As the digital world continues evolving, so does how businesses onboard new employees. To ensure your teams feel connected and inspired immediately, you could implement virtual team icebreakers as part of your workflow. Icebreakers can be fun and creative ways for team m]embers to get acquainted while developing trust in one another–especially when starting from remote locations.
In this post, we’ll explore six creative ways to introduce a team you can use during employee onboarding sessions to help create a friendly atmosphere for everyone involved.
1. Introduce Yourself + Share Why You’re Excited to be Part of the Team
Introducing yourself to a new team is an important way of helping everyone grow familiar with each other creatively and meaningfully. At the start of any new team, it’s helpful to have each person introduce themselves by sharing their role and why they’re excited to be part of the team. Hearing people share their stories is inspiring, which can help foster a more welcoming environment for the team. This, in turn, leads to better connections between members, communication, and productivity.
2. Create a Virtual Scavenger Hunt
A virtual scavenger hunt is a great way to break the ice and get your virtual team bonding. Ask each team member to find an object in their home that represents them – an item they cherish or a souvenir they’ve picked up on a trip. Team members will then explain why they chose what they did, which can lead to an exciting discussion and allow everyone to get to know each other better.
Through sharing stories, memories, and interests, participants can start learning about one another and build meaningful connections, which is essential for successful onboarding in any team or organization.
3. Play An Online Game
Employee onboarding can be an awkward process, but playing an online game is a great way to break the ice and help virtual teams get better acquainted. By selecting an entertaining and engaging game, like a trivia or party-style match, you’re allowing your employees to have fun while introducing individual strengths and highlighting each other’s sense of humor.
Plus, when done right, it gets everyone involved by ensuring their skills come into play; so no one feels left out or left behind. After all, everyone loves a good challenge!
4. “My Fave Five”
“My Fave Five” is an excellent icebreaker for any virtual team event, as it can help to strengthen relationships among new members immediately. Following this exercise, teammates better understand one another’s interests or beliefs, leading to improved communication and synergy when working together.
People can share five interesting facts about themselves – from casual hobbies and favorite childhood memories to tidbits about their cultures or achievements. It allows all participants equally engage in the conversation and get an idea of who they are working with while having fun at the same time.
6. Virtual Whiteboard
Working together in a virtual space with teammates you’ve never met can be tricky, especially when attempting a task that requires collaboration. A virtual whiteboard like Miro is the ideal tool to help your employees transition and adapt quickly. Assigning teams or individuals a job using the various features of a virtual whiteboard is one of the most effective icebreakers for new remote couples.
It will allow everyone to understand this helpful tool’s capabilities, encourage conversation between team members, build trust, and foster creativity and productivity within the team. With your new team members ready to work, utilize the tools like a virtual whiteboard so all onboarding activities go smoothly.
Ask People to Create
Engaging in creative activities is an ideal way to help new team members get to know the culture at their workplace. By having them create a collage or drawing, they can express their personality while also contributing to a collective work of art that reflects the team’s spirit and culture.
This icebreaker is an excellent way for everyone on the team to give input virtually anywhere. Also, it highlights how diversity can be an asset when working with others. Artistic projects such as this bring out each individual’s unique perspectives and strengths and foster deep connections between colleagues.
Bringing your team together with one of these virtual icebreakers at the start of a project is essential for creating successful collaboration. By connecting personally and introducing everyone’s roles, you can better understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Plus, having some fun along the way helps to build trust quickly.
So whether you introduce yourself, play a game virtually, or get creative with a collage, use these tactics to help kick off your virtual team collaboration and get everyone working together sooner!
