The best games to play over Zoom are simple, quick to explain and easy for everyone to join, even if people are using different devices or joining from a busy workday. Quizzes, scavenger hunts, breakout room puzzles, polls, drawing games and light mystery formats all work well for remote socials when the host keeps the pace tight.
This guide gives UK HR teams, team leaders and office managers 20 practical Zoom games for work, plus advice on choosing, running and adapting them for remote or hybrid teams.
Why Zoom games still matter for work teams
Remote socials can work well, but they need more than a calendar invite and a vague promise of fun. People join from different homes, offices, time zones and energy levels. Some have cameras on, some are between meetings, and some would rather not be put on the spot.
Good Zoom games give people a reason to speak without making the whole session feel like another meeting. The best options have simple rules, short rounds and visible progress, such as scores, clues, votes or shared answers.
Remote and hybrid working are now normal for many UK office teams. Parliamentary analysis published in 2026, drawing on ONS data from April to June 2025, reported that 13% of working adults in Great Britain worked from home all the time and 26% worked from home some of the time. That means HR teams and managers still need social formats that help people connect when they are not all in the same room.
The 20 ideas below focus on practical games to play over Zoom, from quick icebreakers to hosted-style challenges for bigger groups. Most can run with Zoom chat, breakout rooms, polls, screen sharing or a shared whiteboard.
How to choose the right games to play over Zoom
Start with the purpose of the session. A 20-minute Friday social needs different games from a 90-minute department away day. If the aim is light connection, choose quick guessing games, bingo or a quiz. If the aim is collaboration, use breakout room challenges, problem solving tasks or creative pitches.
Group size matters. Up to 10 people can usually play in one room without too much waiting. For 10 to 40 people, use teams, a scoreboard and a host who keeps rounds moving. For larger groups, breakout rooms help people speak in smaller teams before coming back together for scores and reveals.
Check the technology before choosing a game. Zoom supports features such as breakout rooms, polls and quizzes, chat, screen sharing, whiteboard tools and third-party apps, but availability can depend on the account settings, device and admin permissions. If your team uses locked-down corporate laptops, avoid games that require everyone to install something new five minutes before the session.
Keep the rules short. If a game takes longer to explain than to play, it will probably drag online. A good test is whether a new starter could understand the first round from a single spoken briefing and one example.
Make the format fit the team
Choosing between a quick quiz, breakout room challenge or hosted format? NewWave Events can help you shape the right remote social for your group size, timings and audience.
20 Zoom games for work socials
Use these ideas as a starting point, then adapt the tone and difficulty for your team. For work groups, it is usually better to keep rounds brisk and rotate the style of game so quieter people are not asked to perform continuously.
- Quick-fire team quiz. Split people into small teams and run short themed rounds, such as general knowledge, music, company facts or UK landmarks. Ask teams to submit one answer per round in chat or through a nominated captain. Keep questions varied so the same person does not dominate.
- Two truths and one work win. Each person shares two true statements and one recent work win, then the group guesses which statement is the work win. It is gentler than the classic lie version and works well for teams who do not know each other well.
- Virtual scavenger hunt. Give players 60 seconds to find a safe, ordinary object near them, such as something blue, a mug with a story or an item they use every working day. Award points for speed, creativity or the best explanation.
- Guess the desk. Ask people to send a photo of a small, non-sensitive part of their desk before the session. Share each image on screen and ask teams to guess whose workspace it is. Remind people not to include documents, addresses, family photos or client information.
- Emoji film titles. Show a list of film titles written only in emojis. Teams race to decode them in breakout rooms, then return to the main room for the answers. This also works for songs, TV programmes or company values if you want a more bespoke version.
- Breakout room escape clues. Send each team a short set of clues, riddles or number puzzles and give them a fixed time to solve the final code. The host can visit rooms, offer hints and bring everyone back for the reveal.
- Company timeline challenge. Create a list of company milestones, product launches, office moves or memorable team moments, then ask teams to put them in the right order. It is useful for onboarding socials because it shares history without feeling like a presentation.
- Online bingo. Give each participant or team a bingo card linked to the event theme, such as remote working habits, festive details or conference moments. Players mark squares as prompts come up, and the host verifies the first complete line or full house.
- Shared-screen picture round. Show cropped images, blurred photos or close-up details and ask teams to identify them. Use places, food, famous faces, workplace objects or images from a previous company event if you have permission to use them.
- Playlist guessing game. Play a short clip from a safe, licensed source or use spoken clues if music playback is not suitable. Teams guess the song, artist or decade. For a more personal version, ask people to submit a song that helps them focus and let the group guess who chose it.
- Mystery object. One person holds an object just out of shot and gives three clues. The group asks yes or no questions before making a guess. It works best with everyday objects rather than obscure items that nobody could reasonably identify.
- Pitch the impossible product. Give teams a ridiculous product idea, such as a self-filling biscuit tin or weatherproof office chair. They have five minutes in breakout rooms to prepare a 30-second pitch with a name, target customer and one selling point.
- Remote charades. Players act out films, jobs, phrases or workplace scenarios on camera while their team guesses. Keep categories broad and allow people to pass if they do not want to perform.
- Pictionary on Zoom Whiteboard. Use the whiteboard or annotation tools for a drawing round. One player draws while the team guesses. Simple prompts, such as animals, office items or cities, work better online than detailed phrases.
- Poll battles. Launch quick polls with light either-or questions, then ask people to predict the winning answer before results appear. Try tea or coffee, early start or late finish, beach or city break. It is low pressure because everyone can take part at once.
- Who said it? Collect harmless anonymous quotes before the session, such as favourite work sayings, pet phrases or memorable meeting comments. Read each one out and ask teams to guess who submitted it.
- Map pin stories. Ask people to name a place that matters to them, such as a home town, favourite UK city or best holiday stop. The game element comes from guessing whose place is whose before the person explains the connection.
- Speed networking roulette. Put people into pairs or trios in breakout rooms for three-minute prompts. Use simple questions, such as what job did you want as a child, what skill would you like to learn, or what is your best local lunch spot. Rotate rooms two or three times.
- Murder mystery teaser. Give everyone a short character brief and a light mystery to solve in teams. Keep it short for Zoom, with one clue round, one questioning round and one accusation. For a longer social, a hosted format is usually smoother.
- Charity points challenge. Teams complete small creative tasks, quiz rounds or problem-solving challenges to earn points that convert into a charity donation or internal reward. It gives the session a purpose beyond the scoreboard and works well for end-of-quarter socials.
How to run the session without it dragging
Online games feel longer than in-room games because people are watching a screen and waiting for their turn. Build the agenda around short rounds. For a 30-minute social, choose two or three games. For a 60-minute social, use four or five rounds with a short pause in the middle. For a 90-minute event, add breakout rooms, a stronger theme and a clear host role.
A simple structure often works best:
- Five minutes for welcome, rules and warm-up.
- Two or three short rounds to get people talking.
- One team challenge in breakout rooms.
- A final scoreboard, reveal or prize moment.
- Two minutes to close properly rather than fading out awkwardly.
For mixed seniority groups, use teams rather than individual scoring. It reduces pressure and gives people a reason to collaborate. For new starters or cross-department sessions, avoid inside jokes in every round. One company-themed round is enough. Too many internal references can leave newer colleagues watching other people reminisce.
Nominate one person to host and one person to handle admin. The host should explain rules, keep energy steady and make judgement calls. The admin can manage breakout rooms, screen sharing, chat answers and scores. Combining both roles is possible for a small group, but it can feel rushed once numbers rise.
Hand the hosting to an events team
If you want the fun without managing scores, rooms and tech issues yourself, a hosted remote event keeps the session moving and lets your team take part properly.
Make Zoom games inclusive and safe for work
Inclusive Zoom games start with good choices before the event begins. Send the start time, finish time and broad format in advance, especially if the social sits outside normal working hours. People should know whether cameras are expected, whether they will be put into breakout rooms, and whether they need anything to hand.
Keep camera use optional where possible. Some games work perfectly well through chat, polls or audio. If you do use visual games, offer another role for anyone who cannot or does not want to be on camera, such as captain, scorer or clue reader.
Use plain prompts and avoid activities that ask people to reveal sensitive personal information. Guessing a favourite biscuit is fine. Guessing salary, relationship status, medical details or political views is not. For photo-based games, remind participants not to share client work, addresses, confidential documents or private family information.
Accessibility also needs a little planning. Speak clearly, explain visual clues out loud where practical, and use captions if they are available in your Zoom set-up. If you are using fast rounds, put the rules in chat as well as saying them. That small step helps people who join late, have audio issues or process written instructions more comfortably.
When to book a hosted remote social
DIY Zoom games are ideal for short socials, regular team catch-ups and informal Friday sessions. A hosted event is worth considering when the group is larger, the audience includes senior stakeholders, or the session needs to feel like a proper team building activity rather than a meeting with a quiz attached.
A professional host can manage pace, explain rules quickly, deal with late arrivals and keep the tone suitable for work. They can also design the right mix of competition and collaboration, which is harder than it looks when 40 people are waiting in silence for the next instruction.
If your team is fully remote or spread across several UK locations, you may want a dedicated online format. NewWave Events can help with remote team building activities that give people a reason to connect without relying on another standard video meeting.
If you are planning a wider programme, Zoom games can also sit alongside in-person away days, conference energisers or hybrid socials. For more inspiration, see NewWave Events’ guide to virtual team building activities, then choose a format that fits your team size, timings and company culture.
A simple way to plan a better Zoom social
A good remote social feels planned without feeling stiff. Use these five steps to turn a set of game ideas into a session people can follow and enjoy.
Set the purpose
Decide whether the session is for light social time, onboarding, recognition, charity fundraising or team building. The purpose will shape the game choice and tone.
Choose the format
Choose games that fit the group size, confidence level and time available. Mix chat, polls, breakout rooms and team tasks so participation does not rely on one style.
Brief the team
Send the joining details, finish time and any simple preparation. Tell people if cameras are optional and whether they need paper, a pen or an object nearby.
Run the session
Use a clear host, short rules and visible timings. Keep a backup activity ready in case one round finishes early or a feature is unavailable.
Close properly
End with scores, a reveal, a thank-you or a short reflection. If the event is part of a wider engagement plan, capture what worked for next time.
Plan a remote social your team will actually join
Planning a remote social, hybrid team building session or company-wide online event? NewWave Events can design and host a format that suits your team, keeps the pace moving and gives people a clear reason to take part.
