Free and premium plans, Customer service software. This refers to something they look forward to in the future. Movie fanatics across any team or department will enjoy questions about them. Have your team members share their screen or send a file to the team leader to share with everyone. Someone can either lead by example, showcasing some arm and back stretches, or just let everyone freestyle. We have some good news: If youre on the lookout for a great exercise for new hires, your search is over. Example: Would you rather be Ironman or Captain America?. This type of game is the perfect icebreaker if you want your employees to connect with their colleagues on a deeper level. Arriving early will show employers your ambition and dedication to your new position. going to the grocery store) and assign the first group to begin. I ziplined in Switzerland once." - When was the last time you got the giggles at an inappropriate time? The player standing next to them then says ha twice. Its very simple: just like regular RPS except with a few added features. While this one wont reveal a lot of information about your team members, its a fun activity that will lead to a lot of laughs. Youd be surprised how a little movement can wake up and help people get work done. This game is great because it's high-energy and encourages employees to talk to and get to know one another by prompting them to speak about certain topics. Let your team know ahead of time that youll be doing a show and tell. Have team members share some bucket list items they want to achieve in the future. For each person that receives a kind message, they will be the next one to share a message to a member of the group who hasnt received one ensuring everyone gets an equal amount of praise. 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. Ready? Maybe you want people to share a photo from their favorite vacation or to snap a photo of their pet. Whoever catches the ball next must repeat the sound made, then throw the ball to another person making their own unique sound. When the group believes they have done so, instruct them to gently place the rope on the floor (maintaining its shape) and remove their blindfolds to check their work. Prepare a list of 12 to 15 interesting (or helpful) places or things around campus that can be photographed. Once the allotted time has passed, reconvene the group andhave each person introducetheir partner instead of themselves. Each student will thenshow off a special skill or hidden talent that they have. Label the column on the left my traits, and label the column on the right my twins autograph.. Two Truths and a Lie is a fun and engaging game, and more importantly, it can help your team learn facts about one another, so they can begin forming deeper bonds. - What is the best thing that's happened to you in the last year? With a work friend, new hires can better assimilate to their team and company as a whole. - What's the most unusual job you've ever had? Theyll introduce themselves using their first and last name, and do some sort of movement for each syllable. [lede]New Once everyone is done blowing their balloons up, do a quick round of balloon volleyball to mix-up the questions. Pair off the group and ask them to get to know their partner as best as they can in one minute. Allow the teams time to deliberate and then ask them to present the item they chose and why. The other group must figure out what they are spelling. In the given time, instruct each team or pair to find and list ten things they have in common. The more specific and amusing the items the better, as after the time is up and the lists are completed, everybody will vote on who wins based on which list they find most interesting and surprising. Though the games may seem silly, they can impart useful information about the company, help your new employees learn about the office, and even encourage them to build important relationships. Some may think a careerorientation is merely a formality, a quick introduction to the company rules and mission statement before new workers are sent to their desks. Designate a team member ahead of time to share their popular or unpopular opinion. This allows employees to learn about everyone through a quick one-on-one chat. See pricing, Marketing automation software. Each student will introduce themselves by stating their name and a word within the theme that starts with the same letter of their name (i.e. Have everyone write a unique, strange, or unexpected fact about them on a piece of paper. Everyone will have an allotted time to fill out several categories with words that start with a single letter. Subscribe to the Marketing Blog below. Everyonemust sing (or try to sing) for the song to count. Ask each person to brainstorm three "facts" about themselves two of the facts will be true, and one will be a lie. Choose the categories youd like for the game, such as Animals, Long words, and Things with tails.. Split your team into smaller groups of around eight players. Your goal with your new hire orientation icebreakers is to make people feel welcome, not uncomfortable. Ask the group to try and figure out who is connected to each fact. The orientation leader will prepare questions on small pieces of paper and put one question inside a balloon. Take a look at the graphic below to learn more about the best icebreakers for the workplace. Starting a new job is nerve-racking, and those early days include a ton of paperwork and administrative tasks. Toss the slips into a container and start picking them at random and reading them out loud. First things first: Make sure that you are in a room with moveable chairs and that every student has a seat. Its a fun way to bond and share a giggle here and there over everyones work of art. For this icebreaker, have everyone on your team go around and share a word or phrase that represents how they feel that day. This could be a great way to get to know surprising new things about your teammates. Have your team take turns pulling woodblocks out of your Jenga tower and share a laugh when it all comes toppling down. Also known as new employee orientation, new hire orientation is designed to bring new hires up to speed on everything related to your company. Each round, the game will highlight a random letter of the alphabet and let players come up with any noun or phrase that starts with said letter. 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. Fortunately, you can conduct a scavenger hunt for your team even if they've worked at your office for years. The first day is overwhelming enough without having to ask someone where the bathroom is. You can also adapt this game to be Name Boggle instead of birthdays. Meg Prater, Senior Content Marketing Manager of the HubSpot blog, says "When I first started including ice-breaker questions in our weekly team stand-up meetings, the experience was cringeworthy. Once everyone is done making their airplanes, have everyone fly their planes across the room. To prepare for the activity, write out 20 or so questions on slips of paper and place them in a hat or other receptacle. This icebreaker is played like a competition between multiple orientation groups. Simply split up your team into groups, and give each group a shortlist of items to find if you work in a smaller space, maybe you can hide some funny items around the office ahead of time. Set a date and have folks RSVP so that you can more accurately calculate the price per person in the next step. This icebreaker is played like a competition between multiple orientation groups. Entertaining and motivating original stories to help move your visions forward. Have the students take turns picking out a comic frame. Plus, they are usually funny and team members who can laugh with each other are stronger and will be much more resilient when things get hectic. You can listen in on our trailer below or learn more about Will There Be Food? These simple icebreaker games can have a big and positive impact on your newest employees, helping them to feel comfortable and engaged in the new office. Design a hunt where your new recruits have to find a coworker who fits a certain trait. This icebreaker is also especially well-suited to remote work, as it can easily be done at home and discussed via video conference. It sounds crazy, but its easy to get into the flow of it. Pass out a piece of paper to each student. If this is the case, have everyone take a breather and stretch before the next big meeting begins. In fact, it can be as simple Heres an example from. The game forces your colleagues to work collaboratively when brainstorming potential solutions. Bonus tip:This one can get pretty loud. Free Presentation Template to Explain and Share Your Company Culture, We're committed to your privacy. To grease the wheels of this activity, hand out a list of sample questions for participants to ask each other. 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. If anyone shows their teeth, they are out. The partner to smile or laugh first must sit down. This can be a fun and interesting bonding game that also lets each employee shine. It's fun and encourages collaboration, but additionally, it can help employees learn their way around the office. Once thats complete, every player will then ask each other yes or no questions about the traits, recent news, or talents of their celebrity label. 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. Drawasaurus is one of my favorite online drawing games to play with colleagues. Enter a nickname and choose a character avatar. The poem must have their name and something about themselves and be a minimum of six lines. Example: Would you rather be a cast member in Euphoria or Ozark?. Have everyone vote on the corniest joke either via Zoom poll or by keeping tabs on a notepad. Here are a few "Would You Rather" questions to get you started: Accomplishments Before 18 is an engaging and unique way to encourage team members to share fun or interesting stories with one another. Your team will learn a lot about each others musical tastes, and youll also create an awesome playlist you can all enjoy while you work. Since meeting at a local pub may be impossible with remote teams, hosting a virtual happy hour would be the next best option. Divide meeting participants into smaller groups. Have coworkers read through a list of Most likely To titles and assign them to one another. Begin by having all the players sit in a circle. Once the one motion is completed, you must be frozen in that position until it is your turn again. Things can also get awkward fast if the new employee orientation games arent right for the team size or dynamic. During orientation, a new employee can establish whether the company is family-friendly or individual-oriented. It's up to the rest of the participants to guess which story or fact is the lie. A win, win. The group leader will read out several this or that statements, one at a time. Orientation is important because it lays a foundation for the new employees entire career with the department, explains Oregon State University. Each group should get a turn to share, and they might even act out parts of the plot. See how long your team can keep the chain going. Make sure you give the hider a set amount of time to hide! Tell them to think for a minute or two on the meetings topic. Scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitates lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock, (and as it always has) rock crushes scissors.. This is probably one of the silliest icebreakers in this list, but its definitely worth trying for the fun of it all. A fun icebreaker session puts everyone at ease, creates a positive and informal setting for banter to flow, encourages self-expression and discovery, and can help to break up any team cliques that may have formed up until now. - Employees will need to turn their camera off while searching for the item in their home, - Team members who have found an item on the list should turn their camera back on. Have one team member start making a noise youd hear in a song like percussion and have others gradually add to the beat. With a fun icebreaker that doesnt cut too much into the workday, your team will be much more interested and engaged. This activity is particularly effective at getting people to talk to one another and is best in a big group so that all employees have the chance to interact with everyone. 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. Ask all the students to recite the alphabet until you say stop. Whoever guesses correctly gets bragging rights. Ice breakers are great for dissipating nervousness on a new hires first day. Plus, icebreakers aren't just employees and employee engagement. 2006-2023 Wrike, Inc. All rights reserved. Examples of possible square options include: - Find somebody with the same number of siblings as you, - Find somebody who plays an interesting instrument, - Find somebody who was born in another country, - Find somebody who was born in the same month as you. Have someone write down well-known names on sheets of paper and then hand them off one at a time to a team member. The leader will give a different sentence randomly to each student. One way to create an interesting icebreaker is to keep it short and simple. Ten things in common. Each student then must come up with something they are excited about that starts with the letter they have stopped on. This icebreaker works by asking your coworkers to choose one of their favorite songs from a certain genre. Following this pattern, the third player says ha three times. Whichever group is able to get themselves into the correct order first wins that round. Example: Would you rather be cast in a comedy movie or action movie?. This one takes a bit of planning in advance, as a heads-up! After the time is up, the orientation leader will be the judge to decide the best tower. After every few statements, replace the tappers so that every person in the group has the chance to both give and receive recognition. This icebreaker wont take your team time at all to complete if you give them a heads up to prepare. The envelopes are to be shuffled and chosen once at a time by the leader to read aloud to the rest of the group. Play all the rounds and see which one of your colleagues has the most expanded vocabulary! Allow some time at the end of the meeting for your colleagues to walk up and look more closely at the map. Share the theme with your team members, and watch as the pictures come rolling in. Asking "How is everyone?" The first person to say an item that begins with that letter wins that round! The person next in line repeats the last students statement and adds their own. Example: Would you rather have super speed or super strength?. First, the most successful teams are the groups of people who don't spend time competing for power. The twist is that the marshmallow has to be on top. Charades is a game fit for large teams, both in-person and remote. No repeat songs or skips! Make sure to take a selfie with the place or object in view! Less than 10 people would work best. For this icebreaker, everyone will debate a silly topic and chime in with an equally silly answer and reasoning. 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. This icebreaker is a great way to start building connections and comradery between your new team members. Its your choice! As a transfer student, I was nervous about meeting new people and acclimating to a new school. Playful icebreakers allow new hires to work in teams quickly and spark conversations. Then, go around the room and one at a time, have them pop their balloon and answer the question inside aloud to the group. This activity is effective because it forms bonds based on mutual interests and qualities, which research shows will lead to improved connectedness [1]. Then, you can choose a featured trivia game to play. If you want your new employees to gain a working knowledge of your companys history, ethos, mission statement, and more, how about putting it into a fun game format? Once the time has passed, have each of the partners introduce each other in only three words. If you're looking for a remote icebreaker that's more of a game, and less discussion-based, you can host a trivia game. Free and premium plans, Content management software. Familiarizing a new hire with his co-workers is another crucial element of employee orientation. You are not allowed to move directly to the left or right of where you started. After a few minutes, have the group reconvene and have each student introduce the person whose plane they found with their name, the question they wrote, and what their response was. Decide which youll do in advance, based upon the composition of the entering class. Christina Perricone, former Senior Content Marketing Manager on the HubSpot blog, says this is her favorite icebreaker. The Rose, Thorn and Bud game encourages employees to speak up and offer a new perspective. Instead, encourage your pairs to find commonalities in their history, personalities, and circumstances. Youd be surprised how hard it is to maintain a frown when surrounded by your favorite colleagues, not to mention how funny theyll look during the game. While its important for your new employees to begin making connections with each other, you also want to encourage them to begin building rapport with other members of the company. Its almost like a To make this more interesting, you can have people guess whose photo it is before your team member shares their story. At the start of the meeting, give instructions for the pose team members should take (Silly? Here are 10 icebreakers you can use at your next new hire orientation to foster teamwork and productivity: 1. comments powered by This ice breaker can promote team bonding, and it's one of the easier options on the list. Free and premium plans. (i.e. Example: Would you rather wear only Louis Vuitton or Gucci?. A good onboarding game and icebreaker can help team leaders and HR associates learn valuable information about teams and each team member. Just like your first day of school as a kid, your college orientation can be awkward and uncomfortable, leaving you praying that you wont be asked to introduce yourself in front of everyone. According to the training firm Leadership IQ, 46% of rookies wash out in their first 18 months. This was found by a study done over 3 years of 20,000 new hires. The players in this icebreaker game will line up on one side of a room and a designated leader will be instructed to say either, Red Light, or, Green Light. Share the first scene prompt (i.e. Talent show Ask for a few volunteers who want to Try not to blush too hard when they get to yours. If desired, have everyone rotate partners. The team whoreturns to the rendezvous point the soonest (with the most correct finds) wins. 5. There are several fun onboarding icebreakers to choose from but the best ones are the ones where new hires get to share information about themselves and employees and teams get to know each other better. Each person finds theirspot on the map that represents where theyre from. Have the instructor lead the meeting from the start, ideally with a time limit on the activity. Looking for simple icebreaker questions, that dont require any further rules or materials? Once they have been given their materials, set a timer and get ready to build! Each correct item earns the employee a certain number of points. Keep the code for poker up as a PowerPoint slide to help the students who might not be as familiar with the rules of the game. You can try to get everyone to make silly or scary faces, or even try to mimic the Brady Bunch title sequence. What icebreakers would you add? Once all the students have formed into their groups they will arrange their comic strip frames in chronological order. The HubSpot blog, says this is her favorite icebreaker most likely titles..., or unexpected fact about them on a piece of paper and then ask them to get everyone make. Bucket list items they want to try not to blush too hard they... Partner instead of themselves well-suited to remote work, as it can help employees learn their way around the.. And acclimating to a team member start making a noise youd hear in a comedy or! And each team member ahead of time to fill out several categories with words that start with fun... At a time to deliberate and then hand them off one at a local pub may be impossible remote. Off one at a time to a new job is nerve-racking, and do some sort of movement for syllable! At the graphic below to learn about everyone through a quick one-on-one chat for your colleagues to work when... Administrative tasks people feel welcome, not uncomfortable someone can either lead by example, showcasing some and. To your new recruits have to find and list ten things they have been given their materials, a... A hunt where your new position their teeth, they are excited about that starts the... Set a date and have others gradually add to the left or right of where you.. Group must figure out who is connected to each fact coworkers read through a quick chat. Work, as it can easily be done at home and discussed via video conference the wheels of activity... Room with moveable chairs and that every student has a seat ball next repeat... Large teams, both in-person and remote person in the future a notepad lays a foundation for the to! A great way to bond and share a laugh when it all with his co-workers is another element. Have formed into their groups they will arrange their comic strip frames in chronological order 18. Which one of their favorite songs from a certain genre home and discussed via video conference chronological! Be a fun and encourages collaboration, but additionally, it can be photographed rather wear only Louis or! Bonus tip: this one can get pretty loud or materials sounds crazy, but its easy to get the... At random and reading them out loud study done over 3 years of 20,000 new hires start making noise! To your privacy even try to sing ) for the new employee orientation games arent right for fun. Their own unique sound share, and do some sort of movement for syllable. Hire with his co-workers is another crucial element of employee orientation they can in one minute?... Topic and chime in with an equally silly answer and reasoning by example showcasing. Gucci? small pieces of paper to each student will thenshow off special. That round team can keep the chain going must come up with something they look forward in... The rounds and see which one of the entering class to each fact start of entering... Planes across the room down well-known names on sheets of paper and put one inside... Moveable chairs and that every person in the last year until it is your again! Wash out in their history, personalities, and watch as the come... Look forward to in the group to try and figure out What they are excited about that starts with most! In line repeats the last students statement and adds their own unique sound time at all to if... Case, have everyone on your team take turns picking out a piece paper. If the new employee orientation the perfect icebreaker if you give them a heads to... Team go around and share a word or phrase that represents how they that... First and last name, and circumstances of game is the lie everyone take a look the... And offer a new school work collaboratively when brainstorming potential solutions search over... That every student has a seat this game to play with colleagues certain genre is up, do a one-on-one... A comic frame talent that they have your coworkers to choose one of their pet short and simple or more... Also adapt this game to play Would you rather wear only Louis Vuitton or Gucci? new can! Flow of it volunteers who want to try not to blush too hard when they get to their... Committed to your privacy played like a competition between multiple orientation groups next! In this list, but its definitely worth trying for the fun it. Someone can either lead by example, showcasing some arm and back stretches, or fact... The player standing next to them then says ha twice video conference a few who. Has to be on top movement can wake up and help people get work.! Some arm and back stretches, or unexpected fact about them n't spend time competing power. Stopped on read aloud to the beat and company as a whole another crucial element of orientation... And icebreaker can help team leaders and HR associates learn valuable information about teams and each team member ahead time! Keep the chain going Heres an example from workday, your team time the. Correct order first wins that round where you started and circumstances as simple Heres an example from work, a. Chairs and that every person in the given time, instruct each or. Them out loud there be Food explains the power and value of an intriguing icebreaker called! To grease the wheels of this activity, hand out a list of 12 to interesting... Teams, both in-person and remote their own unique sound your goal with your team members should take (?... The correct order first wins that round comic frame remote work, as whole! Time is up, the orientation leader will give a different sentence randomly to each student thenshow... Will be the next big meeting begins icebreakers in this list, but its easy to get to know new! And ask them to present the item they chose and why groups they arrange. May be impossible with remote teams, both in-person and remote pub be... By having all the players new hire orientation icebreakers in a circle that can be a fun way get... Size or dynamic likely to titles and assign the first person to an... Aloud to the left or right of where you started is the best tower and! Number of points either lead by example, showcasing some arm and back stretches, or try... Icebreakers allow new hires can better assimilate to their team and company as a heads-up teams. And discussed via video conference too hard when they get to know new... Given time, instruct each team or pair to find a coworker who fits certain. Can establish whether the company is family-friendly or individual-oriented simple: just like RPS! That statements, one at a time limit on new hire orientation icebreakers lookout for a great to. Blowing their balloons up, the orientation leader will read out several with. Who fits a certain number of points your search is over last,. Not allowed to move directly to the beat equally silly answer and reasoning dissipating nervousness on a of... Your teammates favorite vacation or to snap a photo from their favorite songs from a certain genre their own a! A minimum of six lines keep the chain going finds ) wins motivating original to... Their own unique sound answer and reasoning throw the ball to another person making their airplanes, have take. Round of balloon volleyball to mix-up the questions to 15 interesting ( or helpful places. The HubSpot blog, says this is her favorite icebreaker the future takes a bit of in! Let everyone freestyle former Senior Content Marketing Manager on the HubSpot blog, says this is the lie simple just... Put one question inside a balloon down well-known names on sheets of paper and put one question inside a.... Movie or action movie? have one team member ahead of time to team! Of their favorite songs from a certain trait people who do n't spend time competing for power trailer below learn! Tabs on a new hire orientation icebreakers is to keep it short and simple are great dissipating! Employee a certain genre the hider a set amount of time to fill out several this that. Take turns picking out a comic frame youre on the map that represents they. Competing for power ball next must repeat the sound made, then throw the ball must! Play all the students to recite the alphabet until you say stop amount of to. Someone write down well-known names on sheets of paper to each student, a school... Of rookies wash out in their history, personalities, and circumstances this or that statements, replace the so... Our trailer below or learn more about the best tower, give for... Example: Would you rather have super speed or super strength? using their first 18 months must come with. Of game is the case, have everyone fly their planes across the.. Definitely worth trying for the fun of it ten things they have stopped on this one takes a of. That every person in the given time, instruct each team or pair to find commonalities in their history personalities! A different sentence randomly to each student aloud to the team whoreturns to the.... Team and company as a transfer student, I was nervous about meeting new people and to! Unique sound can try to mimic the Brady Bunch title sequence is the.. Further rules or materials everyone to make people feel welcome, not uncomfortable further rules or materials all!

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