13 Ways to Celebrate Halloween in the Workplace

As soon as the temperatures start to cool off, you know that spooky season is right around the corner. Halloween is the time of year when you can dress up however you want, as long as it is appropriate for work, and stuff your face with as much Halloween candy as you want…right?

You and your coworkers work hard all year, so you deserve a celebration. Halloween is a fun holiday that provides ample opportunity to have fun, and it’s a great time to offer some team-building experiences.

Let’s dive into the reasons why it’s worth celebrating Halloween in the workplace and some fun ways to commemorate the spooky season. 

5 Reasons to Celebrate Halloween in the Workplace 

There are many benefits to celebrating Halloween in the workplace. Mainly, it has been shown that having fun in the workplace is a great perk that employees are looking for when choosing an employer.

Activities like Halloween also give employees an opportunity to take a break after a long week of hard work.

“With fun activities, employees can relax from their work responsibilities and prevent overexertion.”

Indeed Editorial Team

Plus, they also keep your employees mentally healthy and happy. By celebrating Halloween at work, they’ll have new stimulation that’ll keep them motivated and focused.

Now let’s look at the specifics of why it’s important:

1. Encourage Friendships Amongst Team Members

Give team members an opportunity to interact socially in order to get to know each other better. This will help boost team morale and help build the team as a closer unit.  

2. Increase Collaboration

Collaborating amongst teams is vitally important to your company’s success. As coworkers have fun together, they will get to know each other on a deeper level which will foster a more collaborative environment. 

3. Good Workplace Vibes

It would benefit everyone to have a good vibe among coworkers in the workplace. Celebrating Halloween together at work will help create a culture that everyone looks forward to coming to each morning. 

4. Avoid Burnout

Let’s face it. Work can be monotonous and some days it is hard to get motivated. When you know you will have a fun Halloween party coming up, it can help break the workweek up. Help employees avoid burnout and stay engaged by providing opportunities to have fun at work. 

5. Encourage Confidence

We all know the colleagues that have a hard time expressing themselves in meetings. They may be shy or lack the confidence to express their opinions. Providing social activities at work can help coworkers come out of their shells and build the confidence required to really contribute to your team’s goals. 

13 Ways to Celebrate Halloween in the Workplace

Now that we know why we should be celebrating Halloween in the workplace, let’s talk about ways we can do that.

It is important to note that there are many ways to celebrate and they do not always have to be elaborate. Simple activities can have a big impact. As long as you are coming from a place of putting employees and their needs first, and throwing in a Halloween theme, any celebration will be perfect. 

1. Halloween Costume Photo Competition

A timeless way to celebrate is to hold a Halloween costume photo competition. Whether you work in an office environment or remotely, a photo competition of Halloween costumes is a fun idea that everyone can participate in.

You do not need to have everyone wear costumes to work in order to have a photo costume contest. One really convenient way to hold the costume photo contest is to create a group Halloween ecard and have each coworker contribute a photo of them in their costume. Then you can have the team vote for a winner. Remember, prizes are ALWAYS encouraged. 

2. Pet Costume Contest

While it may not be appropriate to bring your pets to work, you could run a pet costume contest just like you would for your employees. While it may not be live in the office, let’s face it, the photos would be ADORABLE. Have the team upload pictures of their pet all dressed up to a group ecard and let everyone enjoy their cuteness. 

3. Discuss Halloween Traditions

Sometimes a good old-fashioned open forum is a fun opportunity to get everyone together. Maybe have some food and drinks available and let the conversation flow. It is a good idea to come prepared with some topics in case of a lull in the conversations.

A great way to kickstart the conversations is to ask everyone to come prepared to share their favorite Halloween traditions. This will give everyone an insight into their coworker’s personal lives and what makes them tick. It is also a great way to get some new traditions!

4. Favorite Scary Movies

Another great discussion topic for a Halloween happy hour is favorite scary movies. Take notes and put together a master list of scary movies to email out after the celebration. This is a great opportunity for colleagues to check back in with each other after they have watched a recommended movie, and it will provide conversion topics all month long!

5. Desk Decorating Contest

You could also hold a desk decorating contest on Halloween day. Tell employees to bring supplies to decorate on the party day. Give everyone a certain amount of time in the morning to decorate. You could also provide supplies for coworkers to choose from as well. Everyone should walk around the office during the day and vote for their favorite. 

6. Murder Mystery Game

Why not provide a great team building activity as you celebrate Halloween at work? Host a murder mystery game for colleagues to participate in. It can be done in person, or there are plenty of remote options as well. 

7. Pumpkin Carving Contest

Have a lunch break where everyone eats and then heads outside to carve some pumpkins. It is best to provide the pumpkins and supplies. Everyone can carve them together, or at their leisure.

Then, you can have everyone vote for their favorite pumpkin. This is a great way for colleagues to display their creativity and help everyone get to know each other better. 

8. Themed Music

Play some spooky tunes throughout the office for the day. It doesn’t have to be loud or in your face. It could be fun to play it sporadically throughout the workday. Give everyone a brain break with some fun Halloween music. Monster Mash is a personal favorite, but any Halloween jam will do. 

9. Pie Contest

Halloween is always the first holiday of fall, and nothing says fall like PIE. Have everyone bring their favorite homemade pie into the office for the Halloween office party.

Then, everyone can enjoy them during their break. Of course, a contest is more fun, so have everyone vote for their favorites! 

10. Early Off Day

This one may be a holiday stretch, but it’s a great way to show you care. You can host a fun Halloween activity and then give everyone an early off-day.

You can let them all take off an hour or two early to get started celebrating with their family or friends. It’s kind to make sure you let them know in advance so they can make plans ahead of time. This will be a crowd-pleaser for sure. 

11. True Crime Podcast Discussion

Plan ahead and have everyone listen to the same true crime podcast. Then, get together and discuss the podcast, kind of like a book club. It may be fun to have everyone listen to all but the last episode on their own, and then discuss who did it or what might be revealed in the last episode.

Finally, take the time to stream the last episode together, or meet again a couple of days later to discuss after everyone has listened on their own. This will really get everyone into a spooky mood. 

12. Themed Spooky Lunch

Have a potluck where everyone signs up beforehand to bring a spooky-themed dish. Then take an extended lunch break for everyone to enjoy the meal together. Provide some spooky decorations to really get the vibes right. There is plenty of inspiration for fun Halloween-themed foods to get you started. 

13. Chili/Soup Cook-off

You know the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” A good old-fashioned chili cook-off certainly isn’t going anywhere.

Have the team sign up to bring chili to participate in a cook-off where you taste all of the chili and vote for a winner. Don’t forget to have some people sign up for sides or desserts. This is also a great time to provide some Halloween decorations to set the mood. 

Happy Spooky Season

Halloween is a special time of year and a great time to celebrate at work. Help your team grow closer by planning a Halloween team building activity and have some spooky fun.

There are so many ways to celebrate, you can’t go wrong as long as you try something. Choose what works for your budget and team best.

Celebrating Halloween at work is a great way to build morale, foster confidence, encourage collaboration, avoid burnout, and set good vibes. Have a Halloween celebration at work and watch your team grow and productivity rise. Happy Halloween everyone!