5 Virtual Icebreakers for Remote Teams

The workplace has shifted to a more remote-friendly environment. With that shift comes changes. Instead of your team meeting face-to-face, they're meeting on Zoom. Instead of your team bonding over an office happy hour, they're cheering each other through a webcam.

This virtual dynamic can come with less bonding, and less bonding means fewer happy workers. The good news is there are plenty of icebreakers for virtual teams that will bring you together. Use these icebreakers to help your team feel connected to one another.

Two Truths and One Lie

An easy way to get to know your team is through the Two Truths One Lie game. Before the meeting, ask each coworker to write down two true statements about themselves and one false statement about themselves. When you begin the game, ask the first player to read all three statements and hold them up for everyone to see. The rest of the team then tries to guess which statement is a lie. This is a great virtual icebreaker because it forces people to open up and share interesting things about themselves.

Baking Classes

Try bringing your remote team together through the magic of baking. Offsyte has a variety of virtual baking icebreaker activities, from pancake making to crafting sweet cinnamon buns. The best part about a baking team icebreaker is that everyone has fun, no matter what their kitchen skills are like. It's fun to see someone bake the perfect cake, but it's even better to see someone bake a disaster of a cake.

Share The Last

Share The Last is a fun virtual team icebreaker because it gives you a little behind-the-scenes look at coworkers. In this game, you'll ask each team member to share the last photo on their camera roll, the last emoji they sent, and the last song they played. As silly as it seems, pictures, emojis and songs do say something about people. Chances are your round of Share The Last has several serious and hilarious moments, which is a sure sign of a good icebreaker game.

Wellness Activities

Everyone can benefit from slowing down and being more present in the moment. When your team is feeling mentally and emotionally supported and connected, you'll see improved efficiency and dedication. If work is always work, no one is happy. If you think your team could benefit from a virtual icebreaker focused on wellness, try one of Offsyte's mental health activities. We have everything you could want, from guided meditation classes to relaxing yoga sessions.

Myers Briggs Test

The Meyers-Briggs personality test has been around for a long time, but it's still quite valuable. This virtual icebreaker requires a little work prior to the meeting, but it's well worth it. Ask each of your team to take the Myers-Briggs personality test and then share the results. The test takes only about five minutes, but the results guarantee some good discussions afterward. The Myers-Briggs test is a fun, low-stakes way to gain insight into your team.

More to Know About Virtual Icebreakers for Remote Workers

Here are some common questions people have about virtual icebreakers.

What are some fun virtual icebreakers?

Any virtual icebreaker can be fun if you put some effort and thought into it. Think about your team and what they would enjoy, then go from there.

What are good icebreaker games for Zoom?

You can do almost any icebreaker game on Zoom. Just make sure you do some research first before the meeting so you know what it entails.

What are some fun ways to start a virtual meeting?

The best way to start virtual meetings is to get people laughing. Laughter has a way of lowering guards. Try starting your meeting with a lighthearted icebreaker game, like Two Truths One Lie.