6 Diversity and Inclusion Games for the Workplace
Diversity and inclusion games for the workplace are a great way to help promote a more inclusive and accepting workplace culture. By playing games, employees can learn about each other's cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, which can lead to increased empathy, understanding, and communication.
In this blog post, we’ll be discussing six diversity and inclusion games for the workplace that you can try with your team.
What are DEI activities?
DEI activities refer to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion activities that promote a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture. These activities can be in the form of games, workshops, training sessions, and discussions that aim to increase awareness and understanding of different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.
DEI activities can also involve exploring and challenging biases and prejudices, promoting empathy and respect for different perspectives, and creating a more inclusive and accepting workplace culture. They are an essential part of building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and can lead to increased collaboration, productivity, and job satisfaction among employees.
Examples of DEI activities include diversity training sessions, unconscious bias workshops, team-building games that promote understanding and communication, cultural celebrations and events, and other activities that aim to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
What are the activities to promote diversity and inclusion?
Here are 6 ideas for diversity and inclusion games for the workplace:
The Name Game
The Privilege Walk
Diversity Bingo
Cultural Potluck
The Human Knot
Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of each activity.
1. The Name Game
The Name Game is a fun way to learn how to pronounce and remember your colleagues' names, especially if you work in a multicultural workplace where names may be challenging to pronounce. To play this game, ask each team member to share their name and its origin. Then, ask them to spell it out and provide a fun fact or a story about how they got their name.
Once everyone has shared their name, go around the room, and have each person try to pronounce their colleagues' names. This game not only helps team members learn each other's names but also encourages them to engage in conversation and learn about each other's backgrounds.
2. Diversity and Inclusion Trivia
Hosting trivia is another fun and engaging way to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Trivia games can be a great way to educate and inform employees about different cultures, historical events, and important figures in the diversity and inclusion space. Here at Bar None Games, we’ve personally seen trivia, whether it’s virtual trivia, in-person, or hybrid trivia, to be an effective way to celebrate diversity and engage with DEI topics.
The goal with a DEI trivia event is to highlight facts that may be new to your team and encourage discussion. As a team-based experience, trivia can be a fun diversity and inclusion icebreaker to help bond your team and form meaningful connections.
To host a diversity and inclusion trivia game, first, gather a list of questions related to diversity and inclusion. You can include questions about different cultures, traditions, historical events, and important figures in the diversity and inclusion space.
Next, divide employees into teams and assign a team captain for each group (we recommend a team-based format to help facilitate thoughtful discussion in a comfortable group size!). Give each team a set amount of time to answer each question, and award points for each correct answer.
You can also add fun elements to the game, such as music and visual aids, to make the game more engaging and exciting. For example, you could play music from different cultures during the game, or show pictures of different historical figures.
There are several months during the year that highlight specific communities (here you can find a list of your favorite workplace holidays, many of which are diversity-focused). For example, you can start with Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, AAPI Heritage Month, Pride Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month.
3. The Privilege Walk
The Privilege Walk is an excellent game for highlighting and acknowledging the different privileges that people have in their lives. To play this game, ask all team members to line up in a row, facing the front of the room. The facilitator will then read out a series of statements, and each participant will take a step forward or backward based on how the statement applies to them.
For example, the facilitator may read out statements such as, "If you have ever been discriminated against because of your race, take one step backward," or "If you have ever felt unsafe walking alone at night, take one step backward."
At the end of the game, everyone will be standing at different points along the line, highlighting the clear differences in experiences and privileges within the group. This game can lead to powerful conversations about privilege and empathy.
4. Diversity Bingo
Diversity Bingo is a game that encourages team members to learn more about each other's backgrounds and experiences. To play this icebreaker bingo game, create a bingo board with different squares containing various experiences or characteristics, such as "Has traveled to more than three countries," or "Can speak more than one language." This is another great diversity and inclusion ice breaker activity to help new team members feel comfortable with each other.
Give each team member a bingo card and have them go around the room, trying to find someone who fits the description in each square. Once someone has found a person who fits the description, they can ask them to sign their card.
The first person to get five signatures in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) wins. This game is a great way to encourage conversation and learn more about each other's diverse backgrounds.
5. Cultural Potluck
The Cultural Potluck is a game that encourages team members to share their cultures and cuisines with each other, promoting learning and understanding about different backgrounds and traditions. To create the cultural potluck, ask team members to bring in a dish that represents their culture or background.
By bringing in a dish that represents their culture or background, team members can showcase their unique experiences and share them with their colleagues. The buffet-style table allows everyone to try a little bit of everything, promoting a sense of community and togetherness.
While everyone is enjoying the food, encourage team members to share stories or information about their dish and culture, promoting conversation and understanding. This can lead to increased empathy and respect for different cultures, creating a more inclusive and accepting workplace culture. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy some delicious food!
6. The Human Knot
The Human Knot is a classic team building game that promotes teamwork and communication. To play this game, have all team members stand in a circle facing each other. Everyone then reaches out their right hand and grabs the hand of someone across from them.
Then, have everyone reach out their left hand and grab the hand of someone else, creating a human knot. The objective of the game is to work together to untangle the knot without letting go of each other's hands.
This game requires communication, problem-solving, and teamwork, and can be a fun way to build relationships and trust within the team. It also helps to break down barriers and encourage collaboration among colleagues.
How do you celebrate inclusion and diversity in the workplace?
Celebrating inclusion and diversity in the workplace is an important way to promote a more inclusive and accepting workplace culture. There are many ways to celebrate diversity in the workplace, from organizing cultural events and DEI activities to creating policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusivity.
One way to celebrate diversity in the workplace is to recognize and celebrate different cultural holidays and events. This can involve organizing cultural food fairs, celebrating cultural festivals, or hosting diversity and inclusion workshops.
Another way to celebrate diversity is to create policies and practices that promote inclusivity, such as offering flexible work arrangements or implementing anti-discrimination policies. It's also important to ensure that all employees have equal opportunities for career advancement and development.
Furthermore, it's crucial to create a safe and inclusive workplace environment where everyone feels valued and respected. This can involve promoting open communication and encouraging employees to share their perspectives and experiences.
Host a diversity and inclusion trivia game with Bar None Games
Diversity and inclusion games for the workplace are a great way to promote a more inclusive and accepting workplace culture. By playing games, employees can learn about each other's cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, which can lead to increased empathy, understanding, and communication.
Remember, diversity and inclusion are essential for a healthy and thriving workplace culture. By incorporating these games into your workplace, you can help create a more inclusive and accepting environment where everyone feels valued and respected. So, gather your team, and try out these games today!