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Original poster

Zoom icebreaker that won’t make us cringe

88 replies

Handsnotwands · 02/05/2020 09:22

I’ve been tasked with the ice breaker for our monthly team meeting next week

We’ve got a good few new team members since lockdown. There’ll be about 25 of us in total so it needs to work for lots of people.

10 mins in total.

Past ones have been wear a hat / scavenger hunt / draw a unknown pic from instructions given verbally etc

I actually hate this stuff but can see that it is a good way to begin a remote meeting

Anyone done one that works well for that many people over zoom?

OP posts:
StirCrazy2020 · 02/05/2020 13:23

Show your favourite mug.

GreyGardens88 · 02/05/2020 13:24

My husband used to start meetings with new colleagues with a 'tell us something about yourself that would surprise people

This is hell, along with the "tell us an interesting fact about yourself" icebreakers. What's wrong with just saying your name, where you're from and a few sentences about your background. It would be much more helpful to start conversations over and lets everyone know more about you than saying you used to be a child model. And is much less stressful for people.

GreyishDays · 02/05/2020 13:26

I agree with low key and very accessible like bubbles and stircrazy suggest.

AgeLikeWine · 02/05/2020 13:27

This sort of crap that comes with work these days makes me want to quit work forever and live in a tent in the forest, All this is shit, though I know you know that. I wish we could all get down to the task at hand instead of playing primary school games

👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

iklboo · 02/05/2020 13:28

Best holiday
Favourite biscuit
Recommend a film / tv show

daisypond · 02/05/2020 13:29

@GreyishDays
Agree. Those are the best suggestions. Some of the other ones HR might have a lot to say about.

stuckindoors77 · 02/05/2020 13:31

My husband used to start meetings with new colleagues with a 'tell us something about yourself that would surprise people

Oh God this one gives me the panics..... I'm not sure there is anything massively surprising about me, I'm quite ordinary.

2 truths and a lie is maybe a slightly less threatening version of this.

SylvanianFrenemies · 02/05/2020 13:32

Oh I just came on to say show a mug from your house @StirCrazy2020! Less invasive than "through the keyhole"!

Stupidest lockdown purchase maybe? Coukd be funny, quick, and people can just make up any old shit if they don't want to share.

I wouldn't do the childhood pics as that could upset people for all sorts of reasons.

Violetparis · 02/05/2020 13:35

I detest the interesting fact about yourself question. I think the suggestion of what boxset, tv programme you've enjoyed in lockdown is a good one. What about what was the first record/song you bought ?

daisypond · 02/05/2020 13:36

I don’t think people should be obliged to do this at all. I’ve never worked anywhere where this would happen.

nameisnotimportant · 02/05/2020 13:37

A Mexican wave 😃

ofwarren · 02/05/2020 13:38

Do other countries do this "ice breaker" shite?
Why can't people just introduce themselves? It's just cringe worthy.

titchy · 02/05/2020 13:40

How about just being the adults you are? You have some new team members:

'I'd like to welcome our new members - this is Dave (Dave says hello) who'll be working on x project, Sarah who comes to us from Biggs brothers (Sarah says hello) to be our new Finance director and Iqbal (Iqbal says hello) who is an intern and will be spending six months with us. Right, first agenda item...'

Job done.

frasersmummy · 02/05/2020 13:42

I agree with what did you have for breakfast today..

You will be surprised by the answers you get!
Simple but will make people smile

GetUpAgain · 02/05/2020 13:42

Rock paper scissors tournament. Impersonal, easy.

Don't do anything about food or drink during Ramadan, not everyone is eating breakfast at the moment.

SquitMcJit · 02/05/2020 13:44

For people having to endure this kind of drivel... is it just now you are remote working, or would new starters have been put through an ice-breaker in regular monthly team meetings?

As a new starter, I would expect to just introduce myself and say a couple of sentences about my experience and my new role at the first team meeting I attended. And it would be useful if the other meeting members could introduce themselves and their roles.

I would not want to talk or hear about anyone’s childhood, favourite film or mug or see them wearing a comedy hat. If people become friends through work and that kind of talk happens spontaneously then it’s totally different.

Also, I’m currently just enjoying seeing colleagues and saying a quick hello before starting meetings. It’s enough to just see people to get (a small element of) social interaction.

Feel really sorry for the OP if there is an expectation that games have to be done tho.

NotKeenOnSwede · 02/05/2020 13:46

I wouldn't walk away from a zoom invite. I wouldn't run either. I'd buy a rocket, jump inside and blast myself into outer space permanently until cameras are uninstalled from every cunting phone and laptop on the planet.

ClientQ · 02/05/2020 13:46

My boss tried to get us all to do a video meeting. It was a big fat no as an answer
And we all get on absolutely fine Grin as friends and colleagues, we chat outside of work, FaceTime etc but all recoil from any kind of icebreaker!

motorcyclenumptiness · 02/05/2020 13:47

tell us something about yourself that would surprise people
I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. Now let's look at last week's sales figures ...

daisypond · 02/05/2020 13:48

Yes. Ramadan. Good point. Don’t ask anyone what they have eaten or drunk today. It’s too personal anyway and shouldn’t be asked under any circumstances.

Original poster
Handsnotwands · 02/05/2020 13:48

I hear you re the cringe factor. But actually in this case I understand why we’re doing it. We have about 25 meetings everyday with no need for this kind of nonsense but this is our monthly team meeting to introduce new people.

We’ve all got zoom fatigue and are usually a very collaborative bunch when together in person, so yeah the “I’m Jim the new PM working on space shuttles” is very dry and dull.

Our “teamness” is really important to us so striking the balance between involving everyone but not in something we’d all rather not be doing is the difficult part

OP posts:
daisypond · 02/05/2020 13:50

We do zoom meetings, but we don’t have cameras installed.

ememem84 · 02/05/2020 13:52

I’ve just sent the goat idea to my boss. We have a whole office zoom call on Tuesday....

titchy · 02/05/2020 13:55

Thing is op you're thinking of it from your and the existing team point of view. Think of it from a totally new persons POV. You're dumped into a zoom meeting, having never met anyone face to face in anything like normal circumstances, AND you're making them wear a hat and tell you tell you a funny anecdote involving a llama. They'll hate it. They won't know what level to pitch it at, they'll be worried about saying something safe but being thought of as boring, or something funny/risky and being thought of as an inappropriate twat. Seriously don't do it.

Original poster
Handsnotwands · 02/05/2020 13:57

There will definitely be a goat Grin

OP posts: