As the new year begins, professionals return to their laptops, calendars, and Zoom meetings, ready to tackle new goals. Whether you're in HR, IT, finance, or compliance, onboarding new team members can set the tone for your team's productivity and morale in 2025. To build rapport and help new team members adapt quickly, ice breakers for new team members are a must-have. Let’s dive into a variety of creative, fun, and practical ideas to start your year off on the right note.
Two Truths and a Lie: Virtual or In-Person Edition
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Number of Participants: 4-10 people
Materials Needed: None (optional: virtual whiteboard or chat for answers)
Instructions:
Each participant comes up with three statements about themselves: two truths and one lie.
Participants take turns sharing their statements, either verbally or via a chat tool if virtual.
The rest of the team guesses which statement is the lie.
Method:
A team leader or facilitator kicks off the game by demonstrating how it works.
Team members can use a virtual whiteboard or a shared document to write down their guesses for added interactivity.
Encourage lighthearted discussion after each round to dive into the truths and the lie.
Outcome:
This activity helps team members get to know one another personally, creates laughter, and eases any initial tension in new teams.
What’s Your Desk Setup Like?
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Number of Participants: 3-8 people
Materials Needed: Cameras (for video calls) or a phone to take photos
Instructions:
Ask participants to show or describe their current workspace.
If cameras are off, participants can instead share what’s unique about their desk setup (e.g., a lucky charm, a favorite gadget).
Use follow-up questions to encourage sharing, such as: "What’s the most useful item on your desk?"
Method:
In smaller groups, each participant gets a minute to present their workspace.
For virtual teams, they can either physically show their space or describe it in detail.
Encourage everyone to comment or compliment each other’s setups to foster engagement.
Outcome:
This ice breaker sparks curiosity and helps humanize colleagues, especially in remote or hybrid teams.
Would You Rather: Professional Edition
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Number of Participants: 5-15 people
Materials Needed: List of “Would You Rather” questions
Instructions:
Prepare a mix of fun, work-related “Would You Rather” questions in advance (see examples below).
Take turns asking questions, with each team member sharing their answers and reasoning.
Sample questions:
Would you rather reply to 100 emails in a day or attend 10 back-to-back meetings?
Would you rather work remotely forever or work in-office with a 4-day workweek?
Would you rather only use Zoom or only use email for the rest of your career?
Method:
The facilitator starts by asking a question and invites the group to answer.
Encourage playful banter and discussion about the answers to build camaraderie.
Outcome:
Participants discover shared preferences and engage in lighthearted debate, helping them connect over both personal and professional topics.
Personality Bingo
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Number of Participants: 6-12 people
Materials Needed: Printable or digital bingo cards (customized with personality traits)
Instructions:
Create bingo cards filled with traits like:
"Loves coffee"
"Has traveled to more than 5 countries"
"Knows how to code"
Share the cards with participants.
Team members must go around (virtually or in-person) asking colleagues questions to match the traits on their cards. For example, "Do you prefer tea over coffee?"
The first person to complete a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) shouts “Bingo!”
Method:
Distribute the bingo cards digitally or physically.
In a virtual setting, breakout rooms can be used for smaller groups to interact.
The facilitator announces the winner and allows participants to share any fun discoveries about each other.
Outcome:
Encourages team members to interact, ask questions, and learn fun facts about one another, building a sense of camaraderie.
Shared Spotify Playlist
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Number of Participants: Unlimited
Materials Needed: Spotify account and shared playlist link
Instructions:
Create a shared Spotify playlist in advance and invite team members to add 1-2 songs that represent their personality, current mood, or favorite genre.
During the ice breaker, play snippets of each song and ask the contributor to explain why they chose it.
Method:
The facilitator ensures everyone has access to the shared playlist link.
Team members take turns discussing their chosen songs.
Keep it lighthearted and focused on music preferences rather than technical music knowledge.
Outcome:
Encourages creativity, sparks conversations about shared interests, and provides a way to bond over something universally enjoyable: music.
Reverse Introductions
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Number of Participants: 4-8 people
Materials Needed: LinkedIn profiles or internal bios
Instructions:
Each participant is assigned a colleague and must introduce them to the group based on their LinkedIn profile, work history, or fun facts provided by the facilitator.
New employees can provide a few personal details (e.g., favorite hobby, dream vacation) to help the introducer.
The introducer shares their findings, and the introduced team member can clarify or expand on what was shared.
Method:
Facilitators assign pairs in advance and provide any necessary information.
Participants introduce their assigned team member in 2-3 minutes.
Encourage humor and creativity to keep it engaging.
Outcome:
Builds empathy and connection, especially for new hires, by showcasing everyone’s strengths and unique qualities.
Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Number of Participants: 5-15 people
Materials Needed: Scavenger hunt list
Instructions:
Create a list of scavenger hunt items, such as:
Something blue
Your favorite mug
A gadget you use every day
Participants have 1-2 minutes to find each item and share it on camera (if virtual) or bring it to the room (if in-person).
Award points for creativity or speed.
Method:
The facilitator guides the activity and keeps track of time.
Add bonus rounds for items that relate to work, like "Your most used app" or "A handwritten note from a colleague."
Outcome:
Energizes the team, showcases creativity, and allows employees to share personal items in a relaxed setting.
Ice breakers are more than just fun and games, they’re a strategic tool to integrate new team members and nurture team cohesion. By starting the year with meaningful activities, teams in HR, legal, marketing, IT, and beyond can set the stage for success in 2025. Whether you're sharing playlists, solving mysteries, or laughing over "Would You Rather" questions, the goal is simple: build stronger, happier teams ready to conquer the year ahead.