Working from home can be different from working in the office because you’re away from coworkers and supervisors, other than keeping in touch with them online. So, when it comes time for a virtual conference, there has to be a way to overcome remote barriers, right? Well, you’re in luck!
When it comes to virtual conferences, you can actually make them fun and engaging by having virtual icebreakers to get the meetings started. So, if you’re looking to get some team-building in full swing, then you can take from these 5 great ideas!
1. “Never Have I Ever…”
A long-time favorite in icebreakers, “Never Have I Ever…” invites people to share some quirky things about themselves. How does it work?
People in the virtual conference are split into groups. The host of each group will put together a list of five easy prompts that indicate specific life experiences (“Never have I ever… purposefully put my shoes on the wrong feet,” for example.) Now, each player holds five fingers up in their webcam to show that they’re participating. After hearing a prompt, if it rings true with someone, then that person must put a finger down.
Now, whether the winner has the most fingers up, or has all of them down is up to you. But most importantly, this icebreaker shows how experienced people are in certain areas without singling one person out.
2. GIFs
“GIFs aren’t just images that can be used on social media; they can be used for virtual icebreakers as well,” says Laura Benedict, a project manager at Gumessays. “Normally used to lighten the mood in online chats and messaging, sharing GIFs with each other in the conference can also be effective during large virtual conferences. GIFs are a great way to express a bit of humor and personality before the start of a meeting. In addition, GIFs can help people express how they’re feeling with just one looping piece of imagery. To do this as an icebreaker, ask everyone in the virtual meetup to share a GIF that best represents their answers or reactions to interactive scenarios. For example, if you ask people to describe their day in GIF format, you’ll see a multitude of GIFs with many emotions – happy, sad, angry, the works – being displayed for everyone else to see.”
3. Two Truths, One Lie
This icebreaker idea is a fun one because it’s … well, two truths and one lie. In this game, people are tasked to make three statements about themselves. However, one of the three statements should be a lie. Others will have to guess which one of your statements is a lie, and which two are the truth about you.
The fun part? The more believable the lie, the better (and sometimes funnier) the game will be. Plus, this game can be played in polling format (where people can vote for which statement is the lie), or verbally. Either way, the possibilities are endless!
4. Recent Photo On Your Device
Another great icebreaker is to have people share their recent photos on either their phones, computers or other devices. This can be a group activity, seeing that many people would be interested in sharing their recent photos with each other.
Once someone in a group of 10 or 12 shares a photo, they can tell a story behind it. From there, people can take turns showing and talking about their recent photos – whether they’re funny, sentimental, or so on. It’s a great conservation starter, even for big groups.
5. Scavenger Hunt
Finally, who said that scavenger hunts had to be in person?
For this activity, write up a long list of things people can hunt for in their home or place of work. Items can be one of the following:
Your favorite notebook
A ballpoint pen that’s out of ink!
A doll or toy (with your child’s permission, of course)
An acorn, etc.
Whoever finds the most items wins.
Conclusion
So, you see, icebreakers can be done whether you’re in the office or working from home. By asking questions, telling stories, playing fun games, etc. people can engage with each other while having a great time and being productive in the process. As you keep in mind these 5 great icebreaker ideas, your next large virtual conference will be a hit among the attendants!
Written by Ashley Halsey, a writer and editor at Coursework writing service. As a professional writer, she has been involved in many writing projects throughout the country. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and traveling with her two children.