Recently, I did a deep dive on the companies with the best work cultures.
For every one of the top 25 companies, I found photos of their employees enjoying Halloween at work. From Chewy team members snapping selfies with dressed-up puppies to RingCentral employees dressing up skeletons and posing them in ergonomic chairs, these offices go big on fun in October.
It is not a coincidence that every one of these top culture companies embrace spooky season.
It’s science. Specifically, the social science behind how humans form relationships.
There are psychological and sociological reasons that Halloween has greater potential for bringing teammates together and creating lasting bonds more than any other holiday.
Here is all the eerie evidence on why every leader should enjoy Halloween with their teams.
Candy (and Conversation) Everywhere
Come October, the Halloween candy dish becomes the new office water cooler.
Candy is a powerful social connector. Eating these treats releases endorphins that can promote bonding.
However, rummaging through the candy dish is about much more than a sugar rush or positive neurochemicals. Office candy breaks are also about Commensality and the social benefits and relationship-building that come with the act of sharing a communal meal.
Modern society suffers from crises of connection, and the act of eating together is becoming increasingly rare, especially in busy workplaces that have tightened budgets for team lunches in recent years.
However, Halloween candy abounds in culture-loving offices. A bag of sweets costs much less than a restaurant bill, and team members might even take turns refilling the candy dish after the first few rounds, further deepening the sense of community.
Grabbing a fun-sized Snickers and bantering with a coworker or two is a much lower time commitment than attending a lunch or dinner, and the bowls are in the office all month.
In a fascinating Washington Post piece about the psychology of the office candy dish, organizational culture and behavior expert and George Mason University associate professor Mandy O’Neill suggests possible motivations behind team members putting out candy including newer or shier coworkers getting to know their teammates, and to prompt conversations that might not otherwise happen between coworkers who rarely cross paths.
Scares Make for Better Bonding
Halloween sends the message that it is ok to be scared sometimes and that getting a fright can even be fun, especially when with other people. Creating this psychological safety for moments of vulnerability can go a long way towards building trust on teams.
Fear releases both adrenaline and dopamine, and the same parts of the brain respond to scary experiences and pleasurable ones, doctors explain.
When we know that we are in no real danger, our brains are more easily able to perceive those feelings as fun. Plus, even in the spookiest of situations, socializing prompts the release of oxytocin, a chemical that makes us feel closer and more connected to others.
October outings like haunted house tours, ghost walks, and horror movies, can give teams an adrenaline rush that speeds up the bonding process. Not to mention, laughing and screaming can release tension.
Halloween also provides employees with a natural way to talk about things that scare them, which can help team members commiserate and support each other while also building trust and resilience.
Halloween is Less Hectic than End-of-Year Holidays
The end of the calendar year and the winter holidays tend to be hectic. Folks have lots of invites and social events to attend, like friends and family parties, school recitals, community celebrations, and their partner’s company holiday party.
A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that 77% of survey respondents admitted to accepting invitations to events that they did not want to attend out of fear of the social consequences of declining. Employees can easily overcommit to gatherings during December, which can lead to holiday party burnout and can affect their enjoyment of even most fun work holiday parties.
While employees often do have fun at corporate Christmas parties, the pressure is less at Halloween time.
During October, kids are not home on break, there is no travel to coordinate, and the deadline for holiday present shopping is still far in the future. Which means that employees can actually relax and have fun without rushing to the next event or worrying about their overflowing to-do lists.
Of course, winter holidays are also important for team building. Unfortunately, some offices only budget time and money for team building once per quarter. There are creative ways of circumventing this problem, besides just punting the holiday party into the new year. For example, if you find yourself with excess team building budget from summer (when employee PTO leads to lower attendance), prepay for Halloween experiences.
Costumes = The Perfect Balance of Individualism & Collectivism
Employees have individual identities as well as group identities – as members of a team (sometimes multiple teams,) and members of the company.
The spirit of most holidays is to gather as a group and celebrate as a whole. The focus is on community and being together, not standing out. Halloween is unique in fostering a group mentality while also celebrating individuality.
Each employee gets to choose a costume that represents their personality and interests and gives coworkers insights into who they are as a human being. Yet, the act of ditching the normal dress code and donning a disguise is a shared ritual that teammates participate in together.
This Link between “me” and “us” has much deeper implications for teamwork. For example, one study from Columbia University found that folks who practiced collectivism and individualism in equal measure tended towards an integrative conflict management style and aimed to find a mutually beneficial solution for all parties involved. This approach led to greater satisfaction with conflict outcomes, the process, relationships, goal achievement, and overall job satisfaction.
Halloween costumes are the ultimate symbol and reminder that employees are one-of-a-kind, while still being part of something larger than themselves.
Final Thoughts
Halloween is the #2 most celebrated holiday in offices in the US, but science shows it should be #1.
The occasion is more than a cultural phenomenon, it is the perfect storm of psychology and social norms that holds deep relationship-building potential.
While leaders in top culture companies might not know the exact chemical reactions brewing during a murder mystery party or an apple-picking trip, they recognize that team members have strong feelings about spooky season, with less stress compared to many other holidays.
Smart leaders capitalize on that seasonal excitement to build connections, boost morale, and leave a positive impression on employees.
