Getting to know your team members can be challenging if you work remotely, as there’s no water cooler talk or chances to get lunch together. Fortunately, you can use Zoom icebreakers for large groups to get the ball rolling. To build connections within your team, try these fun icebreaker activities.
Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are part puzzle, part adventure, making them perfect for boosting people’s energy. There are two options: choose a scavenger hunt online game or utilize what people have in their homes.
The first option can be super fun but requires everyone to have high-speed internet. Otherwise, one team may lag and be at a disadvantage.
The other option gets employees up and moving, which can be a nice change if your group mainly works at desks. However, it’s more challenging since you don’t know what everyone owns. To make this version of the game successful, make the items relatively generic.
Using GIFs
GIFs are a funny way to communicate and most people already use them. You can take advantage of this by arranging a GIF battle as an icebreaker.
First, create a tournament bracket and pit two team members against each other. For each pair, supply a one-word prompt such as the following:
- Birthday
- Grumpy
- Canada
Each person posts a GIF in the meeting chat. The remaining members vote on which they like best. The winner advances to the next round.
Background Guessing Game
Virtual office backgrounds are a valuable tool for creating a professional image on Zoom calls. You can also use them to have a bit of fun.
If you look up free backgrounds, you’ll find plenty of options from around the world:
- Tropical beaches
- Famous landmarks
- Gorgeous skylines
To shake things up, have everyone select a photo of a real place and set it as their background. Then, go around the group and try to guess the location of each image. It’s a great way to learn more about where people like to travel and what draws them to a place.
Trivia
Trivia is an excellent icebreaker since everyone is familiar with the concept. Since there’s no lengthy explanation of the rules, you can jump right into the fun.
If you need something quick and easy, check out the many free online trivia games available. These are great for learning something new about your coworkers, as everyone will get to show off their unique knowledge.
If you have the time and want to keep the game more work-focused, you can create your own questions. You can ask about procedures, company history and funny office stories.
Icebreaker games are great for new teams but don’t hesitate to bring them out occasionally to boost morale. Even if your workgroup has been together for a while, there’s still plenty to learn about your coworkers. It’s also fun to switch up your Zoom office backgrounds every once in a while. If your team needs a little pick-me-up, set aside an hour, whip out this list and remind everyone why they love working together.