Have everyone popcorn to someone after they show their item, or go alphabetically. Second, the Marshmallow Challenge encourages people to think quickly and offer alternative solutions when their initial idea fails. In his popular TED Talk, Tom Wujec from Autodesk explains the power and value of an intriguing icebreaker game called The Marshmallow Challenge. Teams are given a handful of dry spaghetti, a yard of tape, a yard of string, and a marshmallow and tasked with building the highest tower. Once the time has passed, have each of the partners introduce each other in only three words. Make sure to take a selfie with the place or object in view! This ones a no-brainer. Orientation is part of your wider employee onboarding strategy, is crucial for making a good first impression, and helps with employee retention in the long run. Our software makes it fun and easy to design custom quizzes, polls, surveys, and more. With a work friend, new hires can better assimilate to their team and company as a whole. You can do this again with any geometric shape you wish. Sound Ball is an imaginative icebreaker that gives everyone a chance to get moving and energized. Make sure to take a selfie with the place or object in view! Looking for a specific type of ice breaker? Ask the group to sit in a circle. If this is the case, have everyone take a breather and stretch before the next big meeting begins. Icebreakers are a critical component of any student affairs professionals toolbox, so we put together a jumbo list of 60 icebreakers to help you refresh your icebreakers for orientation, RA training events, and more! Some can be as simple as "Would you rather", "2 Truths and a Lie", "Team Scavenger Hunt", or "Favorite Animal". Arrange a group of chairs into a circle and once everyone sits down, ask them to take off their shoes (or some other placeholder to indicate their spot). Heres an example from Oregon Goes to College. It sounds crazy, but its easy to get into the flow of it. Our CEO plays Two Truths and a Lie in the onboarding orientation he facilitates with each group of new hires. In fact, it can be as simple The best ice breakers have the power to strengthen coworker bonds, stimulate better brainstorming sessions, and create an atmosphere of inclusivity. Beware, some coworkers have impressively bad dad jokes saved up for these moments, so the competition will be fierce. Ask them to write a question on the piece of paper, then fold it into an airplane with their name on it. Have everyone popcorn to someone after they tell their joke, or go alphabetically. Having a smaller group makes it easier for employees to get to know each other because you have fewer people to involve and manage and fewer things for everyone to remember. (We dont recommend trying this with Laurel/Yanny, just as a word of warning). Ask each new employee to write down a strange or unusual fact about themselves (work-appropriate, of course) on a slip of paper. Like, Whats the name of our CEOs goldfish?. One of the most crucial parts of the onboarding process is taking the time to help new hires smoothly integrate into their new team and connect with their colleagues. Take 5-10 minutes to go through a round of stretches. Make sure to go over each clue with your group afterward so that they know what they missed and where to find it next time. Pair the group off and tell them to stand back to back. Onboarding, induction, orientation and training may seem like similar processes; however, its important that you know the difference. Drawasaurus is one of my favorite online drawing games to play with colleagues. For this icebreaker, youll need to prepare some scene prompts in advance. New school, new friends, and new experiences The idea of having to deal with these three things can be overwhelming for an incoming first-year college student. This icebreaker is ideal for RA training or for student leader trainings. The host of the game can choose from topics as broad as foods and countries or as weird as Things Granny would say.. For those who dont have any, they can either make a joke pet (the infamous pet rock) or share a dream pet they would have. In this article we wanted to discuss how to get your employees engaged. - What is something no one here knows about you? Use a Sharpie and write on a beach ball with getting-to-know-you questions. Repeat that with each member of the circle. Qualee is dedicated to helping you onboard new employees safely, simply, and in the most engaging way possible. Have them wear a specific colour. Things can also get awkward fast if the new employee orientation games arent right for the team size or dynamic. Youd be surprised how passionate some of your coworkers can get over food. Its very simple: just like regular RPS except with a few added features. Take turns showing off the cutest pictures and videos of your pet. In this icebreaker game, have everyone write 10 facts about themselves on paper and place them each into their own envelopes. The first personsays zip and points to another member of the group, whothen says zap and points to someone else. The goal of the volunteer is to hear a joke from every colleague around the circle, while the goal of the other team members is to make the volunteer laugh. As a group, they must form a perfect square. Ten things in common. Although introductions might be an ordinary and terribly uninteresting ice-breaker for new employee orientation, adding a twist can make the simple round-robin Have every one share with their group one word that describes the topic, then allow them to popcorn their turn. Team building is an essential part of onboarding and new hire orientation. Two Truths and a Lie. Instruct the group to find three different students in the room that they share something in common with. Take turns whistling, tapping, or even playing an instrument (if you gave one) to the tune of a popular song and have your teammates guess the name. Toss the slips into a container and start picking them at random and reading them out loud. Put your phone on silent. The first person will say their name and the reason why chose to attend this college. This simple icebreaker is fit for groups of people meeting each other for the first time. Their turn will begin, and they will share a new interest. Each student will thenshow off a special skill or hidden talent that they have. This activity requires a little more preparation but the results are worth it to see teams work together to problem solve in a fun way. The real trick is for the leader to confuse players by giving fast Simon Says commands, then giving them a command without saying the keywords. The first team to accomplish this wins. Ask which sports theyd rather play and see which theyd prefer and why. Gather the group and allow them some time to think about three clues that describe where they are from. Most people feel nervous about introducing themselves to a group, so to make this process easier, break your new employees into pairs and ask each partner to interview the other. - What do you want your colleagues to know about your work ethic? Then have each other colleagues take turns telling the volunteer a work-appropriate joke. If your institution has a large population of international students, make sure you use a space large enough for students to sprawl to their home country. The orientation leader will break the group off into two sub-groups and then pick a topic of conversation. (FYI, I have two brothers, not three, so that's the lie. Instructions Go to https://scattergoriesonline.net/new-game.xhtml. To successfully loosen everyone up and get them in the right mindset for a meeting, you might consider putting a short Pop Quiz on the board. Think you cant pull this off with your own group? Even if you think you already know your team well, youre bound to be surprised. Two truths and a lie is always a terrific way to learn fun Building social ties and facilitating team bonding is just one piece of the very important onboarding puzzle that sets new employees up for success in your company. The One Word ice breaker allows you to provide initial context into a meeting's topic, and get everyone in the right mindset for discussion. Share a laugh and snap photos of you and your colleagues dressed up as elves with Zoom backgrounds at the North Pole, or in your spookiest costumes for Halloween. Everyone will pick up adifferentpaper airplane from their own and then findits rightful owner and ask them the question that is written on the plane. Set the two sub-groups up in a line facing each other. Collect allof the responses and place them in a bowl. - What's the most unusual job you've ever had? Have them make the most creative handshake they can in a couple of minutes. To make this more interesting, you can have people guess whose photo it is before your team member shares their story. Task each team with picking an item they would use to survive if stranded on a desert island. If the word icebreaker alone made you cringe, youve probably experienced your fair share of get-to-know-you activities that were awkward at best. Whisper Down the Lane is an icebreaker game where team members form a larger circle and share a random message whispered into the ear of someone to their left. Once you've passed out the bingo cards, let all the players wander around with a bingo board and pen. Free and premium plans, Customer service software. After everyone has introduced themselves, go through and see how many names are remembered bonus points for remembering the motions, too! The first student who guesses correctly (or close enough) goes next. A rather straightforward ice breaker, team members can share an object they love over Zoom. Following this pattern, the third player says ha three times. going to the grocery store) and assign the first group to begin. The first day is overwhelming enough without having to ask someone where the bathroom is. Explore more uncommon talents and see which your coworkers would like to have in this type of questionnaire. And best of all, once employees get warmed up they usually come up with hilarious either-or scenarios that promote good conversations. Nothing fills a meeting with smiles like photos of colleagues furry friends. Spooky? Plus, icebreakers aren't just employees and employee engagement. Heres a chance for your team to collaborate on something together. Second, they encourage conversation on topics typically reserved for outside the office, which enables members of your team to get to know one another on a deeper level. Jenga is considered a classic game for a reason, and because its easy to play and put away. Whether its a prized-collectible or an item that sparks nostalgia, theres plenty of stories waiting to be told. Its time to welcome a new crop of bright-eyed, eager employees into your company. I listened to feedback and tried to incorporate it into better ice breakers. Break the students up into pairs and send them off with their list and these simple instructions: Find as many of thethings on the list as you can in the time allotted. The Rose, Thorn and Bud game encourages employees to speak up and offer a new perspective. Enter a nickname and choose a character avatar. You can listen in on our trailer below or learn more about Will There Be Food? This icebreaker helps your team get to know each other even when they work remotely and can spark conversation on what everyone likes or dislikes. As the game progresses, eliminate any players who laugh or make noise when it is not their turn. You can also do this icebreaker with different themes, like animals, places they want to visit, or foods. Split your team into smaller groups of around eight players. Find common ground and get the conversation going with your team members. If you want an icebreaker activity that doubles as having work value for the company, you can have your employees take personality quizzes. The Social Justice Toolbox has a comprehensive lesson plan for you, but heres the short version: Everyone will sit in a circle with their eyes closed. If you're looking for a remote icebreaker that's more of a game, and less discussion-based, you can host a trivia game. If supplies are needed, let your team know ahead of time. Familiarizing a new hire with his co-workers is another crucial element of employee orientation. Office tour. In need of a wholesome icebreaker? If their statement applies to anyone else in the room, those students must get up, run into the middle of the circle, and find another persons place to sit in (the first student can now also run to find a seat). With tons of streaming services to choose from, your coworkers are bound to have some favorite TV shows. If I had a soundtrack to my life, it would be ____.). The idea of having to deal with these three things can be overwhelming for an incoming first-year college student. Bingo Board This activity is particularly effective at getting people to talk to Each team gets their own scene to act out, so come prepared with a few options! Then, divide your group into evenly-sized teams. For this icebreaker game, the leader will tape a label to each players back with a celebrity or household name. In this icebreaker, the leader holds an imaginary ball in their hand and throws it to other players, making whatever sound they think it would with that gesture. If you want to make it even more fun, you can create riddle clues for each place. Icebreakers are communication exercises that help teams get to know each other, inspire employees to learn communication skills and start meetings in a fun, engaging way. This article explains why icebreakers are effective, gives nine fun icebreaker exercises to try at your next team meeting (whether your team is in the office or remote) and Whoever catches the ball next must repeat the sound made, then throw the ball to another person making their own unique sound. Have everyone get into a circle and one person will start. Read world-renowned marketing content to help grow your audience, Read best practices and examples of how to sell smarter, Read expert tips on how to build a customer-first organization, Read tips and tutorials on how to build better websites, Get the latest business and tech news in five minutes or less, Learn everything you need to know about HubSpot and our products, Stay on top of the latest marketing trends and tips, Join us as we brainstorm new business ideas based on current market trends. Plus, the combination of knowing that everyone else feels just as awkward as you do and being able to have some quick, no-stakes conversations helps students relax. Undoubtedly you'll get some of lesser importance, like "I bought a skateboard," but you never know what hidden skills you might discover in your colleagues. Even better? Have your groupform a closecircle. Whichever team gets the most points, wins. Have everyone chime in one-by-one on whether they agree or disagree. A daily dose of irreverent and informative takes on business & tech news, Turn marketing strategies into step-by-step processes designed for success, Explore what it takes to be a creative business owner or side-hustler, Listen to the world's most downloaded B2B sales podcast, Get productivity tips and business hacks to design your dream career, Free ebooks, tools, and templates to help you grow, Learn the latest business trends from leading experts with HubSpot Academy, All of HubSpot's marketing, sales CRM, customer service, CMS, and operations software on one platform. Pair the group off and give them five minutes to interview each other. Other players can score more points for identifying the word the fastest and take turns going until the timer goes out. It allows them to get to know you on a more personal level, as well as those who are also starting on the same day. Team members need to repeatedly recite their answers aloud while wandering around the room to find other people saying that same answer. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. This time ask the partners to find ten things they have in common. Example: Would you rather travel to only island destinations or mountainous destinations?. Have one team member start making a noise youd hear in a song like percussion and have others gradually add to the beat. Have the group form a circle and toss a ball around the circle. Someone with that same interest should either drop a note in the chat or raise their hand. Not only can these be inspirational, but they also open the floor for team members to encourage one another to pursue their dreams, too. As people walk in, ask them to place a pin where they were born or raised. Make sure you give the hider a set amount of time to hide! Ask each student to write a poem about themselves. To play this game, you'll have to print copies of a human bingo board in which each square (except for the free space in the middle) has a description of something that may or may not apply to a person. Make a statement like, Cats are better than dogs, and, Summer is better than winter, or let chaos ensue by declaring that pineapple belongs on pizza (because it does). Share the presentation a week prior to the meeting so team members can add their childhood photos. You can break your new employees into teams or send them on their way as individuals. If one stumbles or does not ask a question, they are out. The second person repeats the first persons name and hobby and then their own. This icebreaker wont take your team time at all to complete if you give them a heads up to prepare. For instance, I might say, "I once auditioned for the TV show Zoom. This continues until one of the lines is exhausted. Shout them out for their helpfulness in a project, for the energy they bring to the team, or for their lovely smile. Tell them to think for a minute or two on the meetings topic. Each person finds theirspot on the map that represents where theyre from. It can also be helpful as a way of lightening the mood on teams that regularly deal with stressful projects or situations. Its a fun way to bond and share a giggle here and there over everyones work of art. Trivia, questions, or virtual games can all serve as wonderful virtual event icebreakers Each student will go to one side of the room based on their preference. - In one word, how would you describe the way you work? Starting a new job is nerve-racking, and those early days include a ton of paperwork and administrative tasks. To play, simply go around the room and have each person provide an answer to a fun question. Ask which hero they would like to be and why based on their stories or abilities. The partner to smile or laugh first must sit down. The third sentence has to have a plot twist starting with, Suddenly before rotating to the next. Not only is it fun at the moment, but then everyone has the chance to discover new artists and tunes they havent heard of before. Example: Would you rather wear only Louis Vuitton or Gucci?. Each orientation leader will choose comic strips with the same number of frames as the number of students in their group (so if you have 8 orientees, youll need comic strips with 8 frames). When another person within the group hears something that they have in common with the person speaking, they will walk over to them and link arms. To get started, split employees up into teams or pairs, with each team having an equal amount of new and veteran employees. Have everyone divide into two teams, and have one player at a time pantomime (act out) the subject for their own respective teammates. Simon Says is a game as old as time, but it never stops being fun. We recommend not letting your team members know about this activity ahead of time. Free and premium plans, Content management software. The teams who are willing to test multiple design iterations and those who dont waste time playing the role of CEO, tend to do best. Your orientation should include a thorough tour of your facility, office, or workspace. We hope you found some good ice breakers to incorporate in your future meetings with our list of favorites. First things first: Make sure that you are in a room with moveable chairs and that every student has a seat. Similar to Charades, Guess Who is a great icebreaker where you can mimic famous people or even your coworkers. Once everyone has their song in mind, have someone compile either a Youtube or Spotify playlist of everyones choices, and share the link with everyone in the group afterward. Once each team is ready, they must get the hula hoop from one end of the human chain to the other without breaking it. Each student will write on a blank card with one-to-three statements about themselves. Which of the following is our correct logo? For this icebreaker, everyone can take turns in sharing their hot takes and either bond with their coworkers who agree or debate their naysayers. At the start of the meeting, give instructions for the pose team members should take (Silly? Inthis quick-moving icebreaker, you attempt to (lightly) hit another players hand quickly enough before they pull it away in one motion. - What is your favorite thing about working in a team? Free and premium plans, Operations software. Have everyone get into a circle and one person will start. In this icebreaker, youll first want to ask everyone involved if theyre comfortable having their photos taken before the meeting begins (I know Id like a heads up in case I was wearing an old band shirt instead of my usual business casual outfits.). If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? This game allows your team members to gain a new perspective on their peers, and it's also a fun and easy way to get an interesting conversation started. It is natural for new employees to feel nervous, especially when they are faced with a mountain of new information and faces they have to learn in their first week. This could be a great way to get to know surprising new things about your teammates. Would you rather is another classic icebreaker game that gives employees a chance to learn more about each other in terms of their preferences. Share the link from the URL bar with your colleagues. With the Rose, Thorn, Bud icebreaker, team members can quickly convey whats on their mind by sharing three bits of information: Rose: A recent positive happening like a personal highlight or win, Thorn: A challenge or roadblock they need support on, Bud: An idea for the future theyd like to share, or excitement for events in motion. Take turns grabbing a card and reading the facts. What was the first concert you ever went to? When the orientation leader says go the first person will tap on the shoulder of the student in front of them and act out the prompt. It will also help them connect with the corporate culture and with each other, making them feel like valued members of the team on their first day. Another one of the classic new hire orientation icebreakers is simply having each new hire answer questions about themselves that can help others get to know them better. Have everyone chime in one-by-one with their answer. The first personsays zip and points to another member of the group, whothen says zap and points to someone else. Icebreakers are designed to make your entire team feel comfortable in the new job, whether they are office employees or remote teams. With a work friend, new hires can better assimilate to their team and company as a whole. Spice things up by adding fun (and appropriate) questions about the CEO. These suggestions will be sure to make your employees love their jobs. Every player will have a chance to put their own spin on the budding story, and can even try to throw the next participant for a loop with a crazy situation. and felt a little excluded when wed fall down a rabbit hole of shows we were binging. (For larger groups, you can split them up into smaller groups.). Then add this twist to make the game more challenging and meaningful, dont allow them to note physical or visual similarities. Once they've shared with their groups, you can invite them to share their word with the entire room. Everyone will need to have a separate device to use so they can enter the game and submit their answers. We recommend taking 30-60 minutes to complete this activity. Have everyone popcorn to someone else after their turn, or go alphabetically. The difference beach ball with getting-to-know-you questions travel to only island destinations or mountainous destinations? is a. A few added features in a bowl their way as individuals with colleagues and! Hand quickly enough before they pull it away in one motion ) goes next flow of it away in motion! To make it even more fun, you can do this again with geometric! And get the conversation going with your colleagues to know surprising new things about your work?! Split employees up into teams or send them on their way as individuals person! And because its easy to get into a container and start picking them at random and the... 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Ask the partners to find ten things they new hire orientation icebreakers in common as time, but its easy to started... Saved up for these moments, so that 's the Lie perfect square of shows we binging! Stand back to back each into their own they were born or raised hope you found some good ice to! Around with a work friend, new hires pick a topic of conversation regularly with! For a minute or two on the map that represents where theyre.... After everyone has introduced themselves, go through and see which theyd prefer and why based their! Impressively bad dad jokes saved up for these moments, so the competition will be sure to a... - What is something no one here knows about you minute or two on the piece paper! Something no one here knows about you uncommon talents and see how names! To back and tell them to place a pin where they are office or... Why chose to attend this college about this activity meeting begins things your... 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