152 Fun Get-to-Know-You Icebreaker Questions for Work Teams

Why Get-to-Know-You Questions are Essential in the Workplace

Since the pandemic, the dynamics of life and work have changed. With that, loneliness has statistically increased. Gallup recently found that one in five employees feels lonely. And it’s no secret that when loneliness increases, performance at work decreases. This is one of the main reasons why get to know you questions for work are so important.

The best spots to implement these types of get to know you questions for work are retreats and events! They’re a perfect icebreaker to get to know your coworkers in a new light – especially for hybrid and remote teams who don’t have as much social time on a daily basis.

Our Moniker team loves adding icebreakers that incorporate questions to ask your team to get to know them. Today, we’re going to share some of our favorites – and more about why these seemingly simple office icebreaker questions really matter.

A Comprehensive Guide to Professional Get-to-Know-You Questions

Whether it’s an onboarding event, an offsite retreat, or a company-wide annual meeting, icebreakers are the foundation for creating a collaborative environment and building unbreakable peer connections.

Key Questions for Understanding Colleagues' Professional Background and Skills

What motivated you to choose your current career path?
Can you share a significant project or accomplishment from your previous roles?
What specific skills or expertise do you bring to our team?
How did your previous experiences prepare you for this role?
What’s a professional achievement you’re particularly proud of?
What are some key challenges you’ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?
How do you stay current with industry trends and developments?
Can you describe a time when you had to learn a new skill quickly for a project?
What’s a professional development goal you’re working towards?
How do you approach problem-solving and decision-making in your work?
What kind of professional training or certifications do you have?
Can you share an example of a successful collaboration with colleagues or other teams?
What aspects of your previous roles did you enjoy the most and why?
How do you prefer to contribute to team projects or initiatives?
What’s a key lesson or insight you’ve gained from your career experiences?
What software tools or technologies are you most proficient in?
How do you handle feedback or criticism in a professional setting?
What are some strengths you bring to your role that others might not immediately notice?
How do you balance working independently with collaborating as part of a team?
What’s a recent skill or knowledge area you’ve focused on improving?

Innovative Questions for Unveiling Hidden Talents and Preferences

What skill or talent do you have that most people don't know about?
If you could instantly learn any skill, what would it be and why?
What's something you've always wanted to try but haven't had the chance to yet?
What hobby or activity brings you the most joy?
If you could be exceptionally good at any sport, which one would you choose?
What's a creative project you're proud of?
If you could spend a day learning from any expert, who would it be and what would you learn?
What's the most unique talent you have?
If you could master any musical instrument, which one would it be?
What's an unusual or surprising interest you have?
If you could switch careers without any obstacles, what would you do?
What's a hidden talent you wish you had?
If you could design your perfect job, what would it involve?
What's the most interesting class or workshop you've ever taken?
If you could be an expert in any field, what would it be?
What's a creative outlet you enjoy but don't often get to indulge in?
If you could travel anywhere to learn something new, where would you go and what would you learn?
What's a personal achievement that you're particularly proud of?
If you could spend a year doing something completely different from your current life, what would it be?
What's a passion project you've always wanted to start?

Exploring Personal Interests: Beyond Work Conversations

But these types of icebreakers should never be all about work.

It’s oftentimes better to start with the more fun and personal and skip the work questions if you don’t have time. Team members are going to bond and create connections over shared hobbies, values, and interests – not what software language they’re fluent in. Okay, some engineers may bond over that, but not everyone will.

Here are questions to consider that make things more personal, in a respectful, work-appropriate way:

Hobbies and Interests That Bring Teams Closer

What’s a hobby or activity you’re passionate about outside of work?
If you could dedicate more time to any hobby, what would it be and why?
What’s a new hobby or skill you’ve always wanted to try?
How did you get started with your favorite hobby?
Do you have a favorite book, movie, or TV show related to your interests?
What’s a hobby you’ve enjoyed for a long time and why does it resonate with you?
Have you ever turned a hobby into a side project or business?
What’s a fun or unusual activity you do to relax and unwind?
What’s a recent hobby or interest you’ve picked up and what do you enjoy about it?
Do you prefer solitary hobbies or activities that involve others? Why?
What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had related to one of your hobbies?
How do you balance your hobbies with your work and other responsibilities?
What’s a hobby or interest you’d like to share with the team, and why?
Have you ever participated in a club or group related to one of your interests?
What’s something you’ve learned from your hobbies that has helped you in other areas of your life?
Do you have any creative projects you’re working on outside of work?
What’s a hobby you had as a child that you still enjoy today?
How do you stay updated or improve your skills related to your hobbies?
What’s a hobby or interest you think more people should try and why?
If you could combine two of your hobbies into one activity, what would they be and how would it work?

Questions to Discover Personalities and Values Within Your Team

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
What motivates you the most in your work and why?
How do you handle stress or challenging situations?
What’s a personal value or principle that guides your decisions?
Can you share an experience where you felt particularly proud of your work or contribution?
How do you prefer to receive feedback or recognition?
What’s a cause or issue you’re passionate about outside of work?
What kind of work environment helps you thrive?
How do you balance your personal and professional life?
What’s a quality you admire in a leader or mentor?
How do you like to celebrate achievements or milestones, both big and small?
What’s a skill or talent you have that you think others might not know about?
How do you approach problem-solving or decision-making?
What’s a personal or professional goal you’re currently working towards?
What’s an important lesson you’ve learned from a past experience?
How do you stay motivated and focused on long-term projects?
What’s a book, podcast, or resource that has had a significant impact on you?
How do you prefer to communicate and collaborate with others?
What’s a challenge you’ve overcome that has shaped who you are today?
What’s a dream or aspiration you have for your future, professionally or personally?
How do you like to give back or contribute to your community?

Creative and Fun Get-to-Know-You Questions for Team Engagement

If you want to start with less open-ended questions to make things less daunting for team members to answer, set them up for success with questions that have prefabricated responses. Would you rather scenarios are great for this!

"Would You Rather" Scenarios Tailored for the Workplace

While you don’t want to put anyone in a spot where their job could be put at risk for a work scenario, you can make these fun and personal but kosher for the workplace. Here are a few we love:

Would you rather have unlimited free travel for life or never have to pay for food at restaurants?
Would you rather be without your phone for a week or without your computer for a week?
Would you rather work from home in your pajamas or dress up and go to the office?
Would you rather always have perfect weather or always have perfect Wi-Fi?
Would you rather be able to talk to animals or speak every language fluently?
Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?
Would you rather go on an all-inclusive resort vacation or backpacking adventure for a month?
Would you rather attend a FIFA World Cup Final or a Super Bowl?
Would you rather spill coffee on your outfit right before a big meeting or forget an important document for a presentation?
Would you rather have a luxury pool day or a day filled with water sports on a lake?
Would you rather have an endless supply of the world’s best coffee or an endless supply of the best snacks at the office?
Would you rather not have heat or not have air conditioning?
Would you rather pick up painting or hockey?
Would you rather star in a dating reality show or a survival reality show?
Would you rather live in a treehouse or a houseboat?

We guarantee these will spark some good conversations and a whole lot of laughs.

Special Focus: Remote Teams Connection

Over half of remote employees find it difficult to connect with their team. These questions can be brought into daily stand up meetings, virtual happy hours, and retreats that bring your team together to increase that cohesion between a team that works on opposite sides of the country or the globe!

Building Trust and Cohesion Among Remote Colleagues

What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
How do you prefer to receive feedback or support from your colleagues?
What’s a personal or professional achievement you’re particularly proud of?
What’s your favorite way to unwind or relax after a busy workday?
How do you like to celebrate milestones or accomplishments, both big and small?
What’s a hobby or interest you’re passionate about outside of work?
What kind of work environment or team dynamic helps you thrive?
What’s one thing you’ve learned from your past work experiences that you find valuable?
How do you stay motivated and engaged while working remotely?
What’s a challenge you’ve faced while working remotely, and how did you overcome it?
What’s your preferred way to communicate with colleagues: email, chat, video calls, or something else?
What’s a skill or talent you have that might surprise your colleagues?
How do you balance work and personal life when working remotely?
What’s a fun fact about your home office setup or workspace?
What’s a book, podcast, or resource that has influenced your professional or personal life?
What’s a project or task you enjoy working on the most, and why?
How do you like to handle conflicts or disagreements in a team setting?
What’s a recent experience or event that made you feel connected to your team?
What’s something you’re looking forward to, either professionally or personally?
How do you prefer to stay connected with colleagues outside of work meetings and emails?

Customized Questions to Overcome the Virtual Distance Barrier

What’s a hobby or activity you’ve picked up recently that you’re excited about?
If you could virtually teleport anywhere in the world for a day, where would you go and why?
What’s a memorable virtual experience or event you’ve participated in recently?
If you had to describe your ideal virtual workspace, what would it include?
What’s a unique or fun fact about your home office setup?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received about working remotely?
What’s a favorite book, movie, or TV show you’d recommend for a remote team binge session?
If you could invite any historical figure to a virtual team meeting, who would it be and what would you discuss?
What’s a virtual game or activity you’ve enjoyed with friends or family that you think the team might like?
How do you stay motivated and productive while working remotely?
What’s a recent personal achievement or milestone you’re proud of, no matter how small?
If you could have a virtual lunch with any colleague, past or present, who would it be and why?
What’s a fun or unusual tradition you have for your virtual team meetings or workday?
How do you like to unwind after a busy day of remote work?
What’s a creative way you’ve stayed connected with friends or family while working remotely?
If you could learn any new skill or take up any new hobby during your free time, what would it be?
What’s a favorite virtual tool or app that’s made your remote work experience better?
What’s one thing you miss most about working in a traditional office setting?
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about a colleague through virtual meetings?
If you could organize a virtual team-building activity, what would it be and why?

Icebreaker Strategies for Managers: Bridging the Manager-Employee Gap

Now, the questions don’t always have to be for team icebreakers. You can also use effective questioning to bridge the gap between employee and manager. If you’re just not connecting with a direct report or want to get to know a new hire, use these, but also add in some fun questions from the other categories as well!

Key Questions for One-on-One Meetings with Direct Reports

How are you feeling about your current workload and responsibilities?
What recent accomplishments or successes would you like to share?
Are there any challenges or obstacles you’re facing that we should address?
How can I support you better in achieving your goals?
What skills or areas would you like to develop or improve upon?
Do you have any feedback or suggestions on how we can improve team dynamics or processes?
How do you feel about the progress you’re making on your current projects?
Is there any additional training or resources you need to perform your role effectively?
How are you balancing your work and personal life?
What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how can we work together to achieve them?
Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives you’re particularly excited about or concerned about?
How do you feel about the communication and support you receive from me and the team?
What can we do to make your work environment or experience better?
Are there any specific challenges you’re encountering that we haven’t discussed yet?
How would you rate your current job satisfaction, and what could be improved?
What are your thoughts on our team’s overall performance and direction?
How do you prefer to receive feedback and recognition?
Are there any changes or improvements you would like to see in our team’s processes or workflows?
What motivates you the most in your work, and how can we align that with your current role?
Is there anything else you’d like to discuss or any questions you have for me?

Best Practices for Using Get-to-Know-You Questions Effectively

While get to know you icebreakers are always fun, they’re fun because they’re planned with intention and care. The following considerations should always be a part of your team’s planning process:

Maintaining Inclusivity and Respect in Conversations

While professional get to know you questions are harmless in most cases, you need to think intentionally about cultural sensitivity when creating your list.

These are three ways you can do so:

Ensure questions are culturally inclusive and avoid stereotypes or assumptions that might alienate participants.
Steer clear of questions that touch on potentially sensitive areas such as politics, religion, or personal finances unless the context makes it appropriate.
Use language that welcomes all participants and encourages them to share their perspectives.

Timing, Context, and Follow-Up: Maximizing Impact

The other thing to remember is that not all questions are created equal.

You want to select icebreaker questions that align with the context of the interaction. Is it a team-building event? An interview? A casual happy hour? A weekly 1:1 or team meeting? Choose from the topics above accordingly.

Then, ensure there is a dialogue and responses aren’t just yes or no. The goal is to start conversations. Task managers with asking follow-up questions that show interest and deepen the conversation for all team members. But in this light, be mindful of how long the discussions are taking. An event manager or team member can keep time based on the time allotted for the icebreaker or meeting!

Strategies to Encourage Everyone to Participate, Including Introverts

Not everyone is extroverted and willing to answer on a dime. To make all participants feel comfortable, especially the first time you do something like this, recognize and accommodate different communication styles.

You can do this by using a variety of techniques to ensure everyone has a chance to contribute but isn’t put on the spot, such as a round-robin style questioning. Then, you can also allow team members time to prep their responses or allow written feedback by incorporating whiteboards so questions can be answered and then read aloud, rather than responded to simultaneously.

You know your team best so prep accordingly to create an environment that’s both engaging and respectful!

The Long-Term Benefits of Knowing Your Team Members Well

Software company Atlassian did a survey that found when teams embraced honest feedback, mutual respect, and personal openness, 80% of team members reported higher emotional well-being. And when happy employees are 20% more productive, imagine what seeds that will sow for long-term organizational success.

These questions for getting to know coworkers are the foundation of the aforementioned respect, openness, and conversational feedback. While the questions can seem simple, and in some cases, silly even, the rewards will last your organization for years to come.

So, never skip the meet and greet questions, okay?

Ask the Experts

When you’re planning a team offsite or retreat, get to know you questions for work should be included every single time. They can be brought up over dinner or cocktails or structured into an official team-building activity. It’s up to you and what you think is best for your team.

If you want support planning your next offsite or retreat, Moniker Partners can help. Use these questions to create your very own icebreakers, use our agenda templates, or download our free 30+ page e-book Moniker’s Guide to Retreat Planning. Or, submit a request for proposal and we’ll make sure it incorporates everything your team needs for your next retreat.