the right projects. 

As well as helping the organisations you work with, volunteering is good for business. It engages your team. It raises the profile of your company within the community. And because such schemes are increasingly sought after by potential employees, it helps attract new talent, too. 

Start a summer book club

Book clubs are always a good idea. But in the summer, they’re even better. Not only do book clubs bring people together in a way that doesn’t involve screens, but you can take it outside when the weather is nice after a day in the office.

And, since people tend to have more downtime in the summer with vacations booked and longer evenings, they’ll have more space to fit in reading. To keep it inclusive, encourage audiobooks for employees with reading challenges like dyslexia.

Host creative workshops

Once it was just your designers who got to spend the day being creative, fuelled by free croissants. Now creative away days are becoming more of a company-wide thing. And it’s easy to see why. Photography courses, woodworking sessions and pottery classes give everyone a break from the everyday. 

And you don’t have to travel far or blow any budgets. Those calligraphers, painters, crafters and cooks may well be in your ranks already, eager to share their knowledge. Then you just need the materials, a spare afternoon, and perhaps some sunshine. 

Join a community garden

Snag a plot in a community garden for your team. It’s a great way to support your employees who love growing their own food, flowers and plants. If you can find one that donates part of or all of what you grow to local shelters, even better. Then, you’re not only encouraging your teams’ green thumbs, but you’re also giving back to the community.

Send them out on a scavenger hunt

When it comes to fun employee engagement activities, it’s hard to beat a scavenger hunt. It may also be the easiest event to prepare for – and doesn’t have to take up much time. You can hide some chocolates, riddles, gift vouchers – anything you like – around the office and outside areas. Then integrate the hunt into the working day. 

Events like this are great for bringing lots of departments together, with plenty of opportunities for mingling over tactical chat – especially if you add an element of teamwork to the day. And they’re the perfect icebreaker for new starters.

Take it outside

To really make the most of the summer, you might want to do your team-building in the open air. Many miles away from the office. Somewhere you can leave your laptops behind and switch off. It could be up a mountain, out in the desert or bathed in a woodland. 

Far from roughing it in the wilderness, survivalist style, outdoor retreats should be about treating your team – making them feel valued. It’s about creating a stress-free environment where everyone feels comfortable, refreshed and free to think. 

Plan a wellness week

We all know that work can get stressful. And while wellness events can’t address the cause of that stress, they can offer ways to better cope with it. Especially when you incorporate activities like yoga and meditation. 

You can also use the week to introduce elements that become regular things, such as morning pilates or a free healthy breakfast. Think of it as a mini festival, with lots of different events planned – from morning desk drops to after-work talks.

Whatever you decide to organise, we’ll help you bring your fun employee engagement activities to life – with Postcards, Stickers, custom Water Bottles and more. And with a MOO business plan, we’ll even do the designing for you. So you can just focus on the main event. To get started, simply fill in the form below.