A work talent show is a way to add interest to an otherwise ordinary work week, and offers the chance to get to know the talents of your co-workers. You can use a talent show as a fundraiser for your office's favorite charity, as part of an awards evening, or to celebrate a holiday or the end of a fiscal year. As you plan, consider acts that will be tasteful and suit the type of event.

Master of Ceremonies

The key to a successful talent show is the master of ceremonies. For an office talent show, you might ask someone higher up to be the host; it can be amusing to see the fun-loving side of a CEO or a high-level executive. Choose someone who will be able to make jokes, roll with unexpected changes, and who is confident enough to speak in front of a crowd without a script. If possible, find an MC who is well-loved in the company to increase interest and participation.

Edit Lyrics

To get a laugh out of your audience at a work talent show, change the lyrics to a popular song to make them relate to your industry, office, or job responsibilities. Choose a popular song that most people in your office are likely to know; if you have many older executives, look for a more classic song that will be familiar to everyone for the greatest impact. An industrial company might choose "Working in a Coal Mine" by Lee Dorsey, for example, while a financial firm can organize a group to sing "Money, Money, Money" by ABBA.

Surprise Talents

If you are in charge of finding acts for a work talent show, start by asking around the office about hidden talents. With a bit of digging, you can find surprising skills: your reserved operations manager might be a star in local community theater, for example, or your formal supply clerk could have a stand-up comedy act. As you find interesting act possibilities, keep them a secret until the show; your co-workers will be shocked to see their quiet colleague burst into song.

Unexpected Pairings

For a fun twist on the traditional talent show, use a hat that contains names of all willing participants and have them draw groups or partners. You might have a CEO working with a mail room clerk, which will add to the interest level among other employees. The pairs or groups must find a way to combine their individual talents to form an act for the show, which can result in surprising and unexpected performances. As an added benefit, the opportunity to work with different people on an informal project can boost morale and strengthen work relationships.