Here are a few ways to connect with your co-workers virtually, and if you’d like to combine these icebreaker activities with breaking actual ice into your highball glass, we don’t mind if you do! (Hmmm a mixology event combined with icebreakers… yes please!)
1. DESERT ISLAND DISCUSSION
What would you bring to a desert island? Which book? Which album? Which food? (Assuming you can eat that food in perpetuity. It’s a fantasy. Work with us here.) What is the one non-tech luxury item you simply cannot live without? 1500 thread-count Italian bedsheets? Your $5400 La Marzocco mini espresso machine? (We’ll assume beans are included.) Make sure everyone gets a turn to weigh-in and make one person a “secretary” to keep track of all the info on a virtual white board. Who would’ve guessed that most people in your office prefer savory to sweet, and what does this say about your corporate culture? (It says that you’re bringing artichoke dip instead of brownies to your next office potluck, that’s what it says.)
2. MINUTE 2 WIN IT
We love Minute 2 Win It games – fun and simple physical challenges that anyone can do from the comfort of their home/remote office. Keep in mind a little advance planning is required as you will need to have the game materials delivered or give your team a heads-up on what will be needed so they can grab it before the meeting. Divide into teams and prepare as many activities as you have team members. (Teams of 5 = 5 activities.) Each person on the team will take one challenge. If you’re feeling really creative, record the event and assign someone to edit together the highlights so you can watch it later and remember the good times!
Set your timer for one minute and:
Have a race to see who can stack stuff the fastest. Toilet paper? Red plastic cups? Get creative with it.
See how many pencils you can bounce into a water glass.
Find out who can keep up a hula hoop the longest.
Make a list and do a one-minute scavenger hunt of a few common household items and a few uncommon ones. (Snow globe …. GO!)
3. BREAK THE ICE BINGO
You can learn more about this at our very detailed blog post, but in a nutshell, you’ll create bingo cards with fun facts you may not know about your co-workers. Who can speak another language? Who hasn’t seen Star Wars? Who brought an espresso machine on their desert island vacation? (Oh wait, that’s another category.) Get to know your co-workers in a relaxed, fun way, and maybe you’ll even see a tattoo or two. (G-rated, obvs.)
