Whether you join a virtual meeting as a participant or leading the charge as the host, skipping the icebreaker can leave you in the all-too-familiar territory of awkward silences.
And those hesitant greetings? They’re often not far behind.
You can avoid this by including an icebreaker to smoothly kickstart your virtual meetings.
In this blog we share 19 different engaging icebreakers for your next virtual meeting. We’ll delve into what you need to know about these icebreakers, how to effectively use them, and what pitfalls to avoid.
These icebreakers will improve your virtual meetings by boosting engagement and workplace productivity.
What’s a good icebreaker for a virtual meeting?
An icebreaker activity to start virtual meetings promotes a feeling of belonging and develops relationships between the participants.
Finding good icebreakers for virtual meetings can enhance communication and improve workplace productivity.
A good icebreaker should sustain the capacity to get everyone on the call involved and should interest everyone and suit individual privacy.
Let’s look at some mistakes to avoid when using icebreakers for virtual meetings.
Mistakes to avoid when using icebreakers
Avoid the following mistakes in implementing icebreaker activities in your next meeting:
- Don’t make people feel stupid by asking impossible-to-answer questions as an icebreaker.
- Do not exclude people from the icebreaker questions and activities.
- Don’t spend too much time when using an icebreaker for virtual meetings.
- Avoid shutting up people when speaking unless they are being negative.
- Respect status and age. Don’t ask people to make animal sounds demeaning to their group and age.
19 fun icebreakers for virtual meetings
Having a stellar meeting starts with thinking about your audience.
Ever attended a virtual meeting and felt lost and detached from what was being said or done? You’ll now understand why an icebreaker for virtual meetings are essential in avoiding this.
Listed below are 19 icebreakers for virtual meetings that you can incorporate into your meetings.
1. One-minute introduction
Most people join virtual meetings with pressure from other activities.
To make everyone feel lighthearted, you can demand that they introduce themselves.
However, ask them to say their first and last names, depending on the kind of meeting.
You can also tell the participants to state one or two fun facts about them.
2. Ask them to state an activity they were engaged in that may help others
This is another fun icebreaker for virtual meetings to employ.
Making people talk about themselves if they wish to would make them see that they have a voice and that their contribution is needed where necessary.
3. Two truths and a lie
Games are effective as icebreakers for a virtual meeting.
“Two Truths and a Lie” is a classic fun game that requires people to say two true things about them and a false one.
The participants will then need to guess which one is the lie.
It would be best if you went first so that people who do not know about the game have a pre-knowledge.
4. Share your workspace
This icebreaker is primarily effective for groups that already know each other.
If your audience does not know each other, you may not use this because of privacy infringement.
Ask people to share their workspace or a place they like in their rooms. You should show them yours first.
5. Tell a story
Including a story is another of the best virtual meeting icebreakers. Research has it that people connect more with stories than abstract speeches.
Stories are effective bait for taking the attention of your listeners.
So, tell an intriguing story. Begin the story well.
6. Company trivia
See how well your audience knows about the company or organisation they work for.
Ask company-related questions and reward them with a clap or kudos.
7. Play a song
A unique way of starting a virtual meeting is to play a song while they come on board.
You can move your body slightly in sync with the tune.
Remember to pause the music intermittently to welcome them; they know they are in a formal meeting.
8. Share old pictures
If you still need throwback pictures of all your audiences, you can ask them to send them to you before the start of the meeting.
Post or share old photographs and ask them to figure out who is who now.
Note that this icebreaker suits small groups and semi-formal or informal settings.
9. Caption this
This is a game that is great for energising team members or audiences.
To do this, share thought-provoking or funny images.
Afterwards, pick people randomly to give captions that best describe the image.
The person with the best caption and highest comment from people wins.
10. The bucket list
Everyone has goals and aspirations on their bucket list. Encourage your audience to share one or two of them.
This is a good way of getting to know your team more. Anyone at the meeting can drop advice on how to achieve some goals.
11. Guess the emoji board
Ask them to make a screenshot of their emoji board capturing their most recently used emojis and privately send it to you.
Post a few of them and ask them to guess whose emoji board it is you have displayed. This is an excellent way of getting to know your audience and an excellent remote meeting icebreaker.
12. What was your first job?
If the participants of the virtual meeting are all from your organisation and team members, asking them to describe their first job experiences may be excellent.
Ask them to stay on the funny parts of it.
13. Celebrate someone who did a task well
Give a quick shout-out to someone who did excellent work, and others will emulate it.
You could also applaud the most attentive listener and contributor in that meeting.
14. Follow and connect with yourselves on social media
Everyone would like people to follow and connect with them on social media.
Those who are not active online may get spurred to do so.
15. Ask them to make a quick post on social media and include hashtags
If you want to make the program or meeting more visible, ask them to make a quick post including a common hashtag to ensure uniformity and broader reach.
16. Would you rather?
Here is another fun virtual meeting icebreaker to add to the list.
“Would you rather” is a game that demands people to say things about themselves concerning a supplied alternative.
It is an excellent way of communicating and building the bond between you and other team members.
For example, you can ask your meeting participants whether they prefer a solo vacation or a group vacation and ask everyone to join in with their answers.
17. What’s the weirdest thing you have done at the office?
In this case, your audience may be reluctant to give a response at first, especially when you are their superiors.
You may have to promise not to be judgmental and not use it against them. Whichever way, this should be fun and worthy of usage.
18. Scavenger hunt
Since it is a virtual meeting, you can conduct a virtual scavenger hunt.
Divide the audience into teams and assign them tasks to do or something to find within a time frame. The team that does it quickly and effectively is the winner.
19. Let’s have a mixtape
This gives room for interpersonal relationships. Ask each person in the meeting to mention their favourite music from a specific genre.
Allow someone to compile it into a playlist. Share the link with everyone afterwards.
Use Talk Magnet to implement icebreakers for virtual meetings
Given the heavy reliance on communication tools in virtual meetings, it’s crucial to note that the effectiveness of your icebreakers hinges on the quality of your communication tool.
Our articles on the best team communication apps for SMEs and enterprises reveal several options you can explore to get your next virtual meetings rolling.
Our pick is Talk Magnet, an all-in-one collaboration tool that makes your meetings more engaging.
With Talk Magnet, you can communicate with your team through chat, voice, or video. You can also share files and access information anytime you want.
So, schedule a free demo with us now or sign up for free to enjoy Talk Magnet’s unlimited features.
