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12 *Actually Not Awkward* Virtual Icebreakers for Remote Meetings

People don’t need to share their location or name their city if they feel uncomfortable. The point is to showcase everyone’s workplace setting because it speaks to their personalities. Here’s a list of my favorite icebreakers to avoid having those awkward meetings. By definition, icebreakers are a series of questions, activities, or prompts used to break the icy tension among individuals.

We’re all used to doing the same dynamics in virtual meetings. And with time, it gets boring, and it’s harder for people to have fun because they already know how the meeting is going to work. So, a great way to energize meetings is by completely changing its structure. A great ice breaker for zoom meetings is simply asking each participant to share a fun fact about themselves. Business Card Tag is one of the most effective ways to hold a large group icebreaker. Before the activity, remind your team to bring their business cards to the gathering.

Why is a Meeting Ice Breaker Important?

In this game, you set a number of scenarios for your team to solve and provide them with two possible solutions. You could get them into groups/pairs, or ask them to solve the problem individually, although pairing is preferred. https://remotemode.net/ This is a great way to ease into solving a project challenge and encourages brainstorming and lateral thinking. For example, hunting for bugs is a great way to create an outdoor scavenger hunt for kids or adults.

Heather Harper has a Masters in Occupational Psychological from the University of Manchester. She currently works as an editorial writer specializing in organizational psychology – helping teams work better together. Whether you’re running a meeting, hosting a training, webinar, or speaking at an event, polls are your best friend. In today’s hybrid workplace, listening can be harder than ever, with an influx of information battling for our attention.

#3 Foodie Icebreaker

Weekly team meetings or one-on-one conferences are about to get much more fun for remote teams. You don’t need to be in the same room to enjoy these icebreakers. Before engaging in an online brainstorming session, use this game to inspire creativity among your team. Alternatively, make this a weekly virtual meeting icebreaker activity by selecting a different subject before your meetings. We all know the kind of fun we had playing board games or classic games as a kid. We can have the same fun with remote team members spread across the world by inviting them to play multiplayer and collaborative games like Hearts and Cribbage online.

Don’t forget to motivate your team to participate with simple prizes like $5 gift cards, a lunch surprise, a team shoutout, or front-of-office parking for the week. When you have a large group at an event or conference, you probably want to captivate the audience and kick things off with a bang. This large group icebreaker invigorates everyone with energy, positivity, https://remotemode.net/blog/15-effective-icebreakers-for-virtual-meetings/ and a sense of community by honing into the bonding and motivational effects of high-fives. Something is endearing about letting people show off their knowledge on specific topics. This game allows pairs to work together to guess the answers in a friendly competition with other groups. Asking questions is scientifically proven to make people like each other more.

#32. Pair & Share

30-Minute Virtual Icebreakers is one of the top short virtual icebreakers that will seamlessly break the ice! This hosted virtual experience will captivate teams through thoughtful games that spark conversations. Print out or share the Bingo board, and then set a time limit for how long you’d like the game to last.

  • Ask everyone to submit their top choice or pick one from a list to get everyone talking during your next meeting.
  • By using groups of just a few people, you can ensure each person gets space to share and the relationships that are built on this foundation can be meaningful indeed.
  • You never know who else is from your same part of the country, state, or even your same hometown.
  • Using icebreaker questions at the beginning of virtual calls is one of the best ways to create a relaxed environment for your team.
  • Encourage your coworkers to share what they once wanted to be.
  • Optionally, you can have someone type up the story to read back to the group or just enjoy listening at the moment.

Tell your colleagues to bring an object that has special meaning to them or that is tied to an exciting story. Give each group member 3-5 minutes to tell the rest of the group about it. Then, display people’s submissions on the screen and ask your colleagues to share what they put in and why. Acknowledging people for the effort they’re putting in is a wonderful way to start a meeting. It’s good to remind people of all the remarkable work that they’ve done.

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