“It’s 5 PM Friday. You want to go home, but your company wants you to play Antakshari!
Let me be honest, Fun Fridays aren’t fun anymore because nobody wants to have fun when they’re mentally already home.
79% of Indian employees say Friday is their least favorite day to come to office. They want to wrap up work and leave, not participate in mandatory games.
But here’s what companies get wrong:
👉 They schedule “”fun”” at the worst possible time and pick activities nobody asked for.
Tambola at 5 PM Friday? Rangoli competitions? Forced karaoke?
That’s not engagement. That’s torture with a smile policy.
Real engagement doesn’t happen once a week at a scheduled time. It happens when:
→ Teams play quick 5-minute games during work hours to break monotony
→ Colleagues bond over escape rooms during lunch breaks
→ People discover common interests through activities they actually enjoy
The best team bonding happens throughout the week, not crammed into Friday evening when everyone’s exhausted.
Instead of one forced Friday activity, give teams:
📍 Quick icebreakers during Monday meetings
📍 10-minute wellness breaks on Wednesday
📍 Thursday team challenges that people can opt into
Make it part of the work culture, not separate from it.
And most importantly, make it optional. Real engagement happens when people choose to participate.
Friday should be about finishing strong and going home on time. Save the connection-building for when people’s minds are actually present.
Does your company force fun at the worst possible time?”