Office Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Team Building

138 tasks that ask nothing personal: press Pick 10 new tasks, take away what your building lacks, then print or share.

Office Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Team Building

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  1. A calculator with real buttons3 points. A phone app does not count.
  2. A photo of every teammate's shoes under one desk1 point. Feet still in them.
  3. Agree on three things the whole team has in common, not work3 points. Films, hobbies, pets and board games are the easy places to look. Nobody has to share anything they would rather not.
  4. Find a colleague who has read a book this month2 points. Write down the title. They initial your sheet.
  5. Find a colleague with a party trick they are willing to show3 points. A card trick, a whistle, a tongue twister. Entirely their choice. They initial your sheet.
  6. I count your hours and never get paid. My hands go round above a door.2 points. Answer: a wall clock.
  7. Where the mail arrives2 points. A mail room, a front-desk tray or a parcel shelf. Look, and touch nothing.
  8. Where the defibrillator is, if the building has one3 points. Look for the sign. If you find none, the task is to ask facilities and write down the answer.
  9. A keyboard key that has worn blank3 points. On your own keyboard. Say which letter it used to be.
  10. A hundred keys and not one fits a lock. Tap me and words appear.1 point. Answer: a keyboard.

Points: of 23

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All 138 tasks

Desk and supply finds 28

  • A binder clip big enough to hold 50 pages 1 point. The judge may ask you to prove it with scrap paper.
  • A business card 2 points. Any company's. One from a teammate's own wallet counts.
  • A cable nobody on the team can identify 2 points. From your own drawer. The judge decides whether anyone really knows.
  • A calculator with real buttons 3 points. A phone app does not count.
  • A coaster 2 points. A folded napkin is not a coaster.
  • A desk drawer tidy enough to photograph 3 points. Your own drawer only.
  • A desk plant that turns out to be plastic 3 points. Look closely, with the owner's say-so. Dust on the leaves is a clue.
  • A hole punch 2 points. Two holes or three. Empty the confetti tray into the bin, not the carpet.
  • A keyboard key that has worn blank 3 points. On your own keyboard. Say which letter it used to be.
  • A lanyard or a badge reel 1 point. Photograph the lanyard, not the badge. ID badges stay out of every photo.
  • A mug with words on it 1 point. Your own, or a teammate's with their say-so. Read the words aloud.
  • A paper calendar still in use 3 points. On a wall or a desk. It earns a cheer if it shows the wrong month.
  • A pen that has run out of ink 1 point. Prove it on scrap paper, then bin it. You have done the office a favor.
  • A phone charger that fits nobody's phone 3 points. Every shared drawer has one. Try it on the team's phones to prove it.
  • A printed manual or handbook 3 points. Bound or stapled. A link to a PDF does not count.
  • A rubber band ball, or the start of one 3 points. Three bands wrapped round each other is a start.
  • A ruler 2 points. Wood, plastic or metal. A tape measure is a different thing.
  • A sharpened pencil 2 points. Rarer than you would think.
  • A snack offered freely by its owner 2 points. Nobody opens anyone else's drawer. If it is offered, say thank you.
  • A spiral notebook 1 point. Closed. What is written inside is none of the hunt's business.
  • A stapler that is not black 1 point. From your own desk or the supply shelf. Put it back after the photo.
  • A sticky note in any color but yellow 1 point. A blank one. Notes with writing on them stay where they are.
  • A stress ball or a desk toy 2 points. Yours, or borrowed with a yes.
  • A whiteboard marker that still works 2 points. Test it in a corner of a whiteboard, never on a wall, and wipe it off.
  • An almost-empty roll of tape 2 points. Less than one lap of the roll left.
  • An envelope with a window 2 points. An empty one from the supply shelf.
  • An item with an old company logo on it 5 points. A mug, a pen, a bag or a sign. The judge compares it with today's logo.
  • Highlighters in three different colors 2 points. All three in one hand for the photo.

Find a colleague who 29

  • Find a colleague who brought their own mug today 1 point. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who can draw the company logo from memory 3 points. They draw it on your sheet. The judge scores the likeness.
  • Find a colleague who can fix the printer 3 points. They initial your sheet. They do not have to prove it today.
  • Find a colleague who can name everyone on your team 2 points. First names are enough. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who can name the fire assembly point 2 points. Check the answer against the evacuation plan on the wall.
  • Find a colleague who can name three things in the supply closet 2 points. Without looking. Then go and check together.
  • Find a colleague who can recommend lunch ten minutes from here 1 point. Write down the place. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who can say what another team does in a sentence 2 points. Write the sentence down. The other team gets to mark it at the end.
  • Find a colleague who has a favorite pen and will show it 1 point. They initial your sheet. Hand the pen back.
  • Find a colleague who has a pet, and learn its name 1 point. Write the pet's name on your sheet. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who has a plant on their desk 1 point. They initial your sheet. Ask the plant's name, if it has one.
  • Find a colleague who has read a book this month 2 points. Write down the title. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who has worked in another department here 2 points. They initial your sheet. Write down which department.
  • Find a colleague who keeps a to-do list on paper 1 point. They wave it at you. You do not read it. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who knows a spreadsheet shortcut you do not 2 points. They teach it. You demonstrate it to the judge.
  • Find a colleague who knows the shortcut that locks a screen 2 points. They show you on their own keyboard, then initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who knows what the company first sold 3 points. Write the answer down. The judge checks it against the company's own history page.
  • Find a colleague who knows where the first-aid kit is 2 points. They point. You check. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who owns a board game and will name a favorite 1 point. Write the game down. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who plays a musical instrument 2 points. They initial your sheet. Write down the instrument.
  • Find a colleague who says their inbox is at zero unread 2 points. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who says they have never jammed the copier 2 points. Honor system. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who shares your first initial 1 point. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague who was on a video call in the last hour 1 point. Ask only when they are clearly off the call. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague whose whiteboard is covered in writing 1 point. They initial your sheet. Do not photograph the board.
  • Find a colleague with a hobby you have never tried 2 points. Learn one fact about the hobby and write it down. They initial your sheet.
  • Find a colleague with a party trick they are willing to show 3 points. A card trick, a whistle, a tongue twister. Entirely their choice. They initial your sheet.
  • Find one colleague with two monitors and one with none 2 points. Two sets of initials.
  • Find the colleague with the tidiest desk, by your team's vote 2 points. Tell them they won. They initial your sheet.

Building facts 24

  • A framed certificate or award on a wall 2 points. Write down the year printed on it.
  • An exit you have never used 3 points. Find it on the evacuation plan and walk to it. Do not open an alarmed door.
  • The fire assembly point named on the evacuation plan 2 points. The plan is usually posted near the stairs or an exit.
  • The fire extinguisher nearest your desk 1 point. Point to it. By the end, everyone on the team should be able to.
  • How many buttons the coffee machine has 1 point. Count every button, including the ones nobody presses.
  • How many chairs are in the largest meeting room 3 points. Only if it is empty. Count through the glass if it is not.
  • How many clocks are on your floor, and whether they agree 3 points. Wall clocks only. Note the biggest gap between two of them.
  • How many floors the building has 1 point. Count the elevator buttons or the stairwell signs. The lobby counts.
  • How many kinds of recycling bin the kitchen has 2 points. Write down what each one takes.
  • How many meeting rooms are on your floor 2 points. Count doors with a name or a number. Never open one that is in use.
  • How many plants are in the reception area 2 points. Real and plastic both count. Teams rarely agree.
  • How many steps join two floors 2 points. One flight, walked, not run. One teammate counts while the rest take the elevator if they like.
  • The longest corridor, measured in paces 2 points. One teammate paces it at walking speed.
  • The meeting room with the oddest name 2 points. Write it down. The judge picks the winner if teams disagree.
  • The name on the door of the smallest room 3 points. A phone booth, a store room or a server closet. Read the door. Do not open it.
  • The office's street address, written from memory 1 point. No looking at an email signature.
  • The oldest date on display anywhere in the building 5 points. A plaque, a framed certificate or a photo caption. The earliest year wins.
  • The opening hours posted at reception or the front door 2 points. Copy them exactly.
  • The room with the best view, by your team's vote 1 point. Write down the room and what you can see.
  • The weight limit printed inside the elevator 2 points. It is on a plate near the buttons.
  • What sits in the top-left slot of the vending machine 2 points. Describe it in your own words on the sheet.
  • Where the defibrillator is, if the building has one 3 points. Look for the sign. If you find none, the task is to ask facilities and write down the answer.
  • Where the first-aid kit is kept 2 points. Look for the sign. Write down the room.
  • Where the mail arrives 2 points. A mail room, a front-desk tray or a parcel shelf. Look, and touch nothing.

Team photos 17

  • A photo of a teammate presenting a giant sticky-note check 2 points. Tape notes together and write 'one coffee' on it.
  • A photo of every teammate's shoes under one desk 1 point. Feet still in them.
  • A photo of the team's mugs lined up by size 1 point. Smallest on the left.
  • A photo of the view from the highest window you may reach 2 points. Public and staff areas only. No roof doors.
  • A team photo acting out a video call with a frozen screen 2 points. One teammate holds a mid-word face for the whole shot.
  • A team photo at the front door, first-day-of-school style 1 point. Bags on shoulders, nervous smiles.
  • A team photo in the elevator, all facing the back wall 2 points. Only when nobody else is riding.
  • A team photo in the smallest meeting room you all fit in 2 points. Only if the room is free.
  • A team photo of a meeting where everyone is delighted 1 point. An empty room, big grins and a blank whiteboard.
  • A team photo of a slow-motion race down an empty corridor 2 points. The slowest racer wins. Nobody runs.
  • A team photo posed as an organization chart 3 points. One at the top, a row beneath, arms as the lines. No real job titles needed.
  • A team photo re-creating a stock photo handshake 2 points. Firm grip, bright smiles, one person pointing at nothing.
  • A team photo spelling the company's initials with your arms 3 points. The judge has to be able to read it.
  • A team photo where everybody is on the phone at once 1 point. Acting only. Bananas and staplers make good handsets.
  • A team photo with an office plant as the guest of honor 1 point. Everyone looks at the plant. The plant stays in its pot.
  • A team photo with an office supply held up like a trophy 1 point. A different supply for each teammate.
  • Two photos of one desk: before and after a one-minute tidy 3 points. Your own desk, and a timer set to 60 seconds.

Riddle clues 22

  • A hundred keys and not one fits a lock. Tap me and words appear. 1 point. Answer: a keyboard.
  • Cover me in plans, then wipe me and they are gone. 2 points. Answer: a whiteboard.
  • I am red, I hang on the wall, and everyone hopes I stay full. 3 points. Answer: a fire extinguisher. Find it and leave it alone.
  • I bite paper and never chew. Feed me a strip of silver teeth. 1 point. Answer: a stapler.
  • I count your hours and never get paid. My hands go round above a door. 2 points. Answer: a wall clock.
  • I drink ink, spit out pages, and jam when you are late. 1 point. Answer: the printer.
  • I eat secrets and turn them into ribbons. 3 points. Answer: the shredder.
  • I glow above a door and point the way nobody takes until they must. 2 points. Answer: an exit sign.
  • I go up and down all day and never leave the building. 2 points. Answer: the elevator.
  • I have three rings and no fingers. 3 points. Answer: a ring binder.
  • I have your name and your face, and I open doors. 3 points. Answer: your ID badge. Show the judge you have it. Do not photograph it.
  • I hum all day in the kitchen and guard every lunch until noon. 2 points. Answer: the refrigerator.
  • I live under the desk with many mouths, and every one is full. 5 points. Answer: a power strip. Look, and unplug nothing.
  • I make two of everything, and the second is never quite straight. 2 points. Answer: the photocopier.
  • I sit on the desk and ring, and these days nobody picks me up. 3 points. Answer: a desk phone.
  • I spin under you all day and roll away the moment you stand. 1 point. Answer: an office chair.
  • I swallow what you throw away, but only if it is paper. 2 points. Answer: the paper recycling bin.
  • I take your coat in the morning and hand it back without a word. 3 points. Answer: the coat rack.
  • I take your coins and sometimes keep the snack as well. 2 points. Answer: the vending machine.
  • Once I was a tree. Now I wait in a tray, 500 to a pack. 3 points. Answer: printer paper.
  • People gather round me to talk. All I ever say is glug. 2 points. Answer: the water cooler.
  • Sticky on one edge, I carry the message you would forget. 1 point. Answer: a sticky note.

Team challenges 18

  • Agree on three things the whole team has in common, not work 3 points. Films, hobbies, pets and board games are the easy places to look. Nobody has to share anything they would rather not.
  • Bring five objects in five different colors from your own desks 1 point. Line them up in rainbow order for the photo.
  • Build the tallest sticky-note tower you can in one minute 3 points. Set a timer for 60 seconds. Measure against a ruler and reuse the notes after.
  • Draw the office floor plan from memory on one sheet 3 points. The judge compares it with the evacuation plan.
  • Explain a teammate's job in two sentences 2 points. The teammate marks it out of ten.
  • Fold a paper airplane that crosses an empty meeting room 3 points. Scrap paper only. Pick it up afterwards.
  • Guess the number of paper clips in the judge's cup 2 points. One guess per team, written down. Closest guess takes the points.
  • Hold a one-minute meeting that actually decides something 2 points. Where to have lunch counts. Use a timer and report the decision.
  • Line up in alphabetical order by first name without talking 2 points. Gestures and name badges are allowed. The judge checks the order.
  • Make a paper clip chain as long as a desk 2 points. Photograph it laid along the desk, then take it apart.
  • Make up a two-line jingle for the coffee machine 3 points. Say it or sing it to the judge.
  • Name as many people as you can in a department that is not yours 3 points. The judge checks against the staff directory. One bonus point per ten names is a fair house rule.
  • Pass a message down the line in whispers and compare the ends 2 points. The judge supplies a sentence about staplers. Report both versions.
  • Spell the longest word you can using one row of the keyboard 2 points. Top letter row only. There is a well-known ten-letter answer, and it names an office machine.
  • Stack ten different office supplies without the stack falling 3 points. It has to stand for a count of five.
  • Write a six-word mission statement for the office kitchen 2 points. Exactly six. Read it aloud at the finish.
  • Write a thank-you note to a team that helps yours, and deliver it 5 points. Signed by everyone. The best task on the list for the people who are not playing.
  • Write the team's name in binder clips 2 points. On a desk or the floor. Readable from standing height.

How it works

Everything happens inside the building: 138 scored tasks, from desk finds and colleague questions to team photos and riddle clues. These office scavenger hunt ideas fit a work day, ask nothing personal, and let any colleague say no.

Read the full guide

Print an office scavenger hunt list for each team

Press Pick 10 new tasks until the list suits your floor, with no vending machine if your building lacks one. Mix departments in teams of three or four. Print a sheet per team.

Why the colleague questions are careful

The 29 Find a colleague who questions cover desks, pets, hobbies, books and the building. None asks about age, family, faith, health, where someone is from or how long they have worked here. Each was checked against the characteristics the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lists as protected, so they hold up for a whole company, corporate or small.

  • Hide all notes covers the answers to the 22 Riddle clues.
  • One task leaves something behind: the 5-point thank-you note, signed and delivered to a team that helps yours.
  • Set the boundary first: which floors, no meeting rooms in use, no calls interrupted, nothing near clients.

Questions and answers

How do we run a scavenger hunt team building game in a lunch hour?

Each tick adds its points to the tally, from 1 for a stapler that is not black to 5 for an item with an old company logo. For a shorter round, press Up to 2 points under More filters.

Do these team building scavenger hunt ideas suit a small business?

Yes. No tower is needed: Desk and supply finds, Riddle clues and Team challenges fit in one room. With new starters the hunt doubles as a workplace tour, since Building facts sends them to the first-aid kit, the fire assembly point and the mail room.

What are good rules for photos in the office?

ID badges, computer screens, whiteboards with writing on them and anyone outside your team stay out of every shot. The 17 photo tasks need none of those. Skip elevator and meeting-room photos when either is in use. More shots: photo prompts for team building.

Are there office scavenger hunt clues?

Yes: pick Riddle clues, whose 22 answers are office objects, from the water cooler to the coat rack. For work treasure hunt ideas, tape the next riddle to each answer and end at a prize. Skip the fire extinguisher and the power strip.

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