Employee Engagement

When Hangman
Met Trivia

A neuroscience-backed word game that cultivates connection, cognition, and culture across your organization.

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The Challenge

Your organization is distributed.
Connection shouldn't be.

Remote and hybrid work solved the commute problem. But it created a belonging problem. Step challenges and meditation apps address the body. Nothing addresses the mind and the bonds between people.

76%
of employees say belonging is important, yet fewer than half feel it at work
$280B
annual cost of mental health conditions in the workplace
79%
higher engagement scores in organizations using gamified programs

The Neuroscience

Backed by brain science, not buzzwords

Oh Word is designed around the INCLUDE® model from the NeuroLeadership Institute, the same framework used by CVS Health, Microsoft, and other Fortune 500 companies to build inclusive, high-performing cultures.

Find Common Ground

Playing the same game creates a shared identity across departments, locations, and titles. When people feel they belong, walls come down and collaboration follows naturally.

NLI INCLUDE® Model

Lift People Up

Shared leaderboards and team prompts create micro-moments of recognition. When people feel valued and respected, psychological safety grows and teams perform at their best.

NLI INCLUDE® Model

Create Clarity

A consistent ritual provides certainty in an uncertain world. A few minutes of cognitively stimulating play gives people a structured mental reset, reducing stress and sharpening focus.

NLI INCLUDE® Model

INCLUDE® is a registered trademark of NeuroLeadership Institute, Inc.

How It Works

Play. Connect. Thrive.

Oh Word is hangman reimagined with trivia. Solve clues at varying difficulty levels to earn letter guesses, then crack the Word of the Day. Every game is custom-crafted around your organization and delivered as a one-time experience or an ongoing series.

1

Culture

We learn your organization's culture and values to build a game that speaks your language.

2

Cognition

Whether it's a single event or an ongoing series, your team solves clues, earns letter guesses, and sharpens their minds.

3

Connection

Your shared leaderboard sparks conversation, friendly competition, and the kind of bond that outlasts the game.

Why Oh Word

Not another step counter.
Not another meditation app.

Oh Word is the only engagement tool that pairs cognitive wellness with cultural connection, delivered through an experience designed and delivered by a 13-year employee engagement leader. It's culture-building through play. And it actually sticks.

Perfect For

New Hire Onboarding Team Development L&D Programs Conferences + Summits Offsite Retreats ERG Activations Wellness Weeks Virtual + In-Person

Packages

Four ways to bring Oh Word to your organization

Each package is designed around how deep you want to go.

Always-On

Daily Edition

Monthly retainer

A fresh company-themed game delivered to your organization every single day. No facilitation needed. Pure daily ritual.

  • New game every day
  • Company-themed words + clues
  • Shared team leaderboard
  • Self-serve, no facilitation
  • Ideal for ongoing engagement

Tier 1

Industry Edition

Per engagement

A custom game built around your industry's language, milestones, and culture. Ideal for conferences or multi-company events.

  • Industry-themed words + clues
  • Shared leaderboard
  • Virtual or IRL facilitation
  • Branded game experience

Tier 2

Company Edition

Per engagement

Custom games reflecting your company's values, inside language, and culture. Built for workforce-wide engagement.

  • Company-specific words + clues
  • Multi-theme rotation
  • Leaderboard with team prompts
  • Virtual or IRL facilitation
  • 250 to 2,000 employees

Tier 3

Team Edition

Per engagement

The most bespoke experience. Safiya meets with your organization to craft games that capture your dynamics and shared history.

  • Discovery sessions with 3+ members
  • Hyper-personalized words + clues
  • Department or team-specific game
  • Virtual or IRL facilitation
  • Deepest connection + impact

From the people you're trying to reach

I absolutely love love love Oh Word! It helps to step away from the world just for a moment and reminisce on life changing story tellers.

Oh Word Player, Amazon Employee

Safiya Reid, Founder of Oh Word

Meet the Founder

Safiya Reid

Oh Word wasn't born in a boardroom. It was born on a subway. A girl folding the New York Times on her commute to her first internship, trying to crack crossword clues that never felt like home. Two decades later, she built the game that does.

Safiya is a 13-year employee engagement and people operations leader who built enterprise engagement functions from zero to one. As Associate Vice President of Employee Engagement, she achieved 90% participation and the highest engagement scores across a 45,000+ global employee parent company, improving belonging scores, employee NPS, and retention by 37%.

As Director of DEI, she increased leadership representation by 54%, launched 7 Employee Resource Groups reaching 62% of the workforce, and designed leadership development workshops grounded in emotional intelligence and cultural change. She is a Certified Inclusion Trainer through the NeuroLeadership Institute.

Oh Word sits at the intersection of everything she's built: neuroscience-informed design, cultural fluency, and a deep belief that play is the most underestimated tool in a leader's toolkit.

Spelman College, B.A. Economics Georgia State, M.A. Communication NLI Certified Inclusion Trainer eCornell DEI Certification Emory Business Intelligence

Recognition: 2024 NY Coalition for the Homeless Corporate Partner of the Year · 2024 Private Risk Management Association DEI Initiative of the Year · 2022 Insurance Business America Elite Women

Ready to bring Oh Word to your organization?

Whether it's an onboarding series, an offsite, or an ongoing daily ritual, let's design the experience that fits your people.