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Tiny Games for Work
Designed to give the maximum amount of fun for the minimum amount of rule-reading, Tiny Games for Work will let you find the perfect game for whatever situation you're in. All you need is this book, and the stuff that's around you. (Friends optional)
Games for sticky notes and coffee grinds, games for dealing with customers and even games for working from home. Whether you're feeling creative or competitive, silly or energetic, we've got you covered.
Games
Last Man Standing
A game of competitive standing-up in meetings for 2 or more players.
Do you have any meetings coming up?
Countless esoteric etiquette rules govern when to stand and sit down in meetings, but this game follows one simple you sit, you lose. Before your meeting, agree on who'll be playing. When you go in for the meeting, the last player to sit down wins. At the end of the meeting, why not play Last Man Sitting? You can figure out the rules. Next time, why not stand on one leg only?
2002 Berlin Thunder Season
A game for any number of bold e-mailers unafraid of creative metaphor. Do you have a computer with Internet access and work e-mails to send?
Subject to the whims of Wikipedia's 'Random article' feature, you'll need to slip some unusual words or phrases into work e-mails. Go to Wikipedia and click on 'Random article'. Note and copy the full title of your fascinating factually-accurate [citation needed] article. You must now subtly slip this full title somewhere into the next work e-mail you send.
Repeat until satisfied, or until questioned about your references to obscure byelaws and pop songs. If you want to keep score, count how many you can fit into an e-mail...
Don't Draw the Short Straw
A game for an uneven number of players. Do you have pens and paper, and an odd number of players?
In this game, you'll be drawing straws. On paper. With pens or pencils. Draw the longest or the shortest straw and you're out - the happy medium straw is what it's all about.
Give everyone a piece of paper and a pen. Now, everyone - secretly draw a straw. You want your straw to be the medium-sized straw. Has everyone finished? Amazing.
REVEAL YOUR STRAWS! The people who drew the LONGEST and the SHORTEST straw are both eliminated. Now, repeat until only one player remains - our winner! All the drawings of straws are yours - a glorious prize!
Games for sticky notes and coffee grinds, games for dealing with customers and even games for working from home. Whether you're feeling creative or competitive, silly or energetic, we've got you covered.
Games
Last Man Standing
A game of competitive standing-up in meetings for 2 or more players.
Do you have any meetings coming up?
Countless esoteric etiquette rules govern when to stand and sit down in meetings, but this game follows one simple you sit, you lose. Before your meeting, agree on who'll be playing. When you go in for the meeting, the last player to sit down wins. At the end of the meeting, why not play Last Man Sitting? You can figure out the rules. Next time, why not stand on one leg only?
2002 Berlin Thunder Season
A game for any number of bold e-mailers unafraid of creative metaphor. Do you have a computer with Internet access and work e-mails to send?
Subject to the whims of Wikipedia's 'Random article' feature, you'll need to slip some unusual words or phrases into work e-mails. Go to Wikipedia and click on 'Random article'. Note and copy the full title of your fascinating factually-accurate [citation needed] article. You must now subtly slip this full title somewhere into the next work e-mail you send.
Repeat until satisfied, or until questioned about your references to obscure byelaws and pop songs. If you want to keep score, count how many you can fit into an e-mail...
Don't Draw the Short Straw
A game for an uneven number of players. Do you have pens and paper, and an odd number of players?
In this game, you'll be drawing straws. On paper. With pens or pencils. Draw the longest or the shortest straw and you're out - the happy medium straw is what it's all about.
Give everyone a piece of paper and a pen. Now, everyone - secretly draw a straw. You want your straw to be the medium-sized straw. Has everyone finished? Amazing.
REVEAL YOUR STRAWS! The people who drew the LONGEST and the SHORTEST straw are both eliminated. Now, repeat until only one player remains - our winner! All the drawings of straws are yours - a glorious prize!
- GenresNonfictionHumor
56 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 13, 2015
So I think there are plenty of people will really get a kick out of this book. I would recommend it, but I didn't care for it.
It just wasn't for me. I might have liked these games at some of my entry level jobs when I worked at a video store. You need to have a job where you could conceivably have time to kill and want to screw with your clients or colleagues.
As a nurse it just doesn't work. I'm sure though that a lot of people will enjoy it for it's whimsy and giftability. Give it a fair shake if it sounds like something you would like.
Thank you Netgalley and Osprey Publishing for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
It just wasn't for me. I might have liked these games at some of my entry level jobs when I worked at a video store. You need to have a job where you could conceivably have time to kill and want to screw with your clients or colleagues.
As a nurse it just doesn't work. I'm sure though that a lot of people will enjoy it for it's whimsy and giftability. Give it a fair shake if it sounds like something you would like.
Thank you Netgalley and Osprey Publishing for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2015
There's a beauty in the introduction in this book. I just thought it was going to be a humorous book making fun of the workplace and showing funny games that could be played. But there's something much deeper going on. It's about recapturing innocence. Remembering how we played as kids before we stayed inside all the time playing video games. And before we grew up.
Sure, some of the games are silly, and a bit reaching for a game you'd actually play at work. But some are really insightful and inspired.
The meeting games could be really interesting. I really want to try Thanks Clive. And Wrong Statement.
And I'm thinking Small Talk would be fun in a meeting, too.
I'm dying to try 2002 Berlin Thunder Season.
And Photocop.
I love Business and Pleasure. But it could be extremely dangerous.
There's even a handy appendix in the back of the book to help you choose games based on the number of players and what's happening at work. (Going to a meeting? Stuck at your desk?)
Of course this book is really most valuable of you actually put it into practice and recapture a little bit of your youth.
Thanks to NetGalley and Osprey Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.
Sure, some of the games are silly, and a bit reaching for a game you'd actually play at work. But some are really insightful and inspired.
The meeting games could be really interesting. I really want to try Thanks Clive. And Wrong Statement.
And I'm thinking Small Talk would be fun in a meeting, too.
I'm dying to try 2002 Berlin Thunder Season.
And Photocop.
I love Business and Pleasure. But it could be extremely dangerous.
There's even a handy appendix in the back of the book to help you choose games based on the number of players and what's happening at work. (Going to a meeting? Stuck at your desk?)
Of course this book is really most valuable of you actually put it into practice and recapture a little bit of your youth.
Thanks to NetGalley and Osprey Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.
September 24, 2015
'Tiny Games for Work' by Hide Seek is a collection of simple games you can play at work. The problem is that you better use some common sense before deciding to play some of them.
Games may have a different definition in your mind, so let me explain. The games in this book are more like shenanigans or goofing off. There is a bit of a prank level to it, and maybe even laughing at others expenses. There are games where you try to pass off customers wearing red to other people playing the game, or being the last one standing in a meeting. There are games where you photocopy other people's things and try not to get caught, or you write a business email and and something erotic at the same time. You get the idea.
I've been in the workforce long enough to know that you don't need a book of games to encourage people to goof off. I have a problem (and I think some HR managers might as well) with some of the proposed "games." Also, games that play with customers by trying not to provide them service, or games that waste an employer's time may end up giving you lots of free time to play real games.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Osprey Games and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
Games may have a different definition in your mind, so let me explain. The games in this book are more like shenanigans or goofing off. There is a bit of a prank level to it, and maybe even laughing at others expenses. There are games where you try to pass off customers wearing red to other people playing the game, or being the last one standing in a meeting. There are games where you photocopy other people's things and try not to get caught, or you write a business email and and something erotic at the same time. You get the idea.
I've been in the workforce long enough to know that you don't need a book of games to encourage people to goof off. I have a problem (and I think some HR managers might as well) with some of the proposed "games." Also, games that play with customers by trying not to provide them service, or games that waste an employer's time may end up giving you lots of free time to play real games.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Osprey Games and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
August 31, 2015
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I'm sure anyone who has worked for a certain amount of their life or at a variety of jobs has played some sort of "tiny games" at work. You make up rules and take turns and it not only boosts morale, but builds that camaraderie that ends up lending itself to a better and most of the time more productive work space. (Of course as long as people are seeing to finishing any tasks that are time sensitive first.)
Who can build the tallest tower of _____? Then who can throw this other thing and knock that tower down?
How long can this coin/other item spin? Etc.
This book is small, but has some fun and unique suggestions for in or out of the work place. Some could even be used as fun icebreaker sorts of things before other things are tackled.
Apart from its contents, the book has an extremely pleasing, well-organized and clean layout.
Adding in the occasional illustration only adds to the charm.
This book more than surprised be with what it presented, how it was presented, and how excited I am at the thought of playing some of these games with colleagues or friends on slow days. (Especially with the holiday season coming up when things are slow and there is a limited amount of people actually present.)
I could see myself getting a copy of this for myself and coworkers/friends for presents.
I'm sure anyone who has worked for a certain amount of their life or at a variety of jobs has played some sort of "tiny games" at work. You make up rules and take turns and it not only boosts morale, but builds that camaraderie that ends up lending itself to a better and most of the time more productive work space. (Of course as long as people are seeing to finishing any tasks that are time sensitive first.)
Who can build the tallest tower of _____? Then who can throw this other thing and knock that tower down?
How long can this coin/other item spin? Etc.
This book is small, but has some fun and unique suggestions for in or out of the work place. Some could even be used as fun icebreaker sorts of things before other things are tackled.
Apart from its contents, the book has an extremely pleasing, well-organized and clean layout.
Adding in the occasional illustration only adds to the charm.
This book more than surprised be with what it presented, how it was presented, and how excited I am at the thought of playing some of these games with colleagues or friends on slow days. (Especially with the holiday season coming up when things are slow and there is a limited amount of people actually present.)
I could see myself getting a copy of this for myself and coworkers/friends for presents.
September 19, 2015
I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Bored at work? This handy pocket guide will provide a wide range of exciting, subversive games to help break the shackles of toil-related monotony.
No place of work should be without this compact, enlivening guide. This is a collection of games that can be played alone or in company, within meetings or with (or against!) unsuspecting customers. The games use few or no resources and range from the harmless and hilarious, to the actually quite questionable and likely to get you fired.
At the back of the book is a handy index that lists the games under various categories – feeling competitive? Stuck at your desk? – for quick reference.
I particularly enjoyed the games designed to be played within meetings – who hasn’t wanted to get back at that annoying brown-noser who won’t stop asking irrelevant, meeting prolonging questions? – and those played using customers as unwitting pawns. The game called “Triangulation”, in which the employee must keep an equal distance at all times between two unsuspecting customers is one that I would quite like to try and, like many of the games here, could be modified to be played outside of a work setting, using the general public.
If you happen to work somewhere that could do with some subversive excitement, you could do a lot worse than purchase a copy of this book and share it with likeminded colleagues.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Bored at work? This handy pocket guide will provide a wide range of exciting, subversive games to help break the shackles of toil-related monotony.
No place of work should be without this compact, enlivening guide. This is a collection of games that can be played alone or in company, within meetings or with (or against!) unsuspecting customers. The games use few or no resources and range from the harmless and hilarious, to the actually quite questionable and likely to get you fired.
At the back of the book is a handy index that lists the games under various categories – feeling competitive? Stuck at your desk? – for quick reference.
I particularly enjoyed the games designed to be played within meetings – who hasn’t wanted to get back at that annoying brown-noser who won’t stop asking irrelevant, meeting prolonging questions? – and those played using customers as unwitting pawns. The game called “Triangulation”, in which the employee must keep an equal distance at all times between two unsuspecting customers is one that I would quite like to try and, like many of the games here, could be modified to be played outside of a work setting, using the general public.
If you happen to work somewhere that could do with some subversive excitement, you could do a lot worse than purchase a copy of this book and share it with likeminded colleagues.
December 27, 2015
The cover art piqued my interest. I noticed a bulk of these are for customer service/sales-based positions. Also, I don't think I could get away with many of these... lol... still was amusing to go through the book if only to imagine colleagues playing these games (not!).
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews