Ever opened Slack and felt like… nothing’s happening? Messages are all about tasks, deadlines, and the occasional 'Let’s circle back,' but there’s no casual chat, no energy, no real team connection.

This is especially true for remote team members, who may feel disconnected without everyday office interactions.

That’s not what Slack was made for. The best teams use it to collaborate, connect, and bring a little fun into the workday.

A few simple engagement ideas can encourage team members to participate in team meetings more actively and make Slack feel like the heart of your team’s culture.

In this blog, we’ll share easy Slack engagement ideas to help teams connect, spark conversations, and make work more enjoyable.

Why Is Slack Engagement Important?

Slack isn’t just for work updates. It’s where teams chat, connect, and build relationships. When engagement is low, it can feel like just another task, but when teams interact naturally, work feels easier and more enjoyable.

With the right approach, Slack becomes more than a messaging app. It’s a space where ideas flow, teamwork happens, and culture grows.

Engagement also plays a big role in tracking progress on tasks, improving project management, and even contributing to employees’ professional development by fostering better collaboration and communication.

In fact, companies with engaged employees perform better, reporting a 23% higher profitability and 18% greater productivity than those with low engagement. A strong Slack culture helps teams feel more connected, motivated, and excited to contribute.

Keeping Slack active doesn’t have to be complicated: 86% of employees say workplace friendships are the biggest driver of job satisfaction.

A few simple engagement ideas can turn Slack into a place where collaboration happens naturally and team spirit stays high.

Easy Slack Engagement Ideas to Keep Teams Active

Engagement doesn’t have to mean endless notifications or forced interactions. Small, intentional moments can make Slack feel more like a team space rather than just another work tool.

Here are some simple ways to keep your team engaged without overwhelming them.

1. Create Interest-Based Slack Channels

Slack is more than a place for work updates. It’s where teams can connect over shared interests and build relationships beyond their daily tasks. Creating dedicated Slack channels for hobbies, casual conversations, and social interactions helps make Slack feel like a true community rather than just another workplace tool.

Popular Slack Channels to Try

• #random – A casual space for jokes, memes, and non-work chatter.

• #music-share – A channel for sharing playlists, new music, or concert experiences.

• #book-club – A great spot for book lovers to exchange recommendations.

• #fitness-goals – Encourages teammates to share workouts, wellness tips, and achievements.

• #pet-pics – Who doesn’t love sharing or seeing adorable pet photos?

• #cooking-hacks – A fun place to swap recipes, meal prep ideas, and food photos.

• #travel-tips – A space to share vacation photos, travel hacks, and must-visit places.

When teams have spaces to chat about non-work topics, engagement happens naturally. These Slack channel ideas help build relationships, boost morale, and make Slack a place people want to be.

2. Use Slack Conversation Starters

Sometimes, people just need a reason to jump into a conversation. Slack conversation starters make it easy for teams to engage without feeling forced. A simple question, poll, or fun prompt can spark discussions and keep Slack active.

Conversation Starters to Try

• Daily or weekly team questions – “What’s one thing on your bucket list?”

• GIF responses – “Describe your Monday with a GIF.”

• Would You Rather? – “Would you rather have unlimited coffee or unlimited snacks at work?”

• Team polls – “What’s the best productivity hack?”

• Two Truths and a Lie – A quick icebreaker where teammates guess the lie.

A thought-out prompt removes the pressure of starting a conversation from scratch and gives people something fun to respond to. When engagement feels easy, teams are more likely to participate.

3. Recognize Team Accomplishments in Slack

A little recognition goes a long way. Giving shoutouts in Slack boosts morale, encourages teamwork, and helps employees feel valued. Whether it’s for hitting a big goal or just lending a hand, public appreciation keeps engagement high.

Ways to Recognize Wins in Slack

• Shoutouts in a #kudos channel – Celebrate great work and team contributions.

• Peer-to-peer recognition – Encourage teammates to tag each other for small wins.

• Milestone celebrations – Highlight work anniversaries, promotions, or project completions.

• Virtual rewards – Use tools like HeyTaco! to let teammates send fun appreciation points.

Employees who feel appreciated are more engaged and motivated. Recognition makes Slack a place where people want to contribute, not just where work gets assigned.

4. Celebrate Birthdays and Milestones in Slack

Work anniversaries and birthdays might seem small, but acknowledging them builds team spirit and makes employees feel valued. A quick message, a fun GIF, or a Slack bot reminder can turn these moments into something special.

Ways to Celebrate in Slack

• Set up a #celebrations channel – Keep all birthday and milestone shoutouts in one place.

• Use BirthdayBot – Automate birthday reminders so no one gets missed.

• Send GIFs and emojis – Keep it fun with celebratory messages.

• Create a team tradition – Have a running joke, inside story, or fun fact tradition for birthdays.

Taking a minute to recognize personal milestones strengthens team connections and improves morale. It shows employees they’re more than just their work—they’re part of a team that cares.

5. Make Slack More Fun With Games and Challenges

Engagement isn’t just about work; it’s also about keeping Slack fun and interactive. Adding quick games and challenges gives teams a reason to check in, participate, and build stronger connections.

Fun Slack Games and Challenges to Try

• Trivia Tuesdays – A quick quiz where teammates compete on different topics.

• Emoji Storytelling – Tell a story using only emojis and let others guess the meaning.

• Typing Speed Challenge – See who can type a given sentence the fastest without errors.

• Virtual Scavenger Hunt – Players post pictures of items based on fun prompts.

• Two Truths and a Lie – A classic icebreaker to help teams get to know each other.

Slack games create light, fun interactions that help teammates bond without taking up too much time. A little competition and laughter can make work feel less like work.

6. Use Slack Apps and Bots to Boost Engagement

Slack apps make it easier to keep conversations flowing, recognize team wins, and add fun to the workday. With the right integrations, teams can automate engagement, schedule check-ins, and encourage participation without extra effort.

Apps to Keep Slack Interactive

• Braid – The best app for team-building games and engagement activities in Slack.

• Donut – Pairs teammates for virtual coffee chats and casual meetups.

• Polly – Creates interactive polls, surveys, and trivia questions.

• HeyTaco! – Lets teammates send virtual kudos and appreciation messages.

• GameMonk – Adds quick team games like GIF battles and trivia to Slack.

Apps help teams stay connected without adding extra work. Instead of waiting for someone to start a conversation, these tools automate engagement and make Slack a space where people want to interact.

Braid: The Ultimate Slack Engagement Tool!

Braid makes it easy to keep teams engaged by bringing fun, interactive games directly into Slack.

Whether you’re looking to break the ice, spark creativity, or strengthen team bonds, Braid helps teams connect naturally—without adding extra work to their day.

Designed for teams of all sizes, Braid works seamlessly whether you’re engaging a small group or 200+ members.

Its user-friendly setup ensures that anyone can start a game in just a few clicks, making team-building effortless and enjoyable.

Unlike other tools, Braid is built specifically for Slack (and soon Microsoft Teams), meaning no extra logins, complex setups, or switching between apps.

It’s a simple, effective way to boost engagement, encourage collaboration, and turn Slack into a space where teams genuinely enjoy spending time.

Bring Your Team Together in Seconds

Enjoy Braid’s games in seconds! Just add Braid to Slack and grant the necessary access. That’s it! Once installed, browse the game library or start a game instantly with the /braid slash command. No setup is needed—just pick a game, invite team members, and start playing.

Games You Can Play With Braid

Braid currently offers six interactive games designed to keep teams engaged and connected. New games are added regularly, so there’s always something fresh to try.

• This or That – A fun icebreaker where players choose between two options to spark quick and engaging conversations.

• Picture Puzzle – A challenge where players solve visual clues to uncover the correct answer.

• Wordsmith – A word game where teams create as many words as possible from a given set of letters before time runs out.

• Trivia – A fast-paced game that tests knowledge across different topics and encourages friendly competition.

• Typing Test – A speed challenge where players compete to type a given text as quickly and accurately as possible.

• Word Link – A word association game where players connect words by linking the last letter of one word to the first letter of the next.

More games are on the way! Braid continuously expands its library to bring new and exciting ways for teams to connect.

Pricing Plans

• Free Plan – Includes four games, basic leaderboards, and standard insights.

• Premium Plan – $5/month per user (billed annually) or $7/month per user (billed monthly), with new monthly games, advanced game customization, deeper insights, slash commands, recurring game reminders, and priority support.

• Enterprise Plan – Custom pricing for teams of 1,000+ users, with 1:1 onboarding support, custom game development, admin dashboards, customizable roles and permissions, a dedicated support channel, and priority feature requests.

Schedule a demo today and bring fun, interactive team-building games right into Slack!

Best Practices for Keeping Slack Engagement High

Keeping Slack active isn’t about sending more messages—it’s about creating a space where conversations flow naturally and teams feel encouraged to participate.

Here’s how to keep engagement high without making it feel forced.

Encourage Casual Interaction

Not every Slack message needs to be about work. Casual conversations help teams build relationships and make Slack a more welcoming space. Creating channels for hobbies, interests, and team bonding allows engagement to happen naturally.

A simple conversation starter, like a daily question or a fun poll, can spark discussions that keep Slack feeling lively. The key is to make participation easy and enjoyable without turning it into an extra task.

Lead by Example

Employees will feel more comfortable doing the same if managers and team leads actively participate in Slack conversations. A leader who jumps into a fun discussion, shares a shout-out, or engages with a poll sets the tone for the team.

When leadership is involved, Slack becomes a more interactive and inclusive space. The goal isn’t to micromanage engagement—it’s to create an environment where people feel encouraged to join in.

Balance Work and Fun

Slack should be a place for collaboration, but that doesn’t mean it has to be all about work. Keeping a balance between work-related discussions and lighthearted interactions makes engagement feel more natural.

Organizing channels effectively helps keep work updates in dedicated spaces while allowing room for fun in others. When engagement is a mix of productive conversations and enjoyable moments, Slack becomes a tool teams genuinely enjoy using.

Make Engagement Easy and Consistent

Consistency keeps engagement from feeling random or forced. Scheduling small, recurring activities, like a weekly trivia challenge or a Friday “wins” thread, gives teams something to look forward to.

Slack apps and integrations can automate engagement, making it easy for teams to participate without extra effort. Encouraging employees to take ownership of engagement by suggesting ideas or leading an activity also helps keep Slack interactive in a way that feels organic.

Encourage Peer-Led Engagement

Keeping Slack interactive doesn’t have to fall on managers or team leads. When team members take the lead on engagement, whether it’s hosting a weekly trivia challenge, posting daily conversation starters, or organizing a fun poll, participation feels more natural.

Giving employees ownership over Slack activities creates a sense of involvement and keeps engagement consistent. A rotating game host, a designated question-of-the-day poster, or an employee-run Slack event can make Slack feel like a space built by the team for the team.

Make Slack Engagement Easy With Braid!

Keeping Slack active and engaging doesn’t have to be a challenge. Simple interactions like fun channels, quick games, and team recognition can help build a stronger culture and keep conversations flowing.

When teams feel connected, team collaboration improves, and Slack becomes more than just a work tool.

Braid makes engagement effortless with built-in games, challenges, and automated activities. Teams can bond, have fun, and stay engaged without disrupting their workflow.

A quick trivia match, a word challenge, or a friendly competition can turn Slack into a space where people actually want to connect.

Schedule a demo today and see how easy it is to keep your team members engaged, connected, and excited to participate.

FAQs About Slack Engagement Ideas

How do you make Slack more engaging?

Keeping Slack engaging is all about starting the right conversations and making participation easy. Fun channels, interactive polls, quick games, and shoutouts help teams stay active without adding extra work. With Braid, you can automate engagement through team-building games, challenges, and trivia, turning Slack into a space where people actually want to connect.

What cool things can you do with Slack?

Slack is more than just a chat tool—it’s a hub for team connection. You can run polls, celebrate milestones, play games, share playlists, and even have AI-powered standups. With Braid, you can bring in icebreakers, word games, and trivia to add more fun and collaboration to your workspace.

How do you use Slack for employee engagement?

Engagement happens when Slack feels like more than just work. Create interest-based channels, recognize team wins, and run fun challenges to keep participation natural. Tools like Braid make it even easier by automating engagement with built-in Slack games and activities so teams stay connected without extra effort.

What are the 3 most useful Slack functionalities?

1. Channels – Keep conversations organized and create spaces for casual chat, hobbies, or team bonding.

2. Integrations & apps – Automate engagement with tools like Braid for games, Donut for virtual coffee chats, and Polly for polls.

3. Slash commands – Quickly start activities with simple commands like /braid to launch a game instantly.

Can Slack be used for virtual group fitness?

Yes! Slack can help teams stay active with virtual group fitness classes and wellness challenges. A #fitness-goals channel allows employees to share workouts, track progress, and motivate other team members. Adding fun challenges or step competitions keeps teams engaged, encourages accountability, and promotes well-being.