Hiring new employees comes along with responsibilities for the HR department and managers. It’s up to the managers and team leaders to process a proper onboarding program and a complete orientation. Although onboarding is not an orientation and it’s a long-term process, the initial days are crucial in employee retention. Therefore, employers and managers at different organizations and stages of the onboarding process come up with innovative ideas and ways to make onboarding fun and exciting. This is done to release the stress of a new job and workplace, and also to familiarize the new employees with the work environment and with teams, they will be working closely.

HR departments and managers can be creative with onboarding games and activities to achieve their objectives. Here are 5 common games practiced in many organizations which had a positive impact on their successful onboarding process:

1. Scavenger hunt

A major part of the onboarding process is to introduce new employees to the work environment and mingle around with people in different departments. Scavenger hunts, with hints that lead to different departments and involve employees in each department, can do the job. It allows employees to move around, meet new people and ask questions to find their rewards.

Setting rules like compulsory peer introduction before giving hints or answering questions can just add to the fun and success. This is an ice-breaking activity, and surely if planned well, the next time your new employee is stuck and has queries, he knows exactly where to go and who to ask for help.

2. Truth or lie?

Truth or lie is a very common activity, mainly done with the purpose of getting to know each other very well and having fun. And it fits very well with the onboarding process, as new employees need to know who they are working with and their respective personas.

Being colleagues and in the same team, requires trust and understanding as they would be working towards the same objectives. This activity is a great way for team members to know the new recruit and vice versa.

3. No words

This is a fun way of peer introduction or team introduction. Mostly done on the first day, as the new employers arrive. Team members do not speak a word to introduce themselves to the new employee. (With a clear sign of “I can’t speak”).

This way, employees have to use sign language to introduce themselves, their role in the team, or any other information they need to share. And the new recruit has to verbally repeat.

4. Talent shows

Within months of the new employee’s joining date, a talent show can be a good opportunity to open up new recruits and share hidden talents if any. A talent show is not only for the new recruits but also allows everyone to have fun and laugh. They say “the team who laughs together, stays together”.

5. Invitations

Different teams and departments invite new recruits to sit over with them for lunch or break hours to just chit-chat and share ideas. This way, both parties will have made an impact and know each other well. This can be set mandatory by organizations, as a team built-up activity.

Conclusion

Work can be done in fun ways, and that’s proven to be true. It even increases engagement and productivity levels in any organization or industry. Fun onboarding games for new employees or activities such as field trips, lunch outings, teams working remotely from a place other than the office, and so on could have positive impacts on employee retention and productivity.