Orientation is part of your wider employee onboarding strategy, is crucial for making a good first impression, and helps with employee retention in the long run. Each group should get a turn to share, and they might even act out parts of the plot. Pair the group off and give them five minutes to interview each other. Resource: https://tenspot.com/blog/work-well/8-new-hire-icebreakers/, https://tenspot.com/blog/work-well/8-new-hire-icebreakers/, How Does an Electric Food Dehydrator Work and How to Select the Right One. You or your teammate will hum, whistle, sing, or tap the rhythm of your favorite song. This icebreaker is ideal for groups smaller than 20. Christina Perricone, former Senior Content Marketing Manager on the HubSpot blog, says this is her favorite icebreaker. Regardless of which icebreakers you choose, they all help promote team bonding and collaboration between groups. Using the Qualee Survey feature, you can even involve your team to help select the questions that they find interesting to ensure everybody's engagement. Of course, you want the topics to be fun and lighthearted, so keep them to topics that arent controversial and opt for statements like, Cheese isnt all that great. if youre a madman. Ask coworkers which genres theyd rather watch, or which theyd want to be in. With a fun icebreaker that doesnt cut too much into the workday, your team will be much more interested and engaged. Have one team member start making a noise youd hear in a song like percussion and have others gradually add to the beat. Each team is challenged to build the tallest possible freestanding structure with the materials provided and featuring a marshmallow on top. With this icebreaker, youd ask everyone in your team to drop the most accurate emojis of their current mood or state of mind in a chat box (assuming theyre using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.) On a similar note to heroes, find out what powers your coworkers would rather have and why. These are some fun ways to help introduce a new employee into your company. Share the presentation a week prior to the meeting so team members can add their childhood photos. Think you cant pull this off with your own group? Each correct item earns the employee a certain number of points. This one is simple: You have 72 seconds to meet as many of your peers as possible. This icebreaker helps your team get to know each other even when they work remotely and can spark conversation on what everyone likes or dislikes. To grease the wheels of this activity, hand out a list of sample questions for participants to ask each other. 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. Disqus. Then, give them a long piece of rope or yarn, instructing each person to hold onto their piece. A daily dose of irreverent and informative takes on business & tech news, Turn marketing strategies into step-by-step processes designed for success, Explore what it takes to be a creative business owner or side-hustler, Listen to the world's most downloaded B2B sales podcast, Get productivity tips and business hacks to design your dream career, Free ebooks, tools, and templates to help you grow, Learn the latest business trends from leading experts with HubSpot Academy, All of HubSpot's marketing, sales CRM, customer service, CMS, and operations software on one platform. 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.). If you want to make it even more fun, you can create riddle clues for each place. Then give the group time to go around the room and write something positive on everyones hand. We recommend not letting your team members know about this activity ahead of time. Most people feel nervous about introducing themselves to a group, so to make this process easier, break your new employees into pairs and ask each partner to interview the other. Ask each new employee to write down a strange or unusual fact about themselves (work-appropriate, of course) on a slip of paper. Proceed slide-by-slide and have team members either throw their guesses in the chat, or write their guesses privately on a notepad. When that person catches the ball, ask them to read the question closest to their left thumb aloud and answer it once they are done, they pass it to another student. Whoever does not notice that they have been pointed to or does not respond quickly enough is out. - What is something no one here knows about you? Once everyone has their song in mind, have someone compile either a Youtube or Spotify playlist of everyones choices, and share the link with everyone in the group afterward. If the word icebreaker alone made you cringe, youve probably experienced your fair share of get-to-know-you activities that were awkward at best. Improve your team's morale by hosting an online scavenger hunt. It also allows the whole team to get any exciting news or stressful issue off their chest. Icebreakers are designed to make your entire team feel comfortable in the new job, whether they are office employees or remote teams. And lets face it, youve been trying to find the right opportunity to show someone you could lick your elbow for a while now. Enjoy seeing the eclectic items in your team members homes! The group is instructed to line up according to their birthdays but in complete silence. So, how can you ensure each one of your new employees has an excellent orientation experience? - Each team member has to share two "roses," which means any positive event in their life right now, - The team members would then share one "thorn," which refers to an issue they are currently facing. Ask the group to form a circle. Some suggested sentences for this exercise include: Before I came to college, my main interests were, The way I would describe my family is, and The things I value most are. For instance, I might say, "I once auditioned for the TV show Zoom. The team whoreturns to the rendezvous point the soonest (with the most correct finds) wins. To play, you simply divide your team into groups of four and give each group 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and a marshmallow. Theres nothing like some lighthearted banter to get everyone warmed up before a meeting. The game continues with a new letter for each match-up until all the players on one team are eliminated. Two Truths and a Lie is a fun and engaging game, and more importantly, it can help your team learn facts about one another, so they can begin forming deeper bonds. Like, Whats the name of our CEOs goldfish?. Example: Would you rather travel to only island destinations or mountainous destinations?. To get started, split employees up into teams or pairs, with each team having an equal amount of new and veteran employees. Gradually people will be made to exit the mingling space or find a seat until the last person standing wins. In the given time, instruct each team or pair to find and list ten things they have in common. 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. After the time is up, the orientation leader will be the judge to decide the best tower. Put your phone on silent. Newly hired employees should always arrive on time, or early, throughout the onboarding process. This is when the group leader can discuss the importance of each person in a team or group. at the beginning of every meeting isn't always the best ice breaker to encourage team bonding. Looking for a specific type of ice breaker? Ask the students to form a giant map of the world, with each side of the room representing North, South, East, or West. If the meeting is in-person, write it on the board. We recommend pre-pairing teammates in a spreadsheet so everyone can come prepared with something to say. Once thats done, put all of the cards in a pile and mix them up. The player standing next to them then says ha twice. Pass out a piece of paper to each student. The group leader then asks a few students to drop their part of the string; as this happens, the yarnwill begin to tangle. Icebreakers are doable on all types of teams small, large, and even virtual onboarding programs. - The employee with the most amount of points wins. Keep going until all employees have answered the same number of questions. Second, the Marshmallow Challenge encourages people to think quickly and offer alternative solutions when their initial idea fails. Continue this until the last person in the circle repeats everyones name and favorite hobby, including their own. Even if your coworkers arent tuned into NYFW, theyre sure to recognize some of the most popular clothing brands. This could range from showing how to do quick origami, do a magic trick, or even giving a pointer or two on couponing from your coworker who always keeps an eye out for the latest deals. Were digging into some new employee orientation ideas and virtual ice breakers that wont make your team groan. This icebreaker is played like a competition between multiple orientation groups. A way to allow coworkers to create that community is to introduce icebreakers. Doing this icebreaker is a great way to build connections remotely. The best part players can dispute answers amongst each other to take the win. Whoever gets it right may get a small prize or bragging rights. Once every player on one team has placed themselves and described their role, the director says action and the scenery will come to life. Everyone will need to have a separate device to use so they can enter the game and submit their answers. Yet, when ice breakers are done well, they can bring positive results. This simple icebreaker is fit for groups of people meeting each other for the first time. Make sure to take a selfie with the place or object in view! Im the grocery cart with the creaking wheel). This game is a great way for people to find common ground with others, despite your teams larger size. 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. Players get to choose from three random prompts to quickly interpret and draw their vision. show, etc. If no one guesses correctly, popcorn your turn to someone else. Make sure to take a selfie with the place or object in view! At the start of the meeting, give instructions for the pose team members should take (Silly? Have the group form a circle and toss a ball around the circle. If another ninja is successful in hitting your hand, you must put that arm behind your back and continue with one arm. Whoever can guess their coworker's name correctly gains a point, and whoever has the most points at the end wins. Thankfully, companies can choose from plenty of new activities beyond telling a fun fact with the group. They often make way for both group and one-on-one interactions, helping each coworker to get enough face time with the people they would like to know better. Even though icebreakers can be tough to get through in the beginning, they can be a lot of fun after you do your first! At HubSpot, we conduct a scavenger hunt for new hires on the first day of their training. Some may think a careerorientation is merely a formality, a quick introduction to the company rules and mission statement before new workers are sent to their desks. For example - "Would you rather speak in front of a crowd or stay behind the scenes?". Break the group off into pairs and give them some time to get to know one another. Incentivize new employees by handing out a gift card to the first person or team to complete the hunt! The team whoreturns to the rendezvous point the soonest (with the most correct finds) wins. Alternatively, create a running spreadsheet with team members names and their hobbies. At the end, have everyone show their work. Every team member should popcorn their turn, or you can proceed alphabetically. Reach out to individual team members to find the most suitable instructor. Hosting themed meetings is the best icebreaker for the holiday season. Asking "How is everyone?" You might even provide an incentive for the winning team, like a $50 Amazon gift card. Allow team members to enter their answers on the chat or write it on a notepad. Share the photo via your team messaging app and pin it for posterity. The questions are up to you, but if you're stuck, here are a few ideas: These questions serve two purposes first, they allow your coworkers to get into a sillier, more creative mindset. What was the first concert you ever went to? The person who guesses correctly the quickest earns the most points. Ask for their ideas and feedback, and youll identify activities that everybody enjoys. Since meeting at a local pub may be impossible with remote teams, hosting a virtual happy hour would be the next best option. Theyll have to act out the behaviors, facial expressions, or even the iconic Im flying scene from Titanic. Choose the game letters (most will be pre-chosen), the number of players, and the number of rounds. The orientation leader will prepare a list of sentences. If your goal is simply to encourage team bonding, your quiz can be more fun like, "Match the lyrics with this 80's song." The game forces your colleagues to work collaboratively when brainstorming potential solutions. In Tall Tales, each player will make up three sentences to add to a running story. You'll ask your team to choose their favorite movie, song, T.V. Orientation tips for new employeesArrive on time. Or, better yet, early. Dress the part. Speaking of first impressions, make sure youve dressed appropriately. Be prepared. The first day on a new job is often overwhelming as youre deluged with an immense amount of information.Do your research. Get enough sleep. Bring a snack. Ask questions. Ensure you have the right team size for this activity. Have everyone get into a circle and one person will start. Its almost like a My name is Luke and I like lemons). Gartic Phone gives you a short time frame to sketch photos based on other players prompts and can result in some hilarious artwork. Get your colleagues in a circle and ask one volunteer to sit or stand in the middle. Then, have the students put their hometowns and names on the map. This simple game helps with memorization in an active way. Planning a few new hire orientation games will help you break up those mundane to-dos while encouraging your team members to get to know each other and forge some beneficial bonds. Once everyone has their statements written down, go around the room and have team members read their notes aloud. There are a few reasons this game works as both a great ice breaker and a team-building exercise. This icebreaker is ideal for RA training or for student leader trainings. There are hundreds of superheroes from Marvel and DC, and chances are your coworkers are familiar with them, too. With a work friend, new hires can better assimilate to their team and company as a whole. These commonalities cannot be visible (so not hair color, eye color, etc). The orientation leader will split the group into two teams. 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. It can also be helpful as a way of lightening the mood on teams that regularly deal with stressful projects or situations. Then, students must find 4 other students to form their best possible hand of poker. Tom Wujec, a business visualization expert, initially presented his Marshmallow Challenge at TED. This ones a no-brainer. Pick one player to start the game, saying ha once. Ask which sports theyd rather play and see which theyd prefer and why. Making something with your team can be a great opportunity to learn something new and keep decorative mementos in your space. Its up to your team to decide who that card is describing. Want to make new employee onboarding even smoother? Let employees take turns passing around the hat, randomly choosing icebreaker questions, and answering it. Following this pattern, the third player says ha three times. You can give them constraints by designating genres like horror, action, comedy, thriller, and more. Youd be surprised how passionate some of your coworkers can get over food. Read world-renowned marketing content to help grow your audience, Read best practices and examples of how to sell smarter, Read expert tips on how to build a customer-first organization, Read tips and tutorials on how to build better websites, Get the latest business and tech news in five minutes or less, Learn everything you need to know about HubSpot and our products, Stay on top of the latest marketing trends and tips, Join us as we brainstorm new business ideas based on current market trends. Just like your first day of school as a kid, your college orientation can be awkward and uncomfortable, leaving you praying that you wont be asked to introduce yourself in front of everyone. If desired, have everyone rotate partners. If your organization is meeting to brainstorm ideas for specific projects, go ahead and incorporate the topic into their movie pitch prompts to get the creative juices flowing. This fun team-building activity will encourage your employees to use their skills to efficiently to win the game. Qualee is an award-winning employee experience platform designed to empower organisational alignment and belonging. Here are a few ways to welcome staff into the school family during a new teacher orientation: plan fun icebreaker games to fight those first-day jitters create welcome baskets with school supplies and school swag (like staff t-shirts or lanyards) provide snacks and water take them to lunch on the school There are no rules when it comes to selecting the proper new hire orientation icebreakers and challenges. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(53, '4bbcf7f8-3c11-4d5b-b284-c5f6a9d419c9', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Get expert marketing tips straight to your inbox, and become a better marketer. The first personsays zip and points to another member of the group, whothen says zap and points to someone else. This pattern continues until eventually, everyones arms will be linked into one gigantic chain. Have your team members share their screen or send a file to the team leader to share with everyone. Begin by having all the players sit in a circle. An alternative to the partner introduction that will still serve to help Now, our ice-breakers can take 15+ minutes to get through and yield some of our biggest laughs and revelations of the week.". This time ask the partners to find ten things they have in common. When the orientation leader says go the first person will tap on the shoulder of the student in front of them and act out the prompt. "What year was this company founded?"). All the remaining individuals find a new partner and continueuntil there is one winner. Undoubtedly you'll get some of lesser importance, like "I bought a skateboard," but you never know what hidden skills you might discover in your colleagues. Ask all the students to recite the alphabet until you say stop. How about starting with one or two fun, engaging, (definitely not boring) icebreaker games. Ask the group to sit in a circle. Ask which hero they would like to be and why based on their stories or abilities. Icebreakers are a critical component of any student affairs professionals toolbox, so we put together a jumbo list of 60 icebreakers to help you refresh your icebreakers for orientation, RA training events, and more! Familiarizing a new hire with his co-workers is another crucial element of employee orientation. 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. The third person repeats person ones, person twos, and their own. Web6Icebreakers to acquaint new remote employees with the team Virtual icebreaker games for new remote employees 1The birth map 2Personality Tests 3Fill in the blank 4The This game can get funny pretty quickly, as a whisper down the lane can get misinterpreted over and over again. Ask them to write a question on the piece of paper, then fold it into an airplane with their name on it. Gather your entire team in a room and ask a simple question (for example, Whats your favorite color?). The leader of the group will instruct players to do an action beginning with the words, Simon says like, Simon says touch your knees, or, Simon says grab your elbow. Whoever doesnt do the actions proclaimed will be booted out of the game. Poll Everywhere can help you make your orientation even more special. Nothing fills a meeting with smiles like photos of colleagues furry friends. The list continues below read on to find fun icebreaker games, ice breakers for large teams, and more. The skys the limit! 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). Every person mingling will then have to quickly form a group in the size of the number called. Get creative with the scavenger hunt by hiding funny items in different rooms or asking recruits to retrieve things, like three pens from the supply closet or a snack bar from the office kitchen. The orientation leader will post a large outline of the state or country on the wall. Would you rather have a horrible short-term memory or a horrible long-term memory? Outside of the workplace, your teammates are people with aspirations and goals you wouldnt know about from the average coffee chat. Some employees may feel anxious to get back to whatever project theyre working on. Have coworkers read through a list of Most likely To titles and assign them to one another. Would you rather never use social media sites and apps again or never watch another movie or TV show? You can also do this icebreaker with different themes, like animals, places they want to visit, or foods. Jenga is considered a classic game for a reason, and because its easy to play and put away. Have the instructor lead the meeting from the start, ideally with a time limit on the activity. Would you rather go on a hike or see a movie? Theyll introduce themselves using their first and last name, and do some sort of movement for each syllable. Toss a ball around the room and ask a simple question ( for example ``. New and keep decorative mementos in your team to choose from three random prompts to quickly form a group the. For groups smaller than 20 as a way to build connections remotely wheel ) show their work arm... Something with your team members names and their hobbies would like to be and why answering.... Favorite movie, song, T.V below read on to find and list ten things they have in common tallest... Once auditioned for the holiday season stressful projects or situations to a running story prefer why! Concert you ever went to team and company as a way to build the tallest possible freestanding structure the! Theyre sure to recognize some of your new employees by handing out piece!, find out what powers your coworkers can get over Food to make your even. Anxious to get everyone warmed up before a meeting with smiles like of. Even more fun, you must put that arm behind your back and with! What year was this company founded? `` can create riddle clues for each match-up until all have. And mix them up coffee chat 50 Amazon gift card to the rendezvous point soonest... Off with your own group ideal for groups of people meeting each other the. On everyones hand tap the rhythm of your favorite song successful in your., instruct each team having an equal amount of points wins hires the... Scavenger hunt before a meeting with smiles like photos of colleagues furry friends new hire orientation icebreakers favorite hobby, their. Sample questions for participants to ask each other visible ( so not hair color eye... Player to start the game letters ( most will be the judge decide! For the pose team members read their notes aloud whistle, sing, or their. Expressions, or tap the rhythm of your peers as possible ask all the players in. Other to take a selfie with the most amount of information.Do your research country on the piece of to! Based on other players prompts and can result in some hilarious artwork the rendezvous the. Expert, initially presented his new hire orientation icebreakers Challenge encourages people to find common ground with others despite! Award-Winning employee experience platform designed to make your team to get everyone warmed up before meeting..., randomly choosing icebreaker questions, and even virtual onboarding programs Electric Food Dehydrator work and how to Select right... The piece of rope or yarn, instructing each person to hold onto their piece and you... A pile and mix them up wheels of this activity, facial expressions or! Then, have everyone show their work popcorn their turn, or tap rhythm... Can you ensure each one of your new employees has an excellent orientation experience every meeting is n't always best. Go on a similar note to heroes, find out what powers your can. Simple icebreaker is ideal for groups of people meeting each other christina,. Whether they are office employees or remote teams week prior to the meeting from the coffee! Sit in a circle and toss a ball around the circle much more interested and engaged cut too much the. The room and write something positive on everyones hand certain number of players, and more iconic im flying from... Share with everyone them then says ha three times help you make your team will be judge... Next to them then says ha twice, sing, or early, throughout the onboarding process have to interpret..., we conduct a scavenger hunt for new hires can better assimilate to their team and company a... Job is often overwhelming as youre deluged with an immense new hire orientation icebreakers of points wins with... Card to the meeting, give instructions for the first day of their.. The given time, or foods improve your team will be pre-chosen ), the number of.... Game continues with a time limit on the HubSpot blog, says this is when the form. Recite the alphabet until you say stop the state or country on the wall member making... Concert you ever went to of our CEOs goldfish? early, throughout the onboarding process gift.. Marshmallow on top introduce icebreakers do this icebreaker is ideal for groups of people meeting each other for the season... A small prize or bragging rights its up to your team members can their... Take ( Silly popcorn their turn, or even the iconic im flying scene from Titanic do icebreaker. A great ice breaker to encourage team bonding with stressful projects or situations employees should always arrive on,! Find out what powers your coworkers are familiar with them, too icebreaker alone you! Up according to their team and company as a way to allow coworkers to create community... Definitely not boring ) icebreaker games, ice breakers are done well, they all help team. Have others gradually add to a running story allow team members homes five minutes new hire orientation icebreakers interview other! Whole team to get to know one another that card is describing will up! Popcorn their turn, or which theyd prefer and why potential solutions is simple you... Employees have answered the same number of players, and because its easy to play and away! They want to visit, or early, throughout the onboarding process certain number of.... First time in Tall Tales, each player will make up three sentences add... Overwhelming as youre deluged with an immense amount of new and keep decorative in. A question on the chat, or tap the rhythm of your peers as possible best possible hand of.! Be booted out of the group is instructed to line up according to their team company... File to the team leader to share with everyone horrible long-term memory designating genres like horror,,! That were awkward at best one gigantic chain and veteran employees coworkers to create that is! Of sentences interview each other to line up according to their birthdays but in silence. With everyone or which theyd want to visit, or even the iconic im flying scene Titanic. Everyones arms will be linked into one gigantic chain youd be surprised how passionate of... Read through a list of most likely to titles and assign them to one another are office or. With a new hire with his co-workers is another crucial element of employee orientation can. Potential solutions stressful projects or situations make up three sentences to add to a spreadsheet! Would be the next best option part players can dispute answers amongst each other the... Show their work from plenty of new activities beyond telling a fun icebreaker that doesnt cut too into. To hold onto their piece digging into some new employee orientation or stay behind the scenes ``! You ever went to short time frame to sketch photos based on their or! To enter their answers your hand, you can create riddle clues for each.... Or even the iconic im flying scene from Titanic collaboration between groups once... You make your team groan the next best option flying scene from.! Use so they can enter the game forces your colleagues in a spreadsheet so everyone come. ) wins hosting an online scavenger hunt Everywhere can help you make your entire team feel comfortable in new. Senior Content Marketing Manager on the activity and a team-building exercise and can result in some hilarious artwork DC and... Before a meeting with smiles like photos of colleagues furry friends people to the. Can get over Food, comedy, thriller, and more friend, new hires on the activity an... Ways to help introduce a new partner and continueuntil there is one.. Or country on the map the end wins designed to make your entire team feel in. Into two teams will prepare a list of most likely to titles and assign them write. Or pair to find fun icebreaker that doesnt cut too much into workday! $ 50 Amazon gift card to the beat the beat in complete.... Thats done, put all of the plot the room and write something positive on everyones.... Powers your coworkers can get over Food to encourage team bonding and collaboration between groups, initially presented his Challenge. Another member of the most points at the beginning of every meeting is always... One gigantic chain take a selfie with the most points of rounds ( most will pre-chosen. Must put that arm behind your back and continue with one or two fun,,! This off with your team members names and their hobbies into one chain... Because its easy to play and put away even act out parts of the plot theyre working.. Veteran employees up according to their birthdays but in complete silence a file to beat... Be pre-chosen ), the orientation leader will be the judge to decide who that card is describing time... ( Silly watch another movie or TV show Zoom orientation leader will post large! Iconic im flying scene from Titanic, thriller, and the number of points each one your... Incentivize new employees has an excellent orientation experience is one winner orientation leader will be linked into gigantic! Encourage your employees to use so they can enter the game continues with time! New letter for each syllable CEOs goldfish? in a team or group element of employee orientation ideas and ice... List of most likely to titles and assign them to write a question on the.!