The Science of Play: Why Games Belong in Every Fall Strategy
with thoughts on AI from Olive Pique, HOST’s resident event expert and mascot
Remember the thrill of October as a kid? The weeks spent planning your costume, the haunted hayrides that made you scream and laugh at the same time, and the apple-bobbing contests that felt like life-or-death competitions. That anticipation and joy weren’t just fun—it was fuel.
Now fast-forward to today. The hayrides have been replaced with spreadsheets, and instead of planning costumes, most of us are planning budgets, deadlines, and back-to-back meetings. With global uncertainty, workplace stress, and a steady stream of “do more with less,” it’s no wonder employees feel drained.
That’s where play comes in. Reintroducing moments of joy at work isn’t frivolous—it’s a science-backed investment. Studies show that play reduces stress, strengthens collaboration, and makes employees more engaged and productive.¹ And here’s the ripple effect: energized employees don’t just perform better at work, they bring that energy home to their families, friends, and communities.
Fall is the perfect time to give your team a reason to laugh, bond, and feel like kids again—minus the sugar crash.
When the bar bucket doubles as the apple-bobbing bucket.
The Case for Joy at Work
Play at work isn’t about killing time. It’s about building stronger, healthier, more connected teams. Neuroscience tells us that play triggers dopamine and serotonin—the same brain chemicals that boost creativity, sharpen problem-solving, and fight burnout.²
Think about your own team: would they benefit more from another passive webinar, or from an hour of Music Bingo Party where they’re laughing, singing along, and actually smiling at their screens?
When companies prioritize play, they see:
Higher morale (and lower turnover)
Better communication across teams
Stronger loyalty from employees who feel seen, valued, and cared for
At HOST, we’ve seen the magic firsthand. From our Halloween Howler Trivia (complete with a vampire host) to collaborative games like Art Heist and escape room challenges, play transforms “just another meeting” into a memory employees actually talk about.
From Icebreakers to Impact
Icebreakers are nice. But play as impact is what changes culture.
When you layer in intention, a “fun moment” becomes a foundation for trust, creativity, and psychological safety. Games create low-stakes environments where people drop tension, laugh, take risks, and connect. Over time, those small shared wins translate into big work wins.
How play moves the needle:
Psychological safety & connection. When people laugh together, they lower their guard—and that openness fosters communication, idea-sharing, and learning. Research shows that environments encouraging play and social dynamics enhance workers’ well-being and organizational performance.³
Elevating engagement, reducing burnout. Play is a powerful buffer against stress. Teams that have structured play breaks or game-based activities report lower fatigue and higher resilience.⁴
Performance through gamified training. Companies that infused training with game mechanics saw improved knowledge retention, faster adoption, and better performance outcomes versus traditional formats.⁵
From memory to loyalty. The employees remember the moment more than the messaging. A well-designed game activation becomes part of the team’s narrative (“Remember the musical bingo that Friday?”), reinforcing belonging and pride.
At HOST, we lean into this with curated activations like Music Bingo Party, immersive challenge games, and interactive creative experiences. Instead of “icebreakers,” we call them bridge-builders—they help people cross into empathy, collaboration, and renewed energy.
Play is Universal (and Scalable)
One of the best things about play? It doesn’t come with fine print. No matter your team’s size, setup, or budget, play can flex to fit.
In-person or virtual. A group of ten can dive into a creative art challenge in a conference room, while a team of 500 can log on for a hosted escape game or real-time travel adventure. Play works wherever your people are.
Budget-friendly. Not every activation needs a line item the size of a holiday party. Scalable hosted games, creative kits, or digital-first experiences stretch budgets without cutting the fun.
Inclusive by design. When you choose games intentionally, you meet people where they are—introverts, extroverts, remote employees, or hybrid workers. Everyone gets a seat at the table (or on Zoom).
Consistency builds culture. The real ROI comes when play is a habit, not a one-off. Teams that have regular doses of structured fun are more resilient and more engaged.⁶
At HOST, we’ve seen this scalability in action. A small start-up used a Music Bingo Party as a Friday reset; a global client hosted a Halloween Howler Trivia for 300+ employees across time zones. Both walked away with the same result: people laughing, connecting, and asking, “When’s the next one?”
Why Now? The Fall Advantage
Fall isn’t just pumpkin spice season—it’s crunch season. Budgets are tightening, Q4 deadlines are looming, and employees are feeling the squeeze between end-of-year deliverables and holiday burnout. This is exactly when leaders should double down on play.
Here’s why:
Stress is highest now. Workplace surveys show stress levels spike in the last quarter of the year, dragging down productivity and morale.⁷ Structured play helps teams reset, recharge, and refocus when it matters most.
Momentum matters. Ending the year with energy and connection gives teams the motivation to hit big goals. Play creates positive memory markers that carry into Q1.
Retention is on the line. Employees who feel valued and engaged are significantly less likely to leave.⁸ And with turnover costs at an all-time high, even small investments in team joy pay off in loyalty.
Clients notice. The way you treat your team shows up in how your team treats your clients. Play isn’t just internal culture-building—it’s brand building.
The smartest companies aren’t waiting until the holiday party to add joy back in. They’re weaving play into fall strategies now, giving teams a boost of energy and engagement that makes the end-of-year push not just survivable, but memorable.
✍️ A Note from Amy
Even though I’m not much of a Halloween enthusiast as an adult, as a kid it was my season. I can still smell the motor of my mother’s Singer sewing machine and the fabric we had just picked out together. Night after night after her long workdays, she’d sit at that machine crafting my costumes.
At the time, I was jealous of my friends’ store-bought costumes—Wonder Woman masks and crinkly plastic suits straight off the shelves. But now, as an adult (and a mom), I see it differently. Those homemade costumes weren’t just outfits. They were one-of-a-kind labors of love. And looking back at the photos, they kicked ass—unique, bold, and made with care in a way no mass-produced cape ever could.
That’s what I think about when I think about play in the workplace. It’s not about flashy gimmicks or one-size-fits-all solutions. It’s about thoughtful, intentional moments that make people feel seen and valued. Just like my mom’s costumes, those moments stick. They become stories, memories, and proof that someone cared enough to invest in the joy.
At HOST, that’s what we want to help teams create—workplace “costumes” that might take a little more care, but pay back tenfold in energy, connection, and engagement.
Let’s figure it out, together.
— Amy O’Neil
Owner, HOST Events | ONAR Event Services
🫒 Olive Has Thoughts
If fall feels like crunch time, that’s exactly when play matters most. A good game lowers the guard, opens the room, and gives people a safe way to practice the skills they need—listening, collaborating, and solving together. Call it joy, call it culture, call it ROI in disguise. Just don’t call it optional.
—Olive Pique, digital mascot + morale booster
Ready to Spark Joy at Work?
From playful resets to seasonal celebrations, HOST helps teams cut through stress and reconnect through creativity. Let’s plan experiences that bring joy back into focus—without breaking your budget (or your sanity).
Let’s Get This Party Started1 Gallup — State of the Global Workplace: Engagement, wellbeing, and productivity links Gallup Workplace
2 American Psychological Association — Play as a pathway to wellbeing and performance APA
3 Stuart Brown, M.D. — Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul TED Talk
4 Deloitte — Gamified learning improves adoption and retention Deloitte Insights