Icebreaker Questions for Work
Are you a CEO and want to build a good relationship with your employees? Or have you just accepted a new job and want to bond with your teammates? In both cases, Ice breaker questions can help. We have created a list of the best icebreaker questions for work.
✍️ July 26, 2021
- 🤓 What are Icebreaker Questions?
- 💼 The 20 Best Ice Breaker Questions for Work
- 🤝 Bonus: The 10 Best Team Building Questions
What are Icebreaker Questions? 🤓
Icebreaker questions are thought-provoking questions and reveal more about the others than boring small talk. Not everyone has an easy time talking to new people. Icebreaker questions can prevent awkward silence and conversations about the weather.
Purpose of Icebreaker Questions for Work
The goal of icebreaker questions is getting to know new people and having interesting conversations. With these questions, you can avoid shallow small talk and build a deeper relationship with people. If you are a rather shy or introverted person, icebreaker questions will help you feel more comfortable in conversations. However, icebreaker questions are helpful and entertaining for everyone.
The 20 Best Ice Breaker Questions for Work 💼
Icebreakers ensure a pleasant and productive working atmosphere in the office. Here you will find a list of the 20 best icebreaker questions for work, with which you can learn new and exciting things about your colleagues.
1. If you could take three months off of work to travel the world, where would you go?
Which country have you always wanted to explore, and what appeals to you the most? With this question, you have enough to talk about with your teammate for sure.
2. What superpower would help you do your job better?
Flying, walking through walls, teleporting, reading minds… Which skill would be most practical for your job?
3. What was the most useless thing you have learned in school?
No knowledge is useless, right? However, there are some questionable things I’ve learned in school. At least I haven’t had to determine the equation of a sine and cosine graph since high school.
4. What is the living philosophy of your life?
Has your philosophy of life changed over time? If so, what was it 10 years ago?
5. What is your morning routine?
Are you more of a morning grouch, or do you enjoy your morning? I’m the type of person who can’t function before my first two cups of coffee.
6. What are three of the most important lessons you have learned in your career?
You learn from experience. It is always interesting to hear and learn from other people’s experiences.
7. If you have to be stuck in one movie for the rest of your life, what movie would you pick and why?
Which movie genre would you choose for your life? Action, Drama, Comedy, or Romantic-Comedy? I assume Horror is not an option unless you’re a masochist.
8. What is the most embarrassing thing you have done in a job interview?
There’s no better way to bond with people than exchanging your most embarrassing stories. In the end, we are all humans and make mistakes. So we can laugh at ourselves too.
📖 Suggested read: 400+ Great Icebreaker Questions
9. If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
Why not change this thing for real? Maybe your teammates think the same about it. So grab your team and pitch your idea to your boss. 💪
10. Who has inspired you in your life, and why?
We meet so many people throughout our lives. In my opinion, almost every human we meet can impact our lives, even if it’s just a small one.
11. How would you spend a billion dollars?
That’s a lot of money! What would be the first things you spend your money on? At some point, you probably own everything you want. Would you also donate some of it to a charity organization?
12. If you had to choose a fictional character as your colleague, who would it be?
What fictional figure would be most useful for your job? How about Hulk or Antman?
13. What was your biggest fear about your future when you were a teenager?
What did you worry about your future when you were a teen? Was it job-related?
14. Would you rather travel 50 years into the past or 50 years into the future but not be able to come back to the present?
Is security important to you, or are you a daredevil? If you travel 50 years in the past, you know what to expect: Woodstock, boho style, hippies, discos. If you go 50 years into the future, it is uncertain what to expect: self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, Neuralink, climate change … The future holds endless possibilities but also risks.
👉 Suggested read: 100 Questions to Ask: Find a Conversation Topic
15. If you could ban one thing in the entire world, what would it be?
Guns, war, world hunger, racism, drugs - What do you think is the one thing that harms humanity the most?
16. What was your worst job you’ve ever had?
What was it that made this job so bad? And why did you take this job?
17. If you had to live as an animal for one year, what would you choose to be, and why?
The first thing that comes to my mind is a cat - strolling around the streets, sleeping, eating, and getting stroked sounds good to me. What’s your spirit animal?
18. Have you ever eaten your co-worker’s food from the office fridge?
Have you ever opened the office’ fridge and been surprised by the delicious smell of chocolate? Maybe you just couldn’t resist and ate the whole thing? No harsh feelings. It happens to the best. Next time just ask your teammate. He/she will probably let you have one bite or two. 🤤
19. What is one book that changed the way you thought about life?
If you’re not into reading, is there a video or movie that has changed your life?
20. How do you think your co-workers see you?
Be honest. Maybe your teammates think better about you than you think. After your colleague has answered the question, you could tell him/her what you really feel about him/her.
If you’re looking for more questions, check out our massive list of over 400 Icebreaker questions: 👉 Icebreaker Questions
Bonus: The 10 Best Team Building Questions 🤝
Teamwork is indispensable in today’s working world. In order to work productively in a team, functioning communication is particularly important. If teammates don’t know each other well, it is helpful to get to know each other better at first. If there is any tension in the team, it is past time to ask a few icebreaker questions. We have compiled a list of the ten best team building questions.
1. What was the last thing you saw or heard which made you laugh?
Knowing what makes other people laugh says a lot about the person. Laughing together is the best icebreaker ever.
2. Do you have any pets? What are their names?
Talking about pets is a great conversation starter. It doesn’t matter if you know a person for ten minutes or ten years. Talkin about pets and exchanging pictures of them is always an excellent way to bond.
3. What is your secret talent?
The accountant who secretly plays in a metal band. The CEO who sings all Britney Spears songs by heart at home. Everyone has secret passions and talents.
4. What are your goals in life for the next 10 years?
Do you like planning, or do you prefer to live your life spontaneously?
5. When are your most and least productive hours in a day?
What time of the day do you have the most energy?
6. What was your favorite TV show growing up?
Maybe you and your colleague watched the same TV show when you were kids. This is a perfect basis to start a conversation.
7. How do you handle stress?
What are your go-to activities when you are feeling stressed out?
8. What words would you most like to hear from your boss that would help you feel motivated in your job?
Would you like your boss to praise you more or just talk to you more? What could your boss do so that you don’t lose your motivation?
9. If you had to sing karaoke in a bar right this second, what would you sing?
You don’t have to have an angel’s voice to sing karaoke. The more off-key you sing, the funnier it is. The question is, which song could you sing by heart this instant?
10. What do you like most about your teammates?
I like this question a lot. Think about every colleague of yours and tell them what you cherish most about them.
11. If you had the chance to be on the first flight to Mars, would you take it?
There are two possible outcomes. Option 1: The flight was successful, and you can tell your grandchildren how you were one of the first people to walk around Mars. Option 2: You die. (I know, actually, there should only be 10 questions, but I didn’t want to keep this gem from you.)
