Get to Know You Questions for Work (Best Meeting Ice Breaker)

by Doug Staneart | Team Games and Activities

Below, we have compiled over 200 different Get to Know You Questions (Getting to Know You Questions). But, if you use these meeting icebreaker questions the right way, you’ll really only need five or six. (No need to overdo it.) In fact, you can use just a few of these get-to-know-you questions to create fantastic conversations and build fantastic teamwork in your group.

The key to this fun exercise is to build the group sizes as the icebreaker progresses. For instance, if you just have people in the room partner up and ask random questions from a list, they will have fun, but you won’t build a better team. Also, if you just put random questions on a slide during a break, you’ll also get half-hearted participation.

Instead, follow this simple five-step process. The energy in the room will erupt. And you’ll also see your team members smiling and laughing with each other throughout the entire ice breaker exercise!

By the Way, Here Are a Few Shortcuts to Help You Use These Questions!

Big Group Icebreaker | Small Group Icebreaker | 200 Get to Know You Questions.

How to Use Get to Know You Questions for Work as a Fun Icebreaker Activity. (Best Icebreaker for a Big Group.)

This is my absolute favorite way to start a meeting and get new people on the team interacting quickly with more seasoned team members. I used to say that any get-to-know-you questions would do, and for the most part, that is still true. But, over the years, I’ve realized that instead of forcing the team members to ask specific questions, if you give them more freedom to alter the questions, you’ll get much better results.

Here is the process I typically use.

Step #1) Setup the Icebreaker (Make them Want to Participate.)

I usually start by pointing out the elephant in the room. (Networking or trying to start a conversation with people you only see once a year or so can sometimes be awkward and uncomfortable.) Then, I explain that this process gets fun if you can get the other person talking about themselves. I tell them that they want to have a goal to see how much than can get the other person to talk about themselves.

This setup for the icebreaker is very important. It gets the group to want to experiment with the technique that you will be showing them. If you skip this part, they will be less active and interactive in the exercise.

At this point, I just point to the slide and begin to explain the bullet points.

• Name?
• Work?
• Location/Travel?
• What Do You Enjoy?
• What Makes You Unique?
• What Are You Proud Of?

Step #2) Explain the Questions.

Instead of putting “What’s your name?” on the slide, I usually just put “Name.” The purpose of the icebreaker is to reduce the awkwardness. And in some cases, the people may already know each other’s names. So, this “topic” is just a queue to start by making sure you know each other’s names. For instance, if everyone in the room knows each other very well, they might just start with a simple “Hey, Joe.” Hey, Mary.”

The rest of the bullets are queues about things you can ask the other person about. There are dozens of questions about their work. “what do you do?” “How long have you done that?” “Have you worked in other industries?” Etc. So, for each of these bullets, the participants can likely come up with a number of different questions. (For more questions in each category, see 200 Get to Know You Questions.)

Step #3) Practice with a Partner.

Have your participants partner with someone that they don’t know very well. The technique I like is to say, “Make eye contact with someone at a different table who you know the least about. Once you make eye contact, go to that person. That will be your partner.”

Give the partners two or three minutes to ask each other any of the questions that you just went over. The room will quickly be bustling with activity. You may want to set a timer on your phone to make sure you give them enough time to really get to know each other but not so long that you loose the energy in the room.

If at any point, you start to see anyone checking out or struggling with the icebreaker activity, just call time. But make sure that each team members stays with their partner.

Step #4) Partners Reassemble at a Different Table.

Tell the audience that they and their partners will be on a new team for the rest of the meeting. But, you want to make sure that each partner group is intermixed with other partners in a random way. So, just have the partners sit down at a table different than the tables that either of the partners came from.

This will cause the group to move around the room a little and keep the energy high. This step also makes the competitiveness of the group come to the surface. Most people will remember picking teams in grade school and wanting desperately not to be the last person picked. So, the group will often rush to a new seat very quickly. And, you’ll also see a slight version of musical chairs take place as partners rush to different table only to find another partnership dashes into those seats just before them.

Of course there are still the same number of chairs in the room as there were before the icebreaker started. So, there is no chance of anyone (or any partnership) being embarrassed because no one wants them on a team.

By the way, this type of movement adds a little laughter and fun to the room.

Step #5) They Introduce Their Partner to Their New Team.

This last step is where the beauty of this team icebreaker really comes into focus. Once all the participants are seated again, give them a chance to introduce their partner to their new group.

When I do this, I usually tell them that they can only use information that they gathered from their partner in the last few minutes. This makes the activity fun and light hearted.

Give the group ten minutes or less (five minutes is usually enough time) to introduce their partners. But tell them that each person on their team only has thirty seconds. So, you have to talk fast. Give the group a centralized timer or count down verbally how much time is left at each minute. That way, the energy in the room stays high throughout this last step.

Here Is an Easy Way to Use Get to Know You Questions for Small Groups (or Virtual Meetings).

If you have a smaller group (20 people or less), a great icebreaker for a meeting is to just pick one fun question. At the very beginning of your meeting, just ask the question of the group. It’s usually a good idea to go first to give them an example of what you are looking for.

Give them a minute or so to come up with an answer. Then ask someone to share what they came up with. Keep asking for volunteers to share with the group versus forcing the team to speak impromptu. (You’ll build better teamwork that way.) If members of the team are reluctant to share, the positive peer pressure from the group will encourage them to participate.

Here is an example. “What’s one skill no one on the team knows you possess? Since I already knew the question, I’ll go first. The summer I turned sixteen, my hired me to come work for him helping him build benches for a country club. We went down to the local hardware store and bought a landscaping timber, a bunch of huge nails, and some varnish. He and I spent the next week cutting up the timbers into planks that became these beautiful benches for the golf course.

“I got so good at it, that I ended up making more at the house and selling them for a couple hundred dollars at a local flea market. That money paid for my living expenses my first semester of college.

“Take a minute or so to come up with your hidden skill.” Then, after a minute, say, “Okay, who wants to go next?”

This is a really fun way to use Get to Know You Questions to get coworkers to learn more about each other on a personal level.

200 Getting to Know You Questions for Work Meetings.

As I mentioned before, simple questions or topics tend to work better. But if you are looking for “Get to Know You Questions” for other work situations, here is a very comprehensive list. I’ve organized them into categories to make finding the perfect questions easier.

• Fun Questions about Work or Your Profession.
• Good Questions about Traveling or Where Someone Is from.
• Different Types of Questions about Things People Enjoy or Enjoy Doing.
• Questions to Get Others to Tell You Something Unique or Different about Themselves.
• Ways to Get People to Tell You What They Are Proud of.
• Really Fun Get to Know You Questions.
• Team Building Get to Know You Questions.
• Deep Get to Know You Questions to Make Participants Think about an Answer.
• Silly Get to Know You Questions. (Just for Fun!)
• Holiday Get to Know You Questions. (Christmas, New Year, etc.)

Fun Questions about Work or Your Profession.

1. So, what do you do for a living?
2. How long have you done that?
3. So, what do you do for your company?
4. What did you do before you started here?
5. Is that what you studied in school?
6. How’d you get into this industry?
7. Have you ever worked in any other industry?
8. What’s the most rewarding part of your role?
9. What’s a work project you’re most excited about?
10. Who’s been a big influence on your career?
11. What’s a skill you’ve picked up at work?
12. What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in your field?
13. What’s a typical day like in your job?
14. What’s a work challenge you’ve overcome?
15. What’s one thing you’d change about your job?
16. What’s a career milestone you’re aiming for?
17. What’s the best work advice you’ve received?
18. What’s a tool you can’t work without?
19. What’s a work habit you’re proud of?
20. What’s a surprising perk of your job?

Good Questions about Traveling or Where Someone Is from.

21. What office are you from?
22. How long have you been there/here?
23. Where did you travel in from?
24. Are you originally from here?
25. Have you always lived in this area?
26. What’s your favorite place you’ve lived?
27. What’s the best trip you’ve taken for work?
28. What’s a city you’d love to visit?
29. How do you like to travel for business?
30. What’s a local spot you’d recommend?
31. What’s unique about your hometown?
32. Have you ever lived abroad?
33. What’s the longest commute you’ve had?
34. What’s a place you’d never visit again?
35. What’s your go-to travel tip?
36. What’s a destination on your bucket list?
37. How do you unwind after a work trip?
38. What’s a cultural difference you’ve noticed traveling?
39. What’s the best food you’ve tried on a trip?
40. What’s a place that feels like home to you?

Different Types of Questions about Things People Enjoy or Enjoy Doing.

41. What do you enjoy most about what you do?
42. What’s a hobby you love spending time on?
43. What’s your favorite way to spend a weekend?
44. What’s a sport or activity you enjoy watching?
45. What’s a book you couldn’t put down?
46. What’s your go-to comfort food?
47. What’s a podcast or show you’re hooked on?
48. What’s an outdoor activity you love?
49. What’s a creative outlet you enjoy?
50. What’s a game you love to play?
51. What’s a music genre you can’t resist?
52. What’s a way you like to relax after work?
53. What’s a festival or event you enjoy?
54. What’s a craft or DIY project you’ve done?
55. What’s a favorite family activity you do?
56. What’s a new thing you’ve tried recently?
57. What’s a place you love to hang out?
58. What’s a cooking recipe you nail every time?
59. What’s a workout or activity that energizes you?
60. What’s a tradition you enjoy with friends?

Questions to Get Others to Tell You Something Unique or Different about Themselves.

61. What makes you different from the other [their work title]’s in your company?
62. What makes your company different from the other company’s in your industry?
63. What’s a hidden talent you have?
64. What’s a quirky habit you’re known for?
65. What’s a unique experience you’ve had?
66. What’s something you collect or love?
67. What’s an unusual skill you’ve learned?
68. What’s a nickname you’ve earned?
69. What’s a surprising place you’ve visited?
70. What’s a rare hobby you’re into?
71. What’s a unique way you solve problems?
72. What’s a family tradition you cherish?
73. What’s a random fact you know?
74. What’s a unique dish you make?
75. What’s an odd job you’ve had?
76. What’s a special item you own?
77. What’s a one-of-a-kind adventure you’ve had?
78. What’s a unique goal you’re chasing?
79. What’s a strange fear you have?
80. What’s a distinctive trait you’re proud of?

Ways to Get People to Tell You What They Are Proud of.

81. What’s a work achievement you’re really proud of?
82. What’s a personal goal you’ve accomplished?
83. What’s a skill you’ve worked hard to master?
84. What’s a project you nailed that felt great?
85. What’s a moment you felt proud of a teammate?
86. What’s a challenge you’re proud to have faced?
87. What’s a leadership moment you’re proud of?
88. What’s a community effort you’re proud to support?
89. What’s a family milestone you’re proud of?
90. What’s a creative idea you’re proud to have had?
91. What’s a tough decision you’re glad you made?
92. What’s a learning experience you’re proud of?
93. What’s a time you helped someone and felt proud?
94. What’s a goal you hit that surprised you?
95. What’s a work habit you’re proud to have?
96. What’s a moment you stood up for something?
97. What’s a small win you’re proud of recently?
98. What’s a legacy you’re proud to be building?
99. What’s a team success you’re proud to share?
100. What’s a personal value you’re proud to uphold?

Really Fun Get to Know You Questions.

101. What’s the most unexpected food combo you’ve ever tried?
102. If you could have any fictional character as your coworker, who would it be?
103. What’s a hobby you’ve always wanted to pick up but haven’t yet?
104. If you could instantly master one skill, what would you choose?
105. What’s the best concert or live event you’ve ever attended?
106. If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
107. What’s your go-to karaoke song, even if you’d never sing it?
108. If you could travel back to any decade, which would you pick?
109. What’s a movie you can quote line for line?
110. If you could swap lives with a celebrity for a day, who’d it be?
111. What’s the weirdest place you’ve ever fallen asleep?
112. If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would you choose?
113. What’s a fun fact about you that surprises people?
114. If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be?
115. What’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?
116. If you could invent a new ice cream flavor, what would it be?
117. What’s your favorite board game or card game to play?
118. If you could star in any TV show, which one would you pick?
119. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
120. If you could have any talent, what would you want to be amazing at?

Team Building Get to Know You Questions.

121. What’s one thing your team could do to collaborate better?
122. Who’s been the most inspiring teammate you’ve worked with?
123. What’s a team project you’re really proud of?
124. How do you like to celebrate a team success?
125. What’s one skill you bring to the team that stands out?
126. What’s the best team-building activity you’ve ever done?
127. How do you prefer to receive feedback from teammates?
128. What’s a work habit you admire in a coworker?
129. What’s one way you like to support your team?
130. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a team?
131. How do you stay motivated during tough team projects?
132. What’s a fun way you’d like our team to bond?
133. What’s one goal you’d love our team to achieve?
134. What’s a team tradition you’d like to start?
135. How do you balance individual and team tasks?
136. What’s a strength you see in our team?
137. What’s one thing you’ve learned from a team failure?
138. How do you like to brainstorm with a team?
139. What’s a team role you enjoy taking on?
140. What makes a team environment feel great to you?

Deep Get to Know You Questions to Make Participants Think about an Answer.

141. What’s a life lesson you’ve learned that guides your work?
142. If you could change one decision you made, what would it be?
143. What’s a challenge you’ve overcome that shaped who you are?
144. What’s one value you try to live by every day?
145. If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
146. What’s a goal you’re working toward outside of work?
147. What’s something you wish more people understood about you?
148. What’s a moment that made you rethink your career path?
149. What does success mean to you personally?
150. What’s a fear you’ve faced and how did you handle it?
151. What’s one thing you’d like to be remembered for?
152. How do you find balance when life gets overwhelming?
153. What’s a cause you’re passionate about and why?
154. What’s a book or movie that changed your perspective?
155. What’s the hardest choice you’ve ever had to make?
156. What inspires you to keep growing as a person?
157. What’s a dream you’ve had since childhood?
158. How do you define a meaningful life?
159. What’s a moment you felt truly fulfilled?
160. What’s one thing you’d change about the world?

Silly Get to Know You Questions. (Just for Fun!)

161. If your life was a movie, what would the title be?
162. Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?
163. What’s the worst food combo you can imagine eating?
164. If you could have a useless superpower, what would it be?
165. What’s your made-up band name and music genre?
166. If you were a kitchen appliance, which one would you be?
167. What’s the funniest thing you’ve accidentally said in a meeting?
168. If you could talk to any inanimate object, what would it be?
169. What’s a cartoon character you’d love to hang out with?
170. If you could rename coffee, what would you call it?
171. What’s the silliest dance move you’ve ever tried?
172. If you were a vegetable, which one would you be?
173. What’s a fake holiday you’d invent for a day off?
174. If you could swap voices with someone, who’d it be?
175. What’s the weirdest thing you’d put on a pizza?
176. If you could wear one costume every day, what would it be?
177. What’s a funny nickname you’d give your desk?
178. If you were a meme, which one would you be?
179. What’s the goofiest thing you’d do for a million bucks?
180. If your pet could talk, what would they say about you?

Holiday Get to Know You Questions. (Christmas, New Year, etc.)

181. What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
182. What’s the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?
183. Do you prefer a snowy Christmas or a beachy one?
184. What’s a holiday dish you can’t wait to eat?
185. What’s your favorite holiday movie or song?
186. What’s a New Year’s resolution you actually kept?
187. What’s the most memorable holiday party you’ve been to?
188. Do you prefer giving or receiving Christmas gifts?
189. What’s a holiday you’d love to celebrate differently?
190. What’s your go-to holiday dessert?
191. What’s a holiday memory that always makes you smile?
192. Do you prefer holiday decorations or holiday food?
193. What’s a holiday tradition you’d like to start?
194. What’s the best holiday event you’ve attended?
195. Do you prefer a big holiday gathering or a small one?
196. What’s a holiday you wish lasted longer?
197. What’s your favorite way to ring in the New Year?
198. What’s a Christmas gift you’re proud to have given?
199. What’s a holiday you’d love to experience abroad?
200. What’s the coziest holiday activity you enjoy?

Regardless of Which Get to Know You Questions for Work You Use, Let the Team Talk.

The simplicity of this fun team ice breaker is that you as the team leader or facilitator don’t need to do a lot. The goal is to give the group a chance to… well… get to know one another. The more they talk to each other, the more they will like you as a facilitator!