The Top Eight Ice Breaker Games for the Workplace

Jessica AFormer Educator, Reading / WritingJun 28, 2025

Meaningful connections are the building blocks of a healthy workplace. But when your team is made up of individuals who don’t know each other well, how can you encourage them to go beyond surface-level small talk? The answer? Ice breakers. Ice breakers don’t always get the best reputation, but they do far more than just fill time. Icebreakers help break down barriers, build trust, and encourage open communication. They can help you create the thriving workplace community you’ve been dreaming of.

In this blog, we’ll share the top eight icebreaker games for the workplace. We’ve scoured the internet to find the best of the best—activities that are fun, engaging, and easily adaptable for settings of all kinds. All you need to do is skim through the list, pick your favorite game, and get ready to see your team transform.

Why Ice Breakers Matter in the Workplace

When employees feel comfortable and connected, they’re more likely to contribute, collaborate, and perform to their best ability. Here are some concrete examples of changes that icebreakers can bring about:

Dynamic teams: Ice breakers allow employees to go beyond their job titles and truly get to know each other—think personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and surprising skill sets. And when teams know each other, they work better together.

Effective office communication: When you encourage open, casual conversation, you’ll build a team that feels drawn toward conversing with one another throughout the work day.

Engaged employees: Employees who feel seen and heard are far more likely to be emotionally invested in their work.

When to Use Ice Breakers with Employees

Knowing when to use icebreakers can be just as important as choosing the right one. Here are some key moments where icebreakers have proven successful for other companies:

Onboarding: Icebreakers are perfect for helping new hires feel like they belong from the start.

Kickoff meetings: Icebreakers can energize the group and create a sense of camaraderie.

After significant change: When teams go through transitions, ice breakers can help to rebuild trust and foster unity.

Virtual meetings: Icebreakers can benefit remote teams who miss out on day-to-day office interactions.

The Top Eight Ice Breakers Explained

Now that we’ve covered why ice breakers work and when to use them, let’s dive into the details of the very best games to play. Read on for a brief introduction to each ice breaker, pros and cons, and practical tips to help you create an exciting experience for your team.

#1: Online Jeopardy

Two coworkers smile and shake hands at a desk, playing playfactile jeopardy game on a computer in office.

Online Jeopardy brings all the fun of the popular TV show, right from the comfort of your office building. The game is flexible, interactive, and ideal for teams of all sizes, whether you're meeting in person or remotely.

The best part? You’ll build the question board yourself. Create an ice breaker filled with team members’ fun facts, a creative introduction to your company values and history, or something else entirely.

Pros: Jeopardy can be customized to fit your company's size, your ice breaker time limit, and even the topics you want your team to discuss.

Cons: You’ll need a Jeopardy maker to set the game up. But don’t worry—we know how to make this simple. Factile offers both free and affordable plans + customizable boards for offices of all sizes. It even works for remote team icebreakers!

Tip: Try categories like “Who Said It?,” “Company Values,” and “Office Vocabulary.” Let Factile do the hard work for you—all you need to do is sign up, bring your questions, and be ready to play.

#2: Office Trivia

Man smiling at a standing desk in an office, playing office trivia on his computer.

Office trivia is a fun way to test your team’s knowledge about the company’s history and/or values. It can also be used to help employees learn about each other. You can create your own trivia questions or have your team submit their own for a more collaborative approach.

Pros: Office trivia is completely customizable—use it to cover any topic that relates to your business. It can also be used in both virtual and in-person meetings.

Cons: Trivia is fairly prep-heavy, but if you put your team on question duty, it’ll be a breeze.

Tip: Mix in a few local fun facts and/or pop culture references to spruce up your game.

#3: This or That

This or That is a low-pressure, low-prep activity where employees choose between two options, such as “Summer or winter?”. It’s quick, simple, and surprisingly revealing, making it ideal for coworkers who want to get to know one another.

Pros: If you don’t want to come up with your own questions, you can find plenty of lists online (like this list of fun 'This or That' questions).

Cons: This is a “just for fun” ice breaker. It doesn’t necessarily build teamwork, communication, or cooperative skills.

Tip: Want to go deeper? Simply ask “Why?” after your employees make their choice.

#4: Would You Rather

Would you rather be able to fly or be able to turn invisible? Text split between green and blue panels.

Would You Rather is a classic ice breaker where participants choose between two silly scenarios, such as “Would you rather always be 30 minutes early or always be 5 minutes late?” The thought-provoking questions are sure to bring a positive boost of energy and connection to your group.

Pros: Would You Rather is entertaining and easy to play. It doesn’t require prep—outside of bringing a list of questions to read from.

Cons: You’ll need to use caution to ensure your question lists are appropriate for work.

Tip: Mix funny options with more thoughtful ones. Ask employees to explain their answers to get to know them even better.

#5: Charades

A woman stands in front of coworkers in an office, playing a game of charades with everyone smiling and guessing.

Workplace charades is just like the version we all played as kids. Each person takes turns drawing a paper slip from a bowl or hat, and then acting like the word printed on the slip. The rest of the team must guess the word they're trying to silently represent.

Pros: Playing charades boosts energy and teamwork. It gets people laughing, which is one of the best ways to begin positive working relationships.

Cons: Charades can sometimes feel embarrassing. Gauge your team’s comfort level beforehand to ensure the game will be enjoyable for everyone, especially shy individuals.

Tip: Ask for volunteers instead of calling names. That way, quieter employees aren’t forced to take a turn.

#6: Jenga Questions

Three people play Jenga together, carefully pulling wooden blocks from a stacked tower.

Love Jenga? Try it with this twist in the workplace: Label each block with a question, and when a player pulls a block, they must answer the question aloud to the group. It’s a great way to spark conversation while keeping employees engaged.

Pros: This game blends casual conversation with a tactile activity, perfect for individuals who may normally feel more reserved during icebreakers.

Cons: Writing on each Jenga block will take some time, especially for large teams that need more than one set.

Tip: Print questions on sticker labels and apply them directly to the blocks to save time.

#7: Speed Networking

Four coworkers sit around a table, smiling while playing a speed networking game for teams in office.

You know all about speed dating. Now, it’s time to get to know speed marketing. In this fast-paced ice breaker, employees pair up and spend a minute or two getting to know each other’s professional backgrounds. Once their time is up, they rotate and get to know a new coworker.

Pros: This game works well for large or newer teams that don’t regularly interact one-on-one. It ensures everyone has a chance to be introduced to—and learn something interesting about—their teammates.

Cons: The one-on-one setting can feel overwhelming for introverts. Gauge your employee base to make sure speed networking is a good fit for the majority of personalities.

Tip: Provide sheets with guided questions to make speed networking more enjoyable and less awkward.

#8: Human Knot

Five smiling people stand in a circle, crossing arms and holding hands in a playful team-building activity.

Looking for a silly ice breaker that can boost your office’s teamwork and communication skills? In the Human Knot, participants stand in a circle and reach out to grab the hands of two different people. Then, they work together to untangle the "knot" without letting go.

Pros: This game gets people interacting—and laughing—right from the start. There’s no time to even think about being shy. It’s a memorable team bonding experience that employees are sure to talk about for years to come.

Cons: You’ll need open floor space (and employees who are willing to get moving in a silly way).

Tip: Remind players that it’s their communication skills—not their speed—that will help them win the game.

Which ice breaker will you choose to enhance your next team meeting? We recommend a round of online Jeopardy with Factile—the #1 online jeopardy maker. Sign up for a free account today to access our easy-to-use Jeopardy template + other fun features like buzzer mode, Daily Doubles, Double Jeopardy, and more. Whether you’re meeting with a small team in your local office or hosting a Zoom with hundreds of faces, our platform is the perfect place to build your ice breaker.