The Fun Vending Machine Challenge

 

Is the employee mood a bit low at work lately?

Spice things up with our 5-day challenge

 

10 Minutes Prep Time

This is a great exercise for when you’ve got very little time to prepare.

You simply challenge your coworkers to do fun mini-missions for 5 days.

All you need to do is:

1. Decide where to hang the signs

Multiple locations or just one? Not everyone uses the coffee machine but hey, the goal here isn’t 100% participation right? We just want to lighten the mood

2. Write the messages you’ll be hanging

• Zero time? Hang post-it notes
• Semi-much time? Use Canva
• Involve your marketing team (yeah, perhaps stick with the two other options unless you’ve got some quick designer friend where you work)

We suggest you prepare the posters the week before.

This way you’ve got time in case something unexpected happens, or a coworker could hang them for you.

 

Keep it simple, and small

Start small, and think of challenges that 95% of your employees could do. It’s better they do something small, than give up before even trying.

Again, the goal isn’t to get fit. Just to surprise your people and have some fun.

If someone decides to join the local gym after your #MoodUp challenge, hey, that’s great but let’s be realistic.

These are challenges we suggest for our Vending Machine Challenge to #MoodUp!

 

Monday: Jump up and down as you wait

On day one, you hang a sign and ask people to jump up and down 4 times.

• Twist: If you’re buying something SWEET or greasy from the vending machine: do an extra two jumps.
• Twist: leave a skipping rope for those desperate to impress

Why jump? Jumping improves your cardiovascular health, bone density, and much more.

 

Tuesday: Squat while you wait

You could hide who is hanging these messages. That will get people started

You could also gang up with someone from another department to have different people hanging the posters to avoid suspicion and keep the conversations going.

• Bonus: if you coincide with the guu/girl stocking the vending machine, you get to pass your squats on to a coworker of your choice hehe

 

 

Wednesday: Stretch!

No, most people can’t stretch to reach their toes.

But hey, anyone can stretch their arms and legs while you wait for that lovely coffee to appear.

• Twist: Hang an empty A4 and a pen. Wait for the silliness to begin.

 

 

Thursday: Run to the door!

…and back as fast as you can, until your coffee is ready.

Go on, you know you want to!

• Twist: Ask your health & safety rep for input on recommended speed.

Click to download the poster as a pdf.

 

Friday: Be Kind

Our last Vending Machine Challenge:

Say something nice to the first person you see after reading this note!

Some coworkers might be lost for words.

Hang a second poster further down where you give them ready-made phrases:

• The play-it-cool: You know, you’re not so bad to work with
• The quick: I like your shoes!
• The generous: Here, I got you coffee!
• The lazy: I have to say something nice to the first person I see, so here’s me saying something nice

Hope you got some inspiration to #MoodUp and challenge your coworkers to a smile!

Do let us know if you tweaked our ideas?

And of course, if you noticed any effect in your daily employee morale data.

 

 

 

 

 

Hej! I’m Rebecca, cofounder at Celpax. We manufacture simple tech tools for leaders to improve their workplaces.