25 Trivia Team Building Prize Ideas

As the only NYC corporate team building company specializing exclusively in live trivia, we are frequently asked the same questions by HR staff, department heads, office managers and intern coordinators like you inquiring about how our events are run, as well as what trivia team building events look and feel like.

Among the most commonly asked questions I receive, however, is one which has little to do with group bonding or trivia event production: what prizes should companies give out to their staff at these events? I always respond first by saying  that employees participating in a competitive team building activity such as trivia aren’t playing for prizes, but are instead playing to win; that said, it is always a good idea to provide prizes for each member of the winning team, as well as perhaps the runner-up team – maybe even smaller prizes to give away throughout the event as well.

Having produced so many hundreds of trivia events over the years, I’ve seen it all when it comes to prizes. Below is a list of my top 25 favorite trivia night prizes – they are in no particular order, and completely run the gamut as far as cost and creativity. Hopefully, one or more of these prize ideas will resonate with you!

• 1.     Starbucks gifts cards
• 2.     IPads
• 3.     Plastic trophies with customized inscriptions
• 4.     Boxes of chocolate
• 5.     Olympic-style gold, silver & bronze medals (fake, of course)
• 6.     Cold, hard cash
• 7.     A full/half day off
• 8.     Select a prize from a grab bag of smaller items
• 9.     IPod shuffles
• 10.  Broadway tickets
• 11.  Magazine subscriptions
• 12.  Department store gift certificate
• 13.  Spa treatment/massage/facial
• 14.  Kindles
• 15.  Plastic mugs inscribed with, “I’m a Winner”
• 16.  Lip balm (a personal favorite – TrivWorks is raspberry flavored, SPF 15)
• 17.  “Chum” branded with the company logo
• 18.  Team dinner at a restaurant
• 19.  Team lunch with the CEO
• 20.  Movie tickets
• 21.  1 huge Stanley Cup-style trophy for the entire team
• 22.  Tickets to a baseball game
• 23.  Manicures/pedicures
• 24.  “Official” trivia champion certificates
• 25.  Concert tickets

My suggestion, for what it’s worth, is to go with a tangible prize that your staff can proudly display on their desks, in cubicles, offices etc. to serve as a constant reminder of their win, as well as a boast to their colleagues. Doing so will help reinforce the positive memory of the experience, and help keep workplace morale high – which, of course, is the whole idea!

Have you got any ideas/suggestions for trivia team building prizes? Feel free to share below!