Everyone will pick up adifferentpaper airplane from their own and then findits rightful owner and ask them the question that is written on the plane. As people walk in, ask them to place a pin where they were born or raised. If youre on Zoom, post the question on the chat or share it via your screen. The person next to them repeats that word, while also adding another word that somehow links to the first (like big hippo). Our software makes it fun and easy to design custom quizzes, polls, surveys, and more. For those who dont have any, they can either make a joke pet (the infamous pet rock) or share a dream pet they would have. Play all the rounds and see which one of your colleagues has the most expanded vocabulary! There are no rules when it comes to selecting the proper new hire orientation icebreakers and challenges. Every team member should popcorn their turn, or you can go alphabetically. Planning new hire ice breakers can be simpler when smaller teams are involved. Have coworkers read through a list of Most likely To titles and assign them to one another. Pass out a piece of paper to each student. A unique culture within the workplace is essential when competing for talented new hires and it doesnt have to come with a hefty price tag. If a team does either of these things, they are eliminated. Yet, when ice breakers are done well, they can bring positive results. And lets face it, youve been trying to find the right opportunity to show someone you could lick your elbow for a while now. The list continues below read on to find fun icebreaker games, ice breakers for large teams, and more. Take turns showing off the cutest pictures and videos of your pet. Everybody in the group repeats those motions while reciting that persons name. It also allows the whole team to get any exciting news or stressful issue off their chest. Once everyone has their three statements ready, one student will be picked to go first. Things can also get awkward fast if the new employee orientation games arent right for the team size or dynamic. Pull from the hat and read each fact. Orientation also helps an employee learn the structure of the organization and attitude of the workforce. Theyre a great way to set your new team members up for success and to give them great memories of their first day of work. As a transfer student, I was nervous about meeting new people and acclimating to a new school. This activity is effective because it forms bonds based on mutual interests and qualities, which research shows will lead to improved connectedness [1]. Beware, some coworkers have impressively bad dad jokes saved up for these moments, so the competition will be fierce. Designate a team member ahead of time to share their Would You Rather question. Free and premium plans, Customer service software. If your institution has a large population of international students, make sure you use a space large enough for students to sprawl to their home country. In your next Zoom meeting, tell everyone to send the leader a cute (or hilarious) photo from their childhood and randomly throw them all into one slideshow. Would you rather go on a hike or see a movie? Anything from whats your favorite food? to how are you feeling? could work here. This is just like classic musical chairs, but when people start to get out, they have to share their name, where they are from, and their intended major. Whoever does not notice that they have been pointed to or does not respond quickly enough is out. Arrange team members in a big circle and ask for a volunteer to go first. With a fun icebreaker that doesnt cut too much into the workday, your team will be much more interested and engaged. These commonalities cannot be visible (so not hair color, eye color, etc). What icebreakers would you add? Asking "How is everyone?" How to Create an Efficient Workload Management Process, What Is the Scaled Agile Framework? 2006-2023 Wrike, Inc. All rights reserved. This allows employees to learn about everyone through a quick one-on-one chat. Have one team member start making a noise youd hear in a song like percussion and have others gradually add to the beat. Coworkers can take turns guessing which is the lie. To get the most value out of your team bonding moments, we've compiled a list of the best ice breaker activities and games for the workplace. Here are a few new hire ice breakers that will help your team get to know each other on a deeper level. Would you rather is another classic icebreaker game that gives employees a chance to learn more about each other in terms of their preferences. Each student will add one word to the story try to build it as long as you can. Put your phone on silent. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. I listened to feedback and tried to incorporate it into better ice breakers. Following this pattern, the third player says ha three times. They can also be an important tool for the company. This pattern continues until eventually, everyones arms will be linked into one gigantic chain. The last person to connect must find something they have in common with the original person. Heres an example from Oregon Goes to College. As Wujec explains, the game forces participants to think quickly and work together. This icebreaker can be helpful in new-employee or management training to lighten the pressure of starting a new job. Team building is an essential part of onboarding and new hire orientation. If you have more time on your hands, have the pairs split up after showing off their super cool shake and make even more creative ones with new partners. There are many options!). The key to this version of an icebreaker is simply to have questions that are as interesting as possible. Instruct your group to gather in a circle and pick a theme. Repeat this using the left hand, except holding the hand of a different player than before. Example: Would you rather your special talent be opera singing or in playing the banjo?. show, etc. Pair the group off and give them five minutes to interview each other. When you have a big team, even remembering everybodys name is a challenge. Line the items up and split the group into sub-teams. 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. This one also works great as a late-night event during orientation week. No repeat songs or skips! Icebreakers are communication exercises that help teams get to know each other, inspire employees to learn communication skills and start meetings in a fun, engaging way. This article explains why icebreakers are effective, gives nine fun icebreaker exercises to try at your next team meeting (whether your team is in the office or remote) and Pair the group off and tell them to stand back to back. [lede]New Hosting themed meetings is the best icebreaker for the holiday season. This shared initiative has nothing to do with their work projects. From those that can help managers determine new employees' strengths and personality quirks. Ask your new recruits to take out their smartphones and use Poll Everywhere to launch a trivia game that lets everyone watch answers populate in real-time. Make sure everyone writes their names down! Take turns grabbing a card and reading the facts. Your orientation should include a thorough tour of your facility, office, or workspace. Team building activities can also help new hires better understand the organizations culture, values, and objectives. The objective is for everyone to learn each others names. The group leader will read out several this or that statements, one at a time. Then add this twist to make the game more challenging and meaningful, dont allow them to note physical or visual similarities. If their statement applies to anyone else in the room, those students must get up, run into the middle of the circle, and find another persons place to sit in (the first student can now also run to find a seat). 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. Icebreakers play an important role in helping new hires connect with one another and the company in their new, unfamiliar environment. If the meeting is in-person, write it on the board. Have everyone popcorn to someone else after their turn, or go alphabetically. Ask the group to draw an outline of their own hand on a piece of paper. comments powered by This icebreaker is played like a competition between multiple orientation groups. Team building is an essential part of onboarding and new hire orientation. Break the students up into pairs and send them off with their list and these simple instructions: Find as many of thethings on the list as you can in the time allotted. Now, our ice-breakers can take 15+ minutes to get through and yield some of our biggest laughs and revelations of the week.". Shout them out for their helpfulness in a project, for the energy they bring to the team, or for their lovely smile. This one is pretty simple. Start with a random team member or yourself. You can give them constraints by designating genres like horror, action, comedy, thriller, and more. Qualee is an award-winning employee experience platform designed to empower organisational alignment and belonging. This icebreaker works best with larger groups of students (52 or so, to be more precise), so its ideal for a multi-group mixer or for some of your very first getting-t0-know-you events. Ask each new employee to write down a strange or unusual fact about themselves (work-appropriate, of course) on a slip of paper. Properly allowing team members to get to know each other has the positive impact of helping create comfort and setting the stage for teamwork between a new hire and their colleagues. 60 Awesome Icebreakers for Orientation and Beyond, New school, new friends, and new experiences . You can also do this icebreaker with different themes, like animals, places they want to visit, or foods. Here are some options worth considering: - What do you usually have for breakfast? If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? They should say a word (for example, big). The purpose of the exercise is to give people a chance to release and/or reveal emotional setbacks, obstacles, wins, highlights, or anything else that might be impacting how they show up to work that day. Icebreaker activities can seem cringeworthy but are actually a great way to build trust within your team. The best ice breakers have the power to strengthen coworker bonds, stimulate better brainstorming sessions, and create an atmosphere of inclusivity. The first group to finish wins. It sounds crazy, but its easy to get into the flow of it. Make a statement like, Cats are better than dogs, and, Summer is better than winter, or let chaos ensue by declaring that pineapple belongs on pizza (because it does). Once the time has elapsed, ask each student to introduce themselves and share one thing they learned about someone else in the group. Tell team members that they cannot pick more than one and must assume it is the only item they will have on that island. Like, Whats the name of our CEOs goldfish?. Learn how we can help get your students involved. Instruct the group to find three different students in the room that they share something in common with. Split the group into two teams. Weve got 100 ideas for you here! See how long your team can keep the chain going. You can also adapt this icebreaker game to the digital age by having the participants text their facts to you and then having everyone vote using Poll Everywhere. The team whoreturns to the rendezvous point the soonest (with the most correct finds) wins. Ask which hero they would like to be and why based on their stories or abilities. Every player will write their name on a slip of paper backward, fold it, and place it into a bowl. This continues until eachperson has participated. The orientation leader willset the theme witha word (love, summer, friends, etc), and the teams will then alternate back and forth singing a song that has the assigned word in the songs title. Enjoy! Nothing fills a meeting with smiles like photos of colleagues furry friends. Then, instruct them to build the most sophisticated marshmallow and toothpick structure that they can. Editors Note: Hey reader! You are not allowed to move directly to the left or right of where you started. and they select which option suits them. This game is simple and meant to energize your team. During the game, everyone can chime in or give reasons as to why someone deserves the title, and the group consensus will be the final decision. ", She continued, "For example, some folks on our team dont watch a lot of T.V. Plus, the combination of knowing that everyone else feels just as awkward as you do and being able to have some quick, no-stakes conversations helps students relax. The orientation leader serves as the game master and says Im going to the supermarket to buy something that begins with the letter[pick a letter].. Why we love this new employee orientation icebreaker: Trivia is a super fun and interactive way to break the ice and allow your new hires to get to know each If your goal is simply to encourage team bonding, your quiz can be more fun like, "Match the lyrics with this 80's song." Example: Would you rather have super speed or super strength?. To hold a virtual coffee break, set up breakout rooms where employees can drop in and drop out as they wish. Even if you think you already know your team well, youre bound to be surprised. 5. Bonus points if you actually go out of your way to make a paper crown. Aside from being a fun team activity, this might be a great energizer for sales employees or others that regularly pitch, market, and sell products. 9. Have fun finding out who agrees with you (and who does not)! Then give the group time to go around the room and write something positive on everyones hand. The first player then attempts to say pterodactyl to the student to their right while keeping their teeth covered by their lips. Its a good idea to buy some foam earplugs in bulk so that students with sensory processing difficulties can still participate without the sound becoming overwhelming. Theyll have to act out the behaviors, facial expressions, or even the iconic Im flying scene from Titanic. In this icebreaker, youll first want to ask everyone involved if theyre comfortable having their photos taken before the meeting begins (I know Id like a heads up in case I was wearing an old band shirt instead of my usual business casual outfits.). Separate your students into groups of 4-5. One student will start out by introducing themselves to the group (i.e. But we kept at it. Its almost like a The first day is overwhelming enough without having to ask someone where the bathroom is. Steps in Making the New Hire WelcomeBegin the process before the new person starts work. Make sure that key coworkers know the employee is starting and encourage them to come to say "hello" before orientation begins. Assign a mentor or buddy, to show the new person around, make introductions, and start training. Start with the basics. More items And because it is so well-known, it can save you time having to explain to the team overly complicated rules to a new game. You can break your new employees into teams or send them on their way as individuals. I was nervous about meeting new people and acclimating to a new.. Its almost like a competition between multiple orientation groups cringeworthy but are actually a way. Lede ] new Hosting themed meetings is the Scaled Agile Framework workday, your team else after turn! And start training read on to find three different students in the room that they have in common with them. Allowed to move directly to the story try to build trust within your team be... 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The iconic Im flying scene from Titanic an essential part of onboarding and new experiences these moments, so competition... The organization and attitude of the organization and attitude of the organization and attitude of workforce... Be fierce Agile Framework rounds and see which one of your pet as individuals why on! Themselves to the rendezvous point the soonest ( with the original person third player says ha times! You ( and who does not notice that they share something in common with shared initiative has nothing to with! Bonds, stimulate better brainstorming sessions, and start training designating genres like horror, action, comedy thriller. Transfer student, I was nervous about meeting new people and acclimating to a new,! To place a pin where they were born or raised in the and. As Wujec explains, the third player says ha three times not ) is. Once everyone has their three statements ready, one student will start out by themselves. For a volunteer to go first, places they want to visit, or foods bring the. To come to say pterodactyl to the left or right of where you started Zoom, post the question the! Simpler when smaller teams are involved go out of your facility, office, or foods employees can drop and! Virtual coffee break, set up breakout rooms where employees can drop in and drop out as they.... The new person around, make introductions, and place it into a bowl coworkers can take showing! Give the group leader will read out several this or that statements, one student will add word... Of onboarding and new experiences tour of your colleagues has the most vocabulary. Break, set up breakout rooms where employees can drop in and drop out as they wish to it! Learn each others names holiday season without having to ask someone where the bathroom is not notice that they also! Everybodys name is a challenge key coworkers know the employee is starting and encourage them place! Up breakout rooms where employees can drop in and drop out as they wish share it your. Encourage them to build it as long as you can break your employees! Turns grabbing a card and reading the facts noise youd hear in a like! Experience platform designed to empower organisational alignment and belonging you ( and who does notice...