Icebreaker Questions for Work
Icebreaker Questions for Work: Random Question Generator
Choose from 420 icebreaker questions for work, each written for a real meeting and sorted by type, setting and the time it takes. Pick your filters, then ask for one question or ten. Every question is also listed further down this page.
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How to use icebreaker questions for meetings
A good opening question gets every voice into the room early and costs two or three minutes. A badly chosen one puts people on the spot. These four habits make the difference.
Make it optional to answer
Say at the start that anyone can pass, or can answer in the chat instead of out loud. Amy Edmondson’s research describes psychological safety as a shared belief that a team is safe for interpersonal risk taking (Edmondson, 1999, Administrative Science Quarterly). A question nobody is allowed to decline works against that.
Go first yourself
Your answer sets the length and the tone for everyone who follows. Keep it to a sentence or two and keep it ordinary, so that nobody feels they need a clever story.
Keep it short
One question is enough. In a stand-up, choose a question from the “Under 30 seconds” group. In a large meeting or an all-hands, use the chat, a show of hands or pairs, because going around the whole room takes too long.
Match the question to the group
A new team needs light questions where any answer is fine. Deeper questions suit teams that already know each other, small groups and one to ones. Stay away from questions that depend on someone’s home, family, health or money. Nothing in this generator asks about those subjects.
Worked example
You run a Monday stand-up for eight people. Choose “This or that” and “Stand-up”. The generator shows 54 matching questions. Select “Give me a question”, read it out and answer first. Each answer takes a few seconds, so eight people finish in about two minutes.
The next week you run a workshop for a new project team. Choose “Get to know you” and “Workshop”. The generator shows 47 matching questions, most of which take about a minute per person. With eight people, allow eight to ten minutes, or put people in pairs and halve the time. Select “Give me 10”, add two or three to your shortlist and copy them into your agenda.
When a question is not enough
Questions warm up a meeting. They do not replace time spent doing something together. If you are planning an offsite or a team day, the EmEx Something Different directory lists team experiences to consider.
420 icebreaker questions for work, by type
The full question bank, in plain lists you can read, copy or print. The generator above draws from these same lists.
Quick icebreaker questions for work
These take a few seconds each, so they fit a stand-up or the first two minutes of a team meeting.
- What’s one word for how your week is going?
- What’s the best thing you’ve eaten this week?
- What’s a small win you’ve had since we last met?
- What was the first thing you did at work today?
- What’s a fact you know that surprises most people?
- What’s one thing you’re looking forward to this week?
- What song has been stuck in your head lately?
- What’s the last thing you learned that surprised you?
- If today had a weather forecast, what would yours be?
- What’s on your desk right now that isn’t work?
- What’s the most useful thing you’ve done so far today?
- What are you reading, watching or listening to at the moment?
- What’s one thing you’d like to finish by Friday?
- What time of day do you do your best thinking?
- What’s your go-to lunch on a busy day?
- What’s a word or phrase you say too often?
- What’s a word you learned recently?
- What’s one thing that made you smile this week?
- If you could add one hour to today, what would you use it for?
- What’s your favorite season, and what do you like about it?
- What was the highlight of your weekend?
- What’s a simple thing that improves your workday?
- What’s the last thing you crossed off your to-do list?
- What’s your favorite way to take a five-minute break?
- What’s one thing you’re curious about right now?
Show 25 more quick icebreaker questions
- What’s a sound you find calming?
- What’s the best advice you’ve heard recently?
- Which day of the week is your favorite, and why?
- What’s one thing you’ve changed your mind about recently?
- What’s a task you always leave until last?
- What color would you pick to describe your mood today?
- What’s the most recent thing you fixed or solved?
- What’s a hobby you’d try if you had a free afternoon?
- What’s the last thing you recommended to a friend?
- What’s your favorite snack for a long meeting?
- If you could be anywhere for the next ten minutes, where would you go?
- What’s one thing you’re grateful for today?
- What’s a skill you’ve used today that you didn’t have five years ago?
- What’s the best part of your morning routine?
- What’s something small you’re proud of this month?
- Give this week a title, as if it were a book.
- What’s the most interesting thing you’ve heard in a meeting this week?
- What’s one thing you’d like help with today?
- What would make today a good day?
- What’s a place nearby you’d recommend to a visitor?
- What’s the last thing that made you laugh at work?
- What’s your favorite thing to do on a day off?
- What’s one thing you want to learn before the end of the year?
- What’s one thing you did this week that you’d happily do again?
- What’s something you’re glad you said yes to recently?
Would you rather questions for work
Everyone picks a side, so nobody has to think of something clever. Ask for a show of hands, or a one-line reason if you have time.
- Would you rather have a four-day week with longer days or a five-day week with shorter days?
- Would you rather give a presentation to 500 people or write a 50-page report?
- Would you rather never attend another meeting or never write another email?
- Would you rather always know what time it is or always know which way is north?
- Would you rather work from a library or a coffee shop for a day?
- Would you rather be able to speak every language or play every instrument?
- Would you rather start work two hours earlier or finish two hours later?
- Would you rather have a desk by the window or a desk near the kitchen?
- Would you rather communicate only by phone or only by written message for a month?
- Would you rather have an extra hour every morning or an extra hour every evening?
- Would you rather be the first to arrive at an event or the last to leave?
- Would you rather read minds for a day or be invisible for a day?
- Would you rather visit 100 years into the future or explore any place on Earth today?
- Would you rather speak only in rhyme or only in questions for a day?
- Would you rather have a job that is outdoors all day or indoors all day?
- Would you rather master public speaking or master negotiation?
- Would you rather lead a project you know nothing about or support a project you know everything about?
- Would you rather have one long meeting a week or a short meeting every day?
- Would you rather get feedback right away or in a monthly summary?
- Would you rather have a pause button or a rewind button for your day?
- Would you rather live without music or without movies?
- Would you rather have unlimited sticky notes or unlimited whiteboard space?
- Would you rather give up your phone for a week or your laptop for a week?
- Would you rather be an expert in one thing or pretty good at many things?
- Would you rather work on one big project a year or twelve small ones?
Show 30 more would you rather questions
- Would you rather always be ten minutes early or always be exactly on time?
- Would you rather have a robot that cleans or a robot that cooks?
- Would you rather explore the deep ocean or outer space?
- Would you rather teleport anywhere once a week or fly whenever you want?
- Would you rather do a cooking class or an escape room for a team outing?
- Would you rather eat only breakfast foods or only dinner foods for a year?
- Would you rather own a pen that never runs out or a notebook that never fills up?
- Would you rather have a meeting with no agenda or an agenda with no meeting?
- Would you rather present first or present last?
- Would you rather know all the answers or ask all the right questions?
- Would you rather have a meeting-free Monday or a meeting-free Friday?
- Would you rather have your camera always on or your microphone always on?
- Would you rather spend a day shadowing the CEO or a day shadowing a new hire?
- Would you rather learn a new skill from a book or from a video?
- Would you rather be known for an invention or for a work of art?
- Would you rather have a pet that talks or a pet that runs errands?
- Would you rather live where it is always spring or always fall?
- Would you rather solve a puzzle alone or with a team?
- Would you rather plan every detail of a trip or decide everything on the day?
- Would you rather have a perfect memory for names or for numbers?
- Would you rather work in total silence or with background music?
- Would you rather get a handwritten thank-you note or a public shout-out?
- Would you rather write the agenda or take the notes?
- Would you rather have every traffic light turn green for you or never wait in line again?
- Would you rather host a podcast or write a weekly column?
- Would you rather spend a week crossing a continent by train or a week on a sailboat?
- Would you rather type twice as fast or read twice as fast?
- Would you rather have a mentor for a year or a coach for a month?
- Would you rather join a brainstorm with no rules or follow a plan with no surprises?
- Would you rather have a whole day for one task or an hour each for eight tasks?
This or that questions for work
The fastest format on this page. Read out five in a row and ask people to answer in the chat, raise a hand or move to one side of the room.
- Coffee or tea?
- Early bird or night owl?
- Email or chat message?
- Bullet points or full sentences?
- Sweet or savory?
- Mountains or beach?
- City or countryside?
- Book or audiobook?
- Window seat or aisle seat?
- Paper notebook or notes app?
- Big team or small team?
- Cook at home or eat out?
- Morning meetings or afternoon meetings?
- Cats or dogs?
- Summer or winter?
- Sunrise or sunset?
- Podcast or music?
- Early lunch or late lunch?
- Pen or pencil?
- Camera on or camera off?
- Whiteboard or shared document?
- Big picture or fine detail?
- Quick decision or careful decision?
- Tidy desk or creative chaos?
- Board games or video games?
Show 30 more this or that questions
- Pancakes or waffles?
- Road trip or train ride?
- Movie night or game night?
- Comedy or mystery?
- Spicy or mild?
- Lists or mind maps?
- Talk it through or write it down?
- Standing desk or comfortable chair?
- Video call or in-person meeting?
- Headphones or speakers?
- Light mode or dark mode?
- Fiction or nonfiction?
- Team lunch or team coffee?
- Deadline far away or deadline tomorrow?
- Quiet office or busy office?
- Slides or no slides?
- Keyboard shortcuts or mouse?
- Salad or sandwich?
- Thunderstorm or clear night sky?
- Museum or park?
- Text or voice note?
- Jigsaw or crossword?
- Learn by doing or learn by watching?
- One screen or two?
- Calendar full of blocks or calendar wide open?
- Chocolate or fruit?
- Karaoke or quiz night?
- Handwritten or typed?
- Surprise celebration or planned celebration?
- Agenda sent ahead or agenda on the day?
Get to know you questions
Use these when people will work together for a while and it helps to know how each person likes to work.
- What was your first job, and what did it teach you?
- What’s a skill you have that most colleagues don’t know about?
- How did you end up in the work you do now?
- What’s a hobby you could talk about for an hour?
- What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?
- What did you want to be when you were ten?
- What’s a place you’ve visited that stayed with you?
- What does a really good day at work look like for you?
- What’s something you’re learning outside work?
- How do you like to receive feedback?
- What’s a book, show or podcast you’d recommend, and why?
- What’s a tradition at a past workplace that you loved?
- What’s the most unusual job you’ve ever had?
- When do you prefer to be left alone to focus?
- What’s something people often get wrong about your role?
- What kind of work makes you lose track of time?
- What’s your favorite way to celebrate finishing something?
- Who is someone you learned a lot from early in your career?
- What’s a food you could eat every week without getting bored?
- What’s a subject you wish you’d studied?
- How do you prefer to be contacted when something is urgent?
- What’s one thing that helps you do your best work?
- What’s a small thing a colleague did that you still remember?
- What’s a talent you’d love to have?
- What’s a project you worked on that you’re proud of?
Show 25 more get to know you questions
- Where’s your favorite place to think?
- What’s something you’ve taught yourself?
- What’s the best team you’ve been part of, and what made it good?
- What’s a topic you could talk about for five minutes with no notice?
- What’s a tool or app you couldn’t work without?
- What’s a work habit you picked up from someone else?
- What’s a language you’d like to speak?
- What’s a part of your job you’d happily do all day?
- What’s a part of your job you’d hand over tomorrow?
- What’s a game you’re surprisingly good at?
- What’s a city or town you’d like to explore?
- What’s something on your list to try this year?
- What’s your approach when you’re stuck on a problem?
- What kind of music do you put on to concentrate?
- What’s a compliment about your work that meant a lot?
- What’s something you do differently from most people?
- What’s one thing you’d like the team to know about how you work?
- What’s a class or course that changed how you think?
- Are you more of a planner or an improviser, and where does that show up?
- What’s a dish you’re known for making?
- What’s a volunteer role or side project you’ve enjoyed?
- What’s a question you wish people asked you more often?
- What’s the best thing about your town or city?
- What was the last thing you made with your hands?
- What’s a rule you set for yourself at work?
Team building questions for reflection
These team building questions ask about the work, not the person. They suit retrospectives, quarterly reviews and offsites, and they need more time than a warm-up.
- What’s one thing this team does well that we should keep doing?
- What’s one thing we could stop doing without anyone missing it?
- What did we learn from our last project that we can use next time?
- When did this team work at its best recently, and what made that possible?
- What’s a decision we made this quarter that worked out well?
- What slows us down most often?
- What’s one meeting we could shorten, change or drop?
- Who helped you this month, and what did they do?
- What’s something we talk about a lot but haven’t acted on?
- What’s one habit that would make our handoffs smoother?
- What do other teams rely on us for?
- What should we celebrate that we haven’t yet?
- What’s one thing you’d like more clarity on?
- Where do we duplicate effort?
- What’s a risk we’re not talking about enough?
- How well do we share information, and where does it get stuck?
- What’s one thing you’d change about how we plan our work?
- What did a customer or colleague say recently that we should pay attention to?
- What’s a strength of this team that outsiders might not see?
- What’s one thing we should try for a month as an experiment?
- What do we do when we disagree, and is it working?
- What would make it easier to ask for help on this team?
- Which of our goals feels clearest, and which feels fuzziest?
- What’s something you’d like to learn from someone else on this team?
- What’s a recent mistake we handled well?
Show 20 more team reflection questions
- How do we welcome new people, and what could be better?
- What’s taking more time than it should?
- What’s one thing that would make next week better than this week?
- What are we proud of from the past three months?
- If we had one extra person for a month, what would we ask them to do?
- What’s a process we follow that no longer has a purpose?
- What does "done" mean on this team, and do we agree?
- What do you wish you’d known at the start of this project?
- What’s one thing leaders could do to make our work easier?
- When do you feel most useful on this team?
- What’s a piece of feedback we received that we should act on?
- How do we decide what not to do?
- What’s working well in how we communicate with other teams?
- What’s one tool we use well, and one we could use better?
- What would you like us to do more of in team meetings?
- What’s a small change that had a bigger effect than expected?
- Where could we give each other more notice?
- What did we finish recently that nobody stopped to notice?
- What’s one question we should ask our customers or colleagues?
- What would a new starter find confusing about how we work?
Icebreaker questions for new hires and new starters
The first group is for the new person. The questions that start "For the team" turn the spotlight around, which takes pressure off the newcomer.
- What made you say yes to this role?
- What’s one thing you’d like to learn in your first month?
- How do you like to be welcomed to a new team?
- What has surprised you most so far?
- What’s one thing we could explain better to new people?
- What’s a question you haven’t had a chance to ask yet?
- What did your last team do that you’d like to bring here?
- What helps you settle in to a new place?
- How do you prefer to learn something new: reading, watching or doing?
- What would you like to know about each of us?
- What’s one thing you’d like us to know about you?
- What part of the role are you most looking forward to?
- What’s the best first week you’ve had in any job, and what made it good?
- Who have you met so far, and who would you like to meet next?
- What’s the most useful thing someone has shown you so far?
- What acronym or term have you heard here that nobody has explained?
- What would make your second week easier than your first?
- How do you like to keep track of new information?
- What’s something you’re good at that we should make use of?
- What’s one thing that would help you feel part of the team?
- What’s your favorite way to get to know colleagues?
- What do you want to be known for here in a year?
- What’s something from outside this industry that you bring with you?
- What do you like to know before your first meeting with someone?
- How often would you like to check in during your first few weeks?
Show 15 more new starter questions
- What was the clearest part of your onboarding, and the least clear?
- What would you like to know about how decisions get made here?
- What kind of first project would suit you best?
- For the team: what’s one thing you wish you’d known in your first week?
- For the team: what’s an unwritten rule a newcomer should hear?
- For the team: who is the best person to ask about what?
- For the team: where is the best place nearby for lunch or coffee?
- For the team: what’s your one tip for getting things done here?
- For the team: what’s a team tradition a new person should know about?
- What does good support from a manager look like to you?
- What’s a tool we use that you’d like a walkthrough of?
- What have you noticed about how we work that we might not see ourselves?
- What’s one thing you’ve enjoyed since you joined?
- What would you like to understand better about our customers or the people we serve?
- What’s one thing you’d like to have done by the end of your first three months?
Icebreaker questions for remote and virtual meetings
Written for video calls. Several can be answered in the chat or with a reaction, so a large call can take part without everyone unmuting.
- Which city or town are you joining from today?
- What’s within arm’s reach that tells us something about you?
- Show us or describe the mug or glass you’re drinking from.
- What’s your best tip for a good video call?
- What’s the weather like where you are?
- What’s your favorite thing about working remotely?
- What’s one thing you miss about working in the same room as others?
- Type one emoji in the chat that sums up your week.
- What’s a work channel or group chat you’d recommend joining?
- What’s one thing you’ve learned from a colleague in another location?
- What’s the most useful keyboard shortcut you know?
- In the chat: one word for how you’re arriving at this meeting.
- What time is it where you are, and what comes after this call?
- What’s the best thing you’ve added to your workspace?
- What’s a remote-work habit you’d recommend?
- What’s the best way you’ve seen to get a remote meeting started on time?
- What’s your signal to yourself that the workday is over?
- What local food from your area should the rest of us try?
- What’s one thing on your screen you wish you could close for good?
- What’s a virtual meeting you actually enjoyed, and why?
- Find something blue near you and tell us what it is.
- What’s your preferred way to have a quick chat: call, message or voice note?
- What’s one thing that makes a remote team feel like a team?
- What do you do in the two minutes between back-to-back calls?
- Which virtual background would you pick if any place were possible?
Show 15 more remote or virtual meeting questions
- In the chat: finish the sentence "Today I’m hoping to…"
- What’s the furthest you’ve ever been from the person you were meeting with?
- What’s a time zone mix-up you’ve run into?
- Where do you like to work when you need a change of scene?
- What’s one thing you’d like colleagues to know about your working hours?
- Use a reaction: thumbs up if you’ve already had a meeting today.
- What’s a shared document or board this team couldn’t do without?
- What’s the best online workshop or session you’ve attended?
- Drop a recommendation in the chat: a book, a recipe or a walk.
- What’s one thing we could do to make this call more useful for you?
- What’s the best thing you’ve seen someone do to make a remote meeting fun?
- What have you learned about a colleague only because of video calls?
- What do you do with notifications when you need to focus?
- If your internet went down for the afternoon, what work would you do?
- What’s a good question to ask someone you’ve only met on screen?
Fun icebreaker questions
Light questions with no right answer. They work best when the group already knows each other a little, or when a long session needs a change of pace.
- If the team could have any well-behaved animal as a mascot, which would you choose?
- What would your superhero name be, based on your job?
- If our team were a band, what would we be called?
- What’s the most useless talent you have?
- If you could rename your job title to anything, what would it be?
- What would be the title of a movie about this team?
- If you had to cook one dish for the whole team, what would it be?
- What’s a fictional place you’d like to visit?
- If you could swap jobs with anyone here for a day, whose would you pick?
- What invention is the world still waiting for?
- Which animal would make the best meeting chair, if animals could talk?
- What’s the best pizza topping, and which one starts arguments?
- If you were a kitchen appliance, which one would you be?
- What would you name a boat?
- If you could add one thing to your workspace with no limits, what would it be?
- What’s a word that’s just fun to say?
- If you opened a shop, what would it sell?
- What kind of game show would you do well on?
- What’s the oddest object you’ve ever found in a meeting room?
- If you could instantly become an expert in something silly, what would it be?
- What would your theme tune be when you walk into a meeting?
- What slogan would go on this team’s T-shirt?
- What’s the best name you’ve ever heard for a pet?
- If you could visit any planet in the solar system for a day, which would you pick?
- What’s your most controversial food opinion?
Show 20 more fun questions
- If you had to teach a class on anything tomorrow, what would it be?
- What activity deserves to be an international sport?
- If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?
- What’s the best use for a spare cardboard box?
- If you were a punctuation mark, which one would you be?
- What would you put in a time capsule from this year?
- What’s a smell that instantly takes you somewhere else?
- If you came with an instruction manual, what would the first line say?
- What song would you choose if you had to do karaoke?
- If you could design the team mug, what would it say?
- What mythical creature would make the best colleague?
- If you could ban one office phrase, which would go?
- What’s a mini-adventure you’d recommend within an hour of where you live?
- If you could paint the office any color, which would you choose?
- What’s the best name for a meeting room?
- If you wrote a book, what would the first line be?
- What’s the best board game, and what’s your strategy?
- If this team entered a contest, what kind would we win?
- What everyday object deserves an award?
- What would your ideal treehouse have in it?
Deeper questions for established teams
Save these for teams that already trust each other, for small groups or for a one to one. Give people a minute to think before anyone answers.
- What’s a decision at work you’d make differently now?
- What does good work mean to you?
- What’s a challenge that shaped how you work today?
- When have you felt most trusted at work?
- What’s a piece of feedback that changed something for you?
- What do you need from colleagues when things get busy?
- What’s a value you won’t compromise on at work?
- What’s a risk you took that you’re glad you took?
- What would you like to be better at a year from now?
- Who has had the biggest influence on how you work, and how?
- What gives you energy at work, and what drains it?
- What’s something you find hard to ask for?
- What does a good manager do, in your experience?
- When did you last feel really proud of a colleague?
- What’s a mistake that taught you something useful?
- What do you want people to say about working with you?
- What helps you reset after a demanding week?
- What’s a belief about work you held early on that you no longer hold?
- What makes you feel that your work matters?
- How do you know when you’re doing your best work?
- What’s a conversation you’re glad you had, even though it was hard to start?
- What kind of recognition means the most to you?
- What’s something this team could ask more of from you?
- What’s a strength of yours that you sometimes overuse?
- What would you do in your role if you knew you had the team’s full backing?
Show 15 more deeper questions
- What’s one thing you wish leaders understood about your work?
- When do you find it hardest to speak up, and what would help?
- What does a manageable workload look like for you?
- What’s a goal you’ve set aside that you’d like to return to?
- What’s the most useful thing someone has done for your development?
- How do you like to be supported when something goes wrong?
- What’s a question about our work that you keep coming back to?
- What have you learned about yourself in the past year?
- What’s a skill you admire in someone here?
- What makes a team feel safe to disagree in?
- What’s one thing you’d like to be trusted with?
- What does success look like for you outside of targets and titles?
- What’s a change at work that turned out better than you expected?
- What would make this a place you’d recommend to a friend?
- What’s something you’d like to say thank you for?
Questions about icebreakers at work
What are good icebreaker questions for work?
Good icebreaker questions for work are quick to answer, have no wrong answer and do not ask for anything personal. Three examples from this page are "What’s a small win you’ve had since we last met?", "Coffee or tea?" and "What’s a simple thing that improves your workday?". The generator on this page holds 420 questions in nine types.
What are good would you rather questions for work?
This page lists 55 would you rather questions for work, such as "Would you rather have a meeting-free Monday or a meeting-free Friday?" and "Would you rather present first or present last?". They suit large groups because everyone can answer with a show of hands.
How many icebreaker questions should I ask in a meeting?
One is usually enough. In a stand-up, pick a question that takes under 30 seconds per person. In a workshop or a first meeting of a new team you can give a get to know you question about a minute per person. If the group is large, ask people to answer in pairs or in the chat.
How do you make an icebreaker less awkward?
Tell people they can pass, answer first yourself, and keep your own answer to a sentence or two. Choose a question that fits how well the group knows each other. A this or that question is the lowest-pressure option because the answer is one word.
What icebreaker questions work for virtual meetings?
This page has 40 questions written for remote and virtual meetings. Many can be answered in the chat or with a reaction, for example "Type one emoji in the chat that sums up your week." That lets a large call take part without everyone unmuting.
Can I use this as a random question generator?
Yes. Leave all three filters on "Any" and select "Give me a question". The generator draws at random from all 420 questions and does not repeat one until you have seen them all.
Use these icebreaker questions for work to open a meeting, a workshop or a first team session, and pick the type that suits the group.
Looking after your team: find a team experience
Looking for something different for your team? The EmEx Something Different directory lists unusual team experiences from UK and US suppliers. You contact the supplier direct, with no fees or commission.
