Office Charades Ideas

Office life gives you plenty of familiar situations to turn into a fun game of charades. From meetings and emails to coffee breaks, workplace problems, and funny coworker moments, there’s no shortage of ideas to act out.

Office charades is a simple way to bring coworkers together, encourage creativity, and add some laughter to team activities, office parties, or casual breaks. The prompts are easy to understand and don’t require any special equipment to act out.

To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of office charades ideas below, covering everything from everyday work tasks to funny office situations. If you’d rather jump straight into the game, use the office charades generator above to instantly get a workplace-themed prompt. Looking for charades inspiration beyond office or workplace prompts? Check out our charades ideas generator page to discover fun ideas from all walks of life.

Office Activities

From starting the workday to wrapping things up in the afternoon, everyday office activities provide plenty of familiar moments to turn into charades. Use the ideas below for easy workplace actions that coworkers can quickly recognize and act out.

• Arriving at work
• Greeting a coworker
• Checking the schedule
• Reading the news
• Making coffee
• Drinking coffee
• Eating lunch
• Chatting with coworkers
• Checking the calendar
• Writing a to-do list
• Organizing paperwork
• Filing documents
• Answering the phone
• Making a phone call
• Sending an email
• Checking emails
• Attending a meeting
• Giving a presentation
• Taking notes
• Printing a document
• Making photocopies
• Using the office printer
• Taking a break
• Leaving work
• Working late
• Celebrating a coworker’s birthday
• Decorating the office
• Cleaning the workspace
• Packing up for the day
• Talking to the boss

Workplace Actions

Simple actions are often some of the easiest charades prompts to perform. This list focuses on the everyday things people do around the workplace. As such, they should be straightforward to act out and guess.

• Typing
• Writing
• Reading
• Filing
• Stapling
• Shredding
• Printing
• Scanning
• Copying
• Signing a document
• Answering the phone
• Making a phone call
• Sending an email
• Checking email
• Taking notes
• Giving a presentation
• Shaking hands
• Greeting a coworker
• Asking a question
• Pointing at a screen
• Checking the clock
• Drinking coffee
• Eating at your desk
• Opening a file
• Closing a laptop
• Walking to a meeting
• Carrying paperwork
• Packing a briefcase

Office Jobs & Roles

Think about the different people who keep an office running, from managers and receptionists to interns and IT technicians. The following office jobs and roles give you plenty of recognizable characters to bring to life during a game.

• Boss
• Manager
• Receptionist
• Secretary
• Accountant
• Salesperson
• Marketing manager
• Human resources manager
• Office assistant
• Customer service representative
• IT technician
• Software developer
• Graphic designer
• Project manager
• Team leader
• Executive assistant
• Intern
• Consultant
• Lawyer
• Accountant
• Recruiter
• Copywriter
• Social media manager
• Data analyst
• Business owner
• Office cleaner
• Security guard
• Delivery person
• Client
• Job applicant

Meetings & Presentations

Meetings come with plenty of memorable moments, whether someone is giving a presentation, asking a question, or desperately checking the clock. Try acting out the meeting and presentation ideas below for a workplace-themed round of charades.

• Attending a meeting
• Calling a meeting
• Leading a meeting
• Giving a presentation
• Taking meeting notes
• Asking a question
• Answering a question
• Showing a presentation slide
• Pointing at a chart
• Using a projector
• Speaking to a team
• Introducing a speaker
• Making a proposal
• Sharing an idea
• Taking a vote
• Agreeing with someone
• Disagreeing with someone
• Falling asleep in a meeting
• Checking the clock
• Joining a video meeting
• Forgetting to unmute
• Waiting for someone to join
• Ending a meeting
• Scheduling another meeting
• Passing around documents
• Presenting a report
• Giving a sales pitch
• Applauding a presentation

Emails & Communication

Few parts of office life are more familiar than sending messages, answering calls, and waiting for a reply. These email and communication prompts turn common workplace conversations and mishaps into fun things to act out.

• Sending an email
• Reading an email
• Checking your inbox
• Writing a reply
• Forwarding an email
• Deleting an email
• Attaching a file
• Downloading an attachment
• Searching your inbox
• Replying to everyone
• Sending a reminder
• Writing a subject line
• Receiving an urgent email
• Waiting for a reply
• Checking for a reply
• Calling a coworker
• Leaving a voicemail
• Answering the phone
• Sending a text message
• Sending a work message
• Asking for clarification
• Sharing information
• Giving instructions
• Making an announcement
• Whispering to a coworker
• Having a private conversation
• Misunderstanding a message
• Sending an email to the wrong person

Office Equipment

Printers, phones, computers, staplers, and other office equipment can all make surprisingly fun charades prompts. Check the list below for familiar pieces of equipment that can be mimed without saying a word.

• Computer
• Laptop
• Printer
• Photocopier
• Scanner
• Telephone
• Headphones
• Projector
• Projector screen
• Keyboard
• Computer mouse
• Monitor
• Webcam
• Microphone
• Shredder
• Stapler
• Hole punch
• Paper cutter
• Calculator
• Filing cabinet
• Whiteboard
• Office chair
• Desk lamp
• Coffee machine
• Water cooler
• Fax machine
• Label maker
• Paper tray
• USB drive
• Extension cord

Desk & Workspace

Your desk is where many of the most recognizable office moments happen, from organizing paperwork to searching through drawers for a missing pen. The ideas below focus on desks, workspaces, and the little activities that happen around them.

• Sitting at a desk
• Cleaning your desk
• Organizing your desk
• Decorating your desk
• Rearranging your desk
• Opening a desk drawer
• Searching a drawer
• Finding a missing pen
• Writing in a notebook
• Reading paperwork
• Stacking documents
• Filing paperwork
• Using a desk calendar
• Checking the clock
• Drinking coffee at your desk
• Eating lunch at your desk
• Wearing headphones
• Adjusting your chair
• Raising your computer monitor
• Plugging in a laptop
• Looking for your phone
• Looking under your desk
• Losing your keys
• Finding a sticky note
• Using a stapler
• Opening a package
• Packing your desk
• Cleaning your keyboard
• Falling asleep at your desk

Office Technology

Modern workplaces rely on technology for almost everything, which makes it a natural source of charades ideas. From joining video calls to dealing with a frozen computer, the prompts below capture familiar moments involving office technology.

• Turning on a computer
• Logging into a computer
• Typing on a keyboard
• Using a mouse
• Sending an email
• Joining a video call
• Turning on a webcam
• Muting a microphone
• Sharing your screen
• Downloading a file
• Uploading a file
• Saving a document
• Deleting a file
• Searching online
• Using a spreadsheet
• Making a slideshow
• Scanning a document
• Printing a document
• Connecting to Wi-Fi
• Entering a password
• Resetting a password
• Charging a laptop
• Plugging in a phone
• Using a USB drive
• Fixing a frozen computer
• Restarting a computer
• Calling IT support
• Watching a loading screen
• Losing your internet connection

Work Tasks

Whether you’re writing a report, preparing a presentation, or racing to meet a deadline, work tasks offer plenty of possibilities for acting and guessing. Explore the list below for practical workplace tasks that make good charades prompts.

• Writing a report
• Checking a report
• Filing paperwork
• Entering data
• Making a spreadsheet
• Creating a presentation
• Answering emails
• Making phone calls
• Scheduling an appointment
• Booking a meeting
• Updating a calendar
• Reviewing a document
• Signing paperwork
• Preparing an invoice
• Counting money
• Calculating expenses
• Creating a budget
• Making a sales pitch
• Calling a client
• Helping a customer
• Training an employee
• Interviewing an applicant
• Writing a proposal
• Meeting a deadline
• Checking a checklist
• Organizing files
• Planning a project
• Solving a problem
• Researching information
• Finishing a project

Office Breaks

Not every memorable part of the workday happens at a desk. Coffee runs, lunch breaks, quick chats, and trips outside the office all create familiar scenes that can be turned into the office break charades ideas below.

• Taking a coffee break
• Making coffee
• Drinking coffee
• Eating a snack
• Eating lunch
• Going to the cafeteria
• Walking outside
• Getting some fresh air
• Stretching at your desk
• Chatting with a coworker
• Checking your phone
• Scrolling social media
• Reading the news
• Going to the restroom
• Filling a water bottle
• Getting water from the cooler
• Buying a snack
• Going to a coffee shop
• Eating at a restaurant
• Taking a short walk
• Sitting in the break room
• Playing a quick game
• Checking the time
• Relaxing in a chair
• Looking out the window
• Talking about the weekend
• Sharing snacks
• Returning from lunch
• Rushing back to work
• Sneaking an extra break

Working From Home

Working from home has its own collection of recognizable moments, from video calls and Wi-Fi problems to pets making unexpected appearances. The following prompts bring those everyday work-from-home experiences into a fun game of charades.

• Working from the couch
• Working in pajamas
• Making coffee at home
• Joining a video call
• Turning on your webcam
• Muting yourself
• Forgetting to unmute
• Sharing your screen
• Working from the kitchen
• Working from bed
• Answering the door
• Receiving a delivery
• Feeding your pet
• Walking the dog during work
• Making lunch
• Doing laundry during work
• Cleaning the house
• Losing your Wi-Fi
• Restarting the router
• Calling IT support
• Wearing headphones
• Talking to a coworker online
• Taking a home coffee break
• Checking your phone
• Getting distracted by pets
• Getting distracted by the TV
• Working with a noisy neighbor
• Pretending everything is fine on a video call
• Closing the laptop at the end of the day

Workplace Problems

Even a normal workday can go off track when the printer stops working, a deadline is missed, or the internet disappears. These workplace problem prompts turn common office frustrations into situations players can easily act out and guess.

• Computer crash
• Lost password
• Forgotten password
• Slow internet
• No Wi-Fi
• Printer jam
• Empty printer
• Paper jam
• Broken stapler
• Dead laptop battery
• Missing document
• Lost file
• Wrong attachment
• Forgotten deadline
• Missed meeting
• Double-booked meeting
• Late coworker
• Angry customer
• Difficult client
• Misunderstood instructions
• Too many emails
• Full inbox
• Overflowing paperwork
• Noisy coworker
• Cold office
• Hot office
• Empty coffee machine
• Spilled coffee
• Locked-out computer
• Running late for work

Office Events

Celebrations and special occasions can bring a completely different energy to the workplace. From birthday parties and team lunches to retirement celebrations and office awards, the ideas below are designed for acting out memorable office events.

• Office birthday party
• Birthday cake
• Office Christmas party
• Holiday party
• Company picnic
• Team lunch
• Office potluck
• Retirement party
• Farewell party
• Welcome party
• New employee orientation
• Team-building activity
• Office award ceremony
• Employee of the month
• Company anniversary
• Office barbecue
• Charity event
• Fundraising event
• Office celebration
• Promotion celebration
• Project launch
• Product launch
• Company meeting
• Staff party
• Office game night
• Office quiz
• Secret Santa
• Cake cutting
• Giving a coworker a gift
• Taking a group photo

Workplace Emotions

Work can bring out all kinds of emotions, especially when deadlines, presentations, meetings, and unexpected emails are involved. Use the prompts below to act out familiar workplace feelings and reactions without saying a word.

• Feeling excited
• Feeling nervous
• Feeling stressed
• Feeling tired
• Feeling bored
• Feeling confused
• Feeling frustrated
• Feeling angry
• Feeling happy
• Feeling proud
• Feeling embarrassed
• Feeling surprised
• Feeling relieved
• Feeling worried
• Feeling impatient
• Feeling sleepy
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Feeling confident
• Feeling shy
• Feeling disappointed
• Celebrating good news
• Panicking over a deadline
• Celebrating a promotion
• Worrying about a presentation
• Being shocked by an email
• Being excited about Friday
• Being annoyed by a coworker
• Being relieved after finishing work
• Being nervous before an interview
• Being happy to leave work

Funny Office Situations

Finally, some of the funniest office moments are the ones that feel all too familiar, like accidentally replying to everyone or fighting with a stubborn printer. Put those awkward, amusing, and relatable situations to the test with the funny office charades ideas below.

• Falling asleep at your desk
• Spilling coffee on your shirt
• Sending an email to the wrong person
• Accidentally replying all
• Forgetting to unmute
• Talking while muted
• Waving at a frozen video call
• Joining a meeting late
• Walking into the wrong meeting
• Calling someone by the wrong name
• Forgetting a coworker’s name
• Searching for your glasses while wearing them
• Looking everywhere for your phone or keys
• Fighting with the printer
• Fighting with the photocopier
• Trying to fix the Wi-Fi
• Pretending to understand a meeting
• Trying not to fall asleep
• Sneaking a snack at your desk
• Sneaking an extra coffee
• Running to the restroom
• Racing to finish a deadline
• Arriving late to work
• Leaving work exactly on time
• Pretending to work when the boss walks by
• Celebrating when the boss leaves
• Getting caught eating at your desk
• Getting stuck in an office chair
• Trying to quietly open a noisy snack package