Good, non-cringey icebreaker type games?

[Catnary]

I’m involved in a work team “Away Day” soon. I’m not the organiser, but I was asked today for suggestions as to how we can get people into the right frame of mind to feel relaxed about contributing ideas to the various discussions.

The group is about 20 people, all levels from very junior to the Big Boss. Roughly even split male/female. Ages from mid twenties to mid fifties. Everyone does more or less the same job, just at different levels of experience/seniority.

It’s all in-person, no remote participants. A few people speak English as a second language but we all work in English.

The criteria are as follows:

Nothing that requires sharing of personal information or feelings.
No popular culture references (so no trivia based on TV, or things like making people guess the celebrity name on a post it on their head).
Possibly with scope to poke mild fun at our work (eg jokes about the bad canteen food or the IT system) but nothing that singles out individuals.
No singing or dancing.
No putting people on the spot (eg “do the next line of this funny story”).
Competition between teams is fine, but more in terms of pooling points than making people work together to do things like build structures or make up a story.

Does anyone have any bright ideas?

My only thoughts (partly after Googling) were:
Pictionary on a big white board, with clues being “things”, actions etc rather than films, songs etc
Everyone writes their name backwards and someone reads them out, team that correctly guesses the most wins.

Does anyone have any suggestions of things you have enjoyed? We really really don’t want to end up with a backlash against “enforced fun” but there needs to be something to make it more dynamic.

PS this is not “AIBU to want to do icebreaker games” inviting a hundred comments about how the whole idea of away days and team building is bollocks. It’s just a plea for ideas!

Well obviously food is included. There is no extra travel as it’s in the street next door to the office.

“Nobody in the history of the world likes icebreakers” - except the people in my team who asked us for ideas for one, and all the people on this thread who have talked about ones they enjoyed.

Regarding time and a half- the basic salary is already pretty high (nobody is paid by the hour here) and a lot of the stuff we are discussing will help people get/stay on track for quite chunky bonuses. I don’t think that there is any issue around financial incentives.

It’s a pretty sad situation when the idea that you might enjoy having dinner with your work colleagues is utterly incomprehensible. Sorry you feel like that, but we’re confident that the optional dinner is something that a good number of the team are looking forward to.

It’s the equivalent of stretching or a vocal warmup- you’ll probably manage to sing or play without one, but you’ll probably perform better if you ease yourself in. Similar also to when they have a warmup act at a TV show filming, to get the audience in the right mood.

I always feel far more uncomfortable after so called icebreakers than I do before them. Even the term puts me on edge. What exactly is wrong with people just introducing themselves? We're adults not kids at a party who need games to entertain them. I find it incredibly patronising.

The best training session I ever had was the one where they said there'd be no icebreakers. I still remember that trainer fondly and not just for that reason but it was clear that they respected the attendees and didn't just treat us as recalcitrant children.

What exactly is wrong with people just introducing themselves?

We all know each other already. That would make us seem insane.

Whereas running from one side of the room to another or throwing balls around or grabbing packets of maltesers from each other....

You're not in a show or singing. You're discussing company strategy with people who all know each other already. You don't need to 'warm up'. Why are you inflicting this on your colleagues?

The chances that anyone at 5pm after a day of this will be thinking, "woot, now a full evening of socialising with these same people!" rather than "fuck I wish I could go to meet my real friends/ go home to my partner and kids / go to the gym/ whatever i like to do with my evenings" is essentially zero.

I'm talking generally, not specifically of your situation. I just don't see the need for them but the fact that you think icebreakers are a good idea rather suggests that regardless.

Whereas running from one side of the room to another or throwing balls around or grabbing packets of maltesers from each other....
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You're not in a show or singing. You're discussing company strategy with people who all know each other already. You don't need to 'warm up'. Why are you inflicting this on your colleagues?
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The chances that anyone at 5pm after a day of this will be thinking, "woot, now a full evening of socialising with these same people!" rather than "fuck I wish I could go to meet my real friends/ go home to my partner and kids / go to the gym/ whatever i like to do with my evenings" is essentially zero.

Exactly this.

'Nobody in the history of the world likes icebreakers '

Just not true sadly. We deliver a lot of training in my team, and most of my colleagues are BIG fans of icebreakers. A good proportion of our attendees seem to love then too, hooting with laughter all the way through and having a jolly old time.

Unfortunately this gives my colleagues the impression that 'everyone' loves ice breakers. I've tried to tell then that you won't notice the people who hate them, because they are just sitting there silently and wishing they were anywhere else. They're not having it though

We all know each other already

Then there's no need for an icebreaker, surely? I thought they were for strangers on a course or whatever to get to know each other.

The best course I went on, the facilitator asked if anyone would like an ice breaker and there was a unanimous 'no!'

OP you have to remember there are a disproportionate number of people on MN who avoid human contact wherever possible. If my work gave me a day to go and hang out in a hotel and talk about future direction I'd be fine with that, no worse than any other day at work.

When I suggested the likes of charades (maybe work related things?) someone replied "Many people would find it daunting to have to act a charade, draw or answer questions in front of a group of 20 people."

Well yes the whole point is that it sounds like the rest of the day will require people to join in with discussions, contributing suggestions and so on in the group. Sure maybe everyone won't love it but one reason you get paid for doing your job is because it's not what you'd do if you were a zillionaire who didn't have to work, so tough. Speaking in front of colleagues isn't a negotiable part of most people's job and it sounds like this particular field will attract more confident (at least can fake it) types.

A lot of these suggestions have no point as they can be done silently, or very quietly, or on your own. The OP wants people to "practise" joining in.

OP you mentioned TV warm ups - could you do a very short silly version of this where you have signs like "clap" "boo" "cheer" "hiss" or whatever and literally just get people to do that for a few minutes.

Thanks @GoldenCupidon, that is exactly it.

I love human contact. My team and I go out regularly for meals and activities-just not during working hours.

The thought of being 'warmed up' to discuss future plans of the business is horrible.

There aren't any

Are you saying that, despite the fact that icebreaker activities are something that many people actively enjoy, there should nonetheless be no activities of this type because some people do NOT enjoy them?

I’m not sure that works in this context. I can see that if you have an activity that 8 people can join in but 2 cannot because they are disabled, you obviously do not do the activity. But surely with things like this you just do what you can to make it appeal to the largest number of people, and for those who don’t enjoy it that is unfortunate, but there will probably be other elements of the job that they enjoy more than their colleagues do. If they hate everything, they are in the wrong job.

OP you mentioned TV warm ups - could you do a very short silly version of this where you have signs like "clap" "boo" "cheer" "hiss" or whatever and literally just get people to do that for a few minutes.

Then they get a fish?

I'm sorry but I work/worked in education and I've had so many hideous icebreaker experiences.

One time we had to dance like we were in a nightclub in a huge brightly lit conference room.

Another time we all had to take off a shoe and put it in the middle of a pile then everybody pulled one out and we had to give a fun anecdote about ourself if out shoe was picked.

It's the worst form of torture and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

And anything that involves trying to catch a ball made of rubber bands will literally walk me to the next cliff.

Just be normal. Have coffee and a chat.

many people actively enjoy, there should nonetheless be no activities of this type because some people do NOT enjoy

Many people? Where are these people? Hopefully locked up for their own good and the good of society. I've never personally known anyone who enjoys them. Most people hate them ime. Some don't care for them but don't exactly hate them either but I've yet to meet anyone who enjoys being treated like a performing sea lion.

Oh god this thread has just unleashed a whole host of memories I thought were deeply buried. I was in a conference room at a holiday inn wrapped up in string with a team of 10 other colleagues that we had to get out of.

I just want to work and ultimately die alone

You know what else is horrible, sitting around in a meeting where only one or two people out of twenty bother to speak up.

But thinking about this OP, maybe it's also worth thinking (if you haven't already) about how you can ensure better/more participation later in the day - after all that's your aim. Small groups and then reporting back, picking on the quieter ones (yes they hate it but see above re: tough - plus some shy people I know feel better if they have contributed, it's the putting themselves forward bit that is hard) and other much more creative ways.

this is part of how tv/radio warmups work

if you don't want to join in no one is going to make you

this is part of how tv/radio warmups work

I know how they work but in tv shows the audience often has to react to certain things at certain times so they make you rehearse it which makes sense in this context but as a part of a team or training day it makes no sense at all and just makes everyone look ridiculous.

But surely with things like this you just do what you can to make it appeal to the largest number of people, and for those who don’t enjoy it that is unfortunate, but there will probably be other elements of the job that they enjoy more than their colleagues do. If they hate everything, they are in the wrong job.

I agree, you're not trying to torture them for your amusement you're trying to get value out of the team who are employed to work there.

I think you're making a great effort to think of something "non-cringey" and it will be appreciated.

Not sure why some on here think that every part of working life should be finetuned exactly to maximise their enjoyment. If you experience cringe at the prospect of speaking to and with your colleagues, to the point that you want to run away, go and work alone.

There is a fairly fundamental difference between a TV/radio show and an all-day working meeting where colleagues are discussing strategies and plans for their business.

I can't believe that needs to be pointed out.

That was a direct reference to the PP’s specific group of colleagues:

We deliver a lot of training in my team, and most of my colleagues are BIG fans of icebreakers. A good proportion of our attendees seem to love then too, hooting with laughter all the way through and having a jolly old time.

It was not a general statement on my part that many people enjoy them. I was literally quoting the evidence. And my question about “are you saying you should not do them?” was directly to that PP, in the context of her specific group.

well I was somewhat joking, thinking about how OP could get everyone to warm up to make noise in one minute or less