Check our list of the top 15 icebreakers for virtual meetings and make your online events way more fun and engaging! Interesting questions, interactive activities and exciting games will for sure enhance connection and collaboration in your team.
Every day more and more people start working remotely and therefore need good tools to make their virtual meetings better. The next chapters will help you learn more about virtual icebreakers and the ways they can change the dynamics of an online gathering for the better.
What are Virtual Icebreakers?
Virtual icebreakers include such things as activities, games, questions etc.
All of these events’ purpose is to help everybody overcome the initial awkwardness or silence that may arise when people first meet each other at a virtual gathering. Icebreakers encourage participants to relax and boost them to establish personal contacts before moving on to the main meeting agenda. Ask attendees to give a brief virtual tour of their makerspace setup or workspace to spark conversation.
Advantages of Virtual Icebreakers
Icebreakers’ purpose is to help you:
1. Develop connection. Consistent use of icebreakers allows employees to get closer, which leads to more effective and productive collaboration, establishes communication and strengthens teamwork.
2. Reduce stress. Sometimes virtual meetings can seem too formal and impersonal, which leads to tension or anxiety. Simple games or funny questions can help everyone calm down, which is necessary for open and honest communication.
3. Boost engagement. People are often shy to express their opinions in a virtual environment, which makes them feel disconnected from the general conversation. Icebreakers encourage everyone to share their thoughts or join a simple activity, which helps them overcome the internal barrier.
4. Set a positive tone. The beginning of a meeting often influences the way participants contribute to the rest of it. If the gathering starts with an engaging icebreaker, people can become more receptive to new ideas and more cooperative when working on tasks.
5. Encourage creativity. Icebreakers like problem solving, word association or storytelling stimulate the brain, which increases people’s creativity, productivity and inspires innovative thinking.
5 Icebreaker Questions for Virtual Meetings
1. What’s one surprising thing you’ve learned recently?
This question encourages people to share interesting facts and engage in fun conversations.
2. What superpower do you want and why?
Asking this allows people to share some interesting information about themselves and boost their imagination.
3. What’s the best productivity hack you know?
If you want to bring people closer and also learn some useful information, ask similar questions.
4. What countries would you like to visit?
Travel-related questions usually excite people and let them share some of their dreams and goals. Learning deep information about somebody can bring everyone closer.
5. Which books or movies are your favourite and why?
Finding out that somebody loves the same things as you or getting some great recommendations is always nice and inspires really interesting conversations.
5 Icebreaker Activities for Virtual Meetings
1. Show and Tell
Show something from your workspace and share a story behind it to let your colleagues learn more about you.
2. Two Truths and a Lie
Each person shares two facts and one lie about themselves and the others try to guess a lie. It’s always fun to learn some interesting facts about your colleagues.
3. Virtual Office Tour
Getting a tour of someone’s workplace is always interesting because it’s usually a reflection of their personality. If you are really attentive you might even be able to figure out whether that person has Enneagram personality type 3 or is a perfectionist who organizes everything with a military-like precision.
4. Bucket List Challenge
Ask people to share a dream from their bucket list to create a deeper connection and learn more about them.
5. Photo Caption Contest
Share some photos from your gallery and ask everyone to come up with a funny caption. This activity sparks creativity and laughter.
5 Icebreaker Games for Virtual Meetings
1. Online Trivia
Host a competitive, engaging and fun trivia game with some challenging questions.
2. Pictionary
Participants draw a word or phrase while others try to guess it.
3. Virtual Bingo
Playing bingo is always fun. Just create bingo cards with work-related tasks and wait for the first person to complete a line.
4. Charades
One player silently acts out a word or a phrase and the others try to guess it. This game helps to energize people.
5. Scavenger Hunt
Participants have lists of items they have to find in a room they are in and bring it to the camera to show their colleagues. The activity makes everyone move and is very exciting.
Tips on Virtual Icebreakers’ Proper Use
1. Keep It Short
Icebreakers shouldn’t last longer than 5–10 minutes. Otherwise people can become tired, bored and anxious about not having enough time for their speech.
2. Consider Time Zones
This shows respect for people’s schedule and ensures maximum participation. It also helps participants feel more included, especially if they already struggle with the hardships of remote work.
3. Choose Activities That Fit Everyone
Pick something appropriate for everybody and consider cultural differences to help people feel included and create better interactions.
4. Don’t Force Participation, Encourage It
Icebreakers should always be voluntary. Try not to pressure people into doing something they are not comfortable with and let everybody observe or participate at their own pace.
5. Use Virtual Tools
A number of video conferencing platforms have built-in features that can help you bring people together. They include chats, screen sharing, reaction buttons, virtual whiteboards, polls and more.
6. Always Have a Backup Plan
Make sure to prepare a few different icebreaker options. This will help you quickly adapt to the group’s mood and the amount of time you have.
Conclusion
Icebreakers are very helpful when it comes to bringing online meeting participants closer together. Whether you ask an interesting question, play a game or share a photo, these activities can easily change the team’s mood for the better and stimulate cooperation. Try starting your digital gathering with one of the previously mentioned icebreakers and experience a great change in your team’s interaction.
