Indonesia's 80th Independence Day is fast approaching! August is always a special time in many offices, fostering a spirit of togetherness and nationalism through exciting activities, especially the August 17th competitions.
While competitions typically involve sack races or tug-of-war, this time it's time to introduce more unique, creative, and office-relevant ideas. Besides livening up the atmosphere, these competitions can also strengthen teamwork and refresh work routines.
Come on, take a peek at various ideas for August 17th office competitions that are guaranteed to make all employees laugh and actively participate!
A Collection of Fun and Creative August 17th Office Competitions
1. Workspace/Work Desk Decoration Competition
Imagine how lively the office would be if every division or individual competed to decorate their workspace or desk with an independence theme. Give employees the freedom to get creative with flags, lights, and other decorations.
Prizes can be awarded for categories such as "Most Innovative Decoration," "Most Red and White," or "Most Creative." Besides creating a festive atmosphere, this August 17th contest also fosters workplace pride.
2. Inter-Division Cheer Competition
Creativity and team spirit are truly put to the test in the inter-division cheerleading competition. Each team is given the opportunity to create a unique, funny, and energetic cheer. This competition can also be a chance to strengthen bonds between colleagues and boost team spirit.
This cheer performance is held in front of all employees, and everyone can participate in the judging. The most engaging, enthusiastic, and unified cheer will be the winner.
3. Singing and Typing Competition
This contest is guaranteed to bring a lot of laughter. Imagine how much fun it would be to see your coworkers singing while typing. Challenge employees to sing a national anthem or popular song while typing a specific text.
Assessment can be based on typing speed and accuracy, as well as their singing ability. This competition is not only entertaining but also trains multitasking and coordination, making it a must-have for your August 17th office competitions.
4. Lunch Box Decorating Competition
Want a fun and healthy session? A lunchbox decorating competition can be a fun way to promote a healthy lifestyle and creativity. Each employee is asked to bring a lunchbox decorated with an independence theme. The lunchboxes are then judged based on creativity, beauty, and appropriateness to the theme. The competition can conclude with a shared meal, making it not only fun but also fosters camaraderie.
5. Costume Contest
Costume contests are always a favorite at any celebration. Especially for August 17th, costume contests can be themed "National Heroes" or "Regional Costumes." Employees are expected to dress in their best costumes and perform a fashion show in front of their colleagues, guaranteed to elicit laughter and admiration.
Judging will be based on creativity, theme appropriateness, and the effort put into creating the costume. Winners can receive attractive prizes such as unique office supplies or hampers of local products.
6. Quiz Competition
In addition to entertaining competitions, it's also a good idea to include educational ones, such as quizzes about Indonesian history, culture, and unique facts. Divide into teams and hold challenging rounds. These competitions are not only fun but also broaden employees' knowledge of their nation's history and refresh their minds.
7. Guess Your Office Friend Competition
Before starting, all participants must write down three of their own characteristics or traits on a piece of paper and hand them in to the committee. For example, "I drink coffee every morning." The committee will then read the notes out one by one, and participants must guess who owns the paper or who possesses the characteristic or trait in question.
Typically, a scramble system creates a more lively atmosphere. The winner is the participant who answers correctly and guesses the most.
8. Independence Day Speech or Poetry Competition
An independence speech or poetry contest is a perfect idea for an August 17th celebration, as it can be a great way to express love for one's country. Let employees showcase their speaking talents with speeches or poems about independence.
Assessment can be based on speaking ability, the content of the speech or poem, and the expression displayed. This competition not only hones public speaking skills but also inspires and motivates other employees.
9. Word Guessing Competition
This game can be played indoors, and all employees can participate. You can divide all employees into teams, each of which will be given a word of equal difficulty. The word must be pronounced by the last participant on the team, wearing a headset or earplugs.
10. Water Relay Race with Office Glasses
Who says relay races have to be held outdoors? They can be fun even in the office! Use office cups as the race equipment. Each participant must transfer water from one container to another using the cup without spilling too much. This can be done between teams and given additional challenges such as having to overcome small obstacles or answering Independence Day trivia questions after each relay.
This contest is funny, simple, and doesn't require a lot of equipment, but it's still fun and gets the whole office laughing.
11. Word-Making Competition from Random Letters
This competition is perfect for an air-conditioned room without requiring much movement. Prepare random letters (from scraps of paper or a large printout), then challenge each team to form as many words as possible from the letters in 5 minutes.
To make it even more exciting, use words themed around independence, Indonesian culture, or slogans promoting work ethic. This competition will hone your creativity and encourage quick thinking.
12. Independence Day Video Reels Competition
Challenge divisions or teams at work to create short videos (30–60 seconds) themed around Independence Day, such as humorous sketches, helpful tutorials, or lip-syncs to the national anthem. The videos can be played together at the event, and employees can vote on which is the funniest, most creative, or most touching.
This contest is perfect for offices with a strong digital presence or a large creative team. It can also be used as content for your office social media!
Tips to Make Your August 17th Competition at the Office More Exciting and Memorable
1. Plan Carefully
Before the big day, make sure you plan your competition well. Brainstorm competition ideas with your team and choose a few that will involve a large number of people. Create a schedule and make sure everyone knows the time and location.
2. Choose a varied and creative competition
Competitions can be made more varied, unique, and fresh to avoid boredom and make them more enjoyable. Choose a competition that can involve all employees, both active participants and those who prefer to be spectators.
3. Provide Attractive Prizes
Prizes are not only motivational but also add to the excitement of the competition. Provide attractive and useful prizes for the winners, such as shopping vouchers, company merchandise, or prizes relevant to the independence theme.
Also Read: 8 Unique and Interesting August 17th Office Competition Prize Ideas
4. Decorate the office with a red and white theme
Create an atmosphere of independence by decorating the office with room decorations, flags, posters, and a red and white dress code on the day of the competition. This will add to the spirit of the competition and strengthen the theme of the celebration.
5. Involve All Employees
From planning to implementation, try to involve all divisions. This will strengthen the sense of community and make everyone feel more involved. This way, employees will be emotionally invested and feel like they're a vital part of the team, the organization, and the work.
If this is the case, employees become more loyal and willing to work to achieve company goals, not just complete daily tasks.
6. Add Music and Ice Breakers
Using national songs in a fun and light entertainment setting, such as musical performances, dances, or interactive quizzes, can lift the mood and make the August 17th competition more lively. Make sure to leave time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere after the competition.
There you have it, 9 fun, unique, and laugh-out-loud August 17th competition ideas to liven up the office atmosphere on this 80th Independence Day. With the right activities, August 17th events can be a fun time that strengthens teams, builds nationalism, and brings positive energy to the workplace.
Check out other Kaisae articles and don't hesitate to contact the Kaisae team at click this link to get the best recommendations for August 17th gift ideas or for your company's corporate gift packages.
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