The Office Olympic Games are much more than an opportunity to avoid work while you are at work – though that is a nice bonus. I have hosted the Office Olympics at a variety of businesses where I have worked over the years. For me, each new Office Olympiad always brings the excitement of the real-life Olympic Games home, or to the office.

 

The best part of the Office Olympic Games is that the events you choose to hold for your own Olympiad can all be played at work, during work hours without taking more than the standard break time each day. A fortnight of games amongst your co-workers is not only a great way to relieve some workday stress and have some fun, but also provides a great opportunity for team-building exercises without everyone realizing they are participating in team-building activities.

 

Regardless of the sport, whether it be a team sport such as water polo or an individual sport such as swimming, there is a certain camaraderie which builds up between those involved. This camaraderie exists even if the sports are silly office sports, which you too will experience in hosting the Office Olympic Games. The Office Olympic Games may not follow the traditional team-building exercises one encounters on business retreats, but the shared fun may prove to be an even better experience.

 

Although each sport in the Office Olympics is for individual competition, you will find that your co-workers will actually build up a rapport based on the fun of competition, as opposed to the competition they may have for a promotion or raise. It may not appear as an opportunity to bring your staff closer together, but the individual competition will do precisely that without the dreaded feeling of having to go through yet another exercise in the average team-building experience.

 

As I have told the marathoners I have trained for more than a dozen years, and the youth baseball teams I have coached, have FUN. And for all you Office Olympians out there, let the Games begin!