85 questions to break the ice at your next work meeting

Picture this: it’s the beginning of a meeting with a couple of colleagues you don’t know too well, exchanging awkward pleasantries (or worse – awkward silence), waiting for the agenda to move along. We’ve all been there. All it takes to break the ice is a fun question to start the conversation and help you learn about your fellow coworkers. Here, we’ve equipped you with 85 questions to do just that.

Work-Related Questions

Here are some questions to break the ice if you want to stay on the topic of work or you’re looking for some (slightly) more professional icebreakers.

1. Do you prefer working from home or in the office?
2. Are you an early bird or a night owl?
3. How do you get energized in the morning?
4. If you could learn one new professional skill, what would it be?
5. If you could learn one new personal skill, what would it be?
6. What is your go-to workday lunch?
7. What is your morning routine before work?
8. What is your favourite way to unwind after work?
9. What is the best personal or professional development book you have ever read?
10. What is a recent book you’ve read?
11. What is a recent podcast you’ve listened to?
12. How many languages do you speak?
13. What is a project you’re excited about?
14. What was your first-ever job?

Questions to Spark Debate

There’s nothing like some friendly debate to get the conversation going and break the ice. Here are some questions that you’ll have fun with that will likely bring different opinions.

15. Night showers or morning showers?
16. Coffee or tea?
17. Sweet food or savoury food?
18. Chocolate or candy?
19. Pancakes or waffles?
20. Android or iPhone?
21. What is the best pizza topping? Which is the worst one?
22. Cats or dogs?
23. What is the best (or worst) season?
24. City or countryside?
25. What is the most annoying household chore?

Would You Rather Questions

Everyone loves a good would you rather question. It’s easy to talk about and starts a fun discussion that helps you see people in a different light.

26. Would you rather travel to the past or to the future?
27. Would you rather win a Nobel Prize or an Olympic gold medal?
28. Would you rather eat the same food every day or never be able to eat the same thing twice?
29. Would you rather go camping or on a cruise?
30. Would you rather always be two hours early or one hour late?
31. Would you rather have a rewind button or a pause button on your life?
32. Would you rather never listen to music again or never be able to watch movies ever again?
33. Would you rather explore space or the ocean?
34. Would you rather be 3 feet taller or shorter than you currently are?
35. Would you rather always be too hot or always be too cold?
36. Would you rather hear good news or bad news first?

Fun Questions to Get to Know Each Other

Here are some lighthearted questions to break the ice that you can use to learn new things about your colleagues.

37. What is your go-to drink at a bar?
38. What is your favourite movie/TV show/book?
39. Have you ever met anyone famous (if so, tell the story of how you met)?
40. Which artist is on the top of your playlist right now?
41. Do you have any hidden talents?
42. What is your favourite sound?
43. You’re at karaoke, what is your song of choice?
44. What would you do if you won the lottery?
45. What is your favourite scent?
46. What is your go-to restaurant?
47. Your house is on fire and you can only save one personal possession – what is it?

48. Who is your celebrity crush?
49. What is your most-used emoji?
50. What is the best book you have ever read (or what is the worst book you have ever read)?
51. Who is your favourite superhero?
52. What is your favourite cuisine?
53. If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
54. If you were on a reality TV show, which one would it be?
55. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
56. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
57. What are three things you would bring on a deserted island?
58. If your life was a movie, what would the title be?
59. What’s your astrological sign?
60. What does your perfect weekend look like?
61. If you were an animal, which animal would you be and why?
62. What is your favourite animal and why?
63. What is your biggest pet peeve?
64. What is the best trip you have ever taken?
65. If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be?
66. What is something that’s on your bucket list?
67. What would you do in a zombie apocalypse?
68. If you could have front-row seat at any concert (past or present) who would it be?
69. What is your favourite holiday and why?
70. What is the best gift you have ever given or received?
71. If you could be anyone in the world for 24 hours, who would it be?

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Questions to Start Deeper Conversations

Lastly, here are icebreakers that may give you a deeper talk with whomever you are with.

72. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
73. What is the biggest lesson you have learned?
74. What is the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
75. If you were to give 10-year-old you a piece of advice, what would it be?
76. What is your fondest childhood memory and why?
77. What is a quality you admire most in yourself (or in others)?
78. Who is someone you admire, and why?
79. What is your biggest goal?
80. What is your favourite thing about your hometown or current city?
81. What is the biggest risk you have ever taken?
82. Do you live by any quotes? Which is your favourite?
83. What do you feel most grateful for in your life?
84. What do you believe people should do more of?
85. If you were to be known or remembered for something, what would you want it to be?

With this list of questions, you’ll no longer have to resort to comments about the weather to break the ice. Looking for something a little more structured? Check out our Company Questionnaire Icebreaker article!