Office-Friendly Party Games
Need a fast morale boost between meetings? These games are office-safe, quick to teach, and easy to scale. Each pick links to full rules on Playiro so you can start in under a minute. Browse more ideas on our curated party games hub.
Created By Adam Davis Fernsby
How to run quick games at work
- Timebox to 5–10 minutes; say the end time upfront.
- Opt-in only (anyone can pass) and avoid personal topics.
- Pick an order (clockwise, roster order, or last speaker chooses next).
- Keep noise modest; choose low-voice variants in open offices.
- Remote tip: use chat for voting and a whiteboard for sketches.
Quick picks (with links to full rules)
Pictionary
Creative warm-ups for 3–12 players in 5–10 minutes. Try Pictionary with rotating artists and a neutral word list (tools, snacks, cities); remote teams can sketch on a shared whiteboard.
Cards Against Humanity (after-hours/family-friendly packs)
Best with 4–10 players in 10–15 minutes. Use family-friendly decks of Cards Against Humanity or pre-curate cards for a safer office vibe.
Exploding Kittens
Quick competition for 3–5 players in 10–15 minutes. Exploding Kittens delivers instant tension rotate seats so observers jump in next round.
Irish Snap
Energy bump for 3–8 players in 5–10 minutes using a standard deck. Keep Irish Snap office-friendly with a soft-slap rule to lower noise.
Ring of Fire (office-safe edits)
Great for team socials with 4–10 players in 10–15 minutes. Swap drinking actions in Ring of Fire for fun forfeits like a five-second stretch, a compliment, or a trivia fact.
White Elephant
Holiday event favorite for 6–20 players in 15–25 minutes. Run White Elephant with a low price cap - or zero-cost trinkets - to keep it inclusive.
Beer Pong (water pong at work)
Arcade feel for 4–10 players in 10–20 minutes. Play Beer Pong as water pong; tight on space? Halve the cup triangle and use best-of-3 tosses.
Mafia
Social deduction for 6–16 players in 10–20 minutes with only role assignments. Mafia works great in hybrid settings using breakout rooms and emoji voting.
Quick chooser: pick by time and energy
| Time | Energy | Group size | Good picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–7 min | Low | 3–8 | Irish Snap, single-round Pictionary |
| 8–12 min | Medium | 4–10 | Exploding Kittens, mini-set Water Pong |
| 10–15 min | Medium–High | 6–16 | Mafia, Ring of Fire (office-safe edits) |
| 15–25 min | Social event | 8–20 | White Elephant |
Office-safe adaptations
- Language filter: curate CAH or use family-friendly packs only.
- Noise control: soft-slap for Irish Snap; whisper rule in Mafia nighttime phase.
- Space saver: half-triangle in Beer Pong; small whiteboard/tablet for Pictionary.
- Inclusive play: always allow a “pass”; pick neutral prompts (cities, animals, foods).
- Hybrid-ready: Mafia roles via DM; Pictionary on shared whiteboard; votes via emoji.