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9 Not-Awkward Ice Breakers for Work, According to Therapists

We promise these aren’t cringe. BySam Brodsky

Shutterstock / Wondermind

You don’t have to be friends with your colleagues, but connecting with them can help you find common ground, learn about each other, and remember that you’re all just humans, says clinical psychologist Marianna Strongin, PsyD. But how? Ice breaker questions for work can help with that. 

These types of conversation starters are meant to break through silence or awkwardness (hence the name) so people can start connecting. In theory, ice breaker questions enable people to let their guards down and see how they’re similar, explains licensed psychologist Richard Orbé-Austin, PhD, who’s also an organizational consultant and career coach. 

Aside from the human connection benefits, learning about your coworkers on a personal level can deepen trust, make you feel safe to share opinions, and reduce stress at work, says Dr. Orbé-Austin. Those perks can motivate you and your team to hit company goals, he adds. All good things.

While they’re meant to free the flow of conversation, anyone who has experienced a round of ice breakers knows they can make things more  awkward. That’s why we asked mental health pros for their favorite not-weird ice breaker questions for work. Here are their go-tos and why they like them for non-cringe office chit-chat.

1. What’s something funny you saw on social media this week? 

If you’re chronically online, your group chats or DMs are probably filled with memes, Reels, and TikToks. Why use words when you can sum up how you’re feeling in a six-second, hilariously relatable clip? 

Since these keep you and your friends connected, sharing memes and clips with your colleagues (who are also humans with phones) is a solid ice breaker. Laughing at the same thing feels good. It’s validating when someone shares your sense of humor, Dr. Strongin explains. As a bonus, LOL-ing with your team can boost everyone’s moods and kick off inside jokes you can message about later, she says. 

2. How do you feel about [insert current pop culture moment]?

There’s nothing more chill than giving people a chance to talk about stuff that’s already living rent-free in their brains. That said, we’re not suggesting you dive into the political talk or start debating religion. But chatting about big sports news, a new movie, or the latest internet trend (the dress was  black and blue) can help you bond, says psychotherapist and performance coach, Jonathan Alpert, LPC, LMHC, author of Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days. Sure, there’s always someone with a Hot Take, but the discourse should be mostly friendly banter.

3. What’s one place you’ve always dreamed of visiting and why?

Thanks to Instagram, Airbnb, and pandemic living, we’re all pretty much Rick Steves at this point. That’s why asking a group of coworkers about their ideal vacay opens the floor to casual (and sometimes passionate) conversation. Maybe someone has been to a place you want to go. In that case, you can ask them for more details (is it worth the hype?). You might also chime in with recs for somebody else’s dream trip, says Dr. Strongin. If people wind up booking that voyage, you can continue the convo after they use that PTO, she notes. 

4. What’s one of your favorite memories from work?

Whether it’s a huge accomplishment or something kind of silly, chatting about career highlights of any kind can get the convo flowing in a positive direction. For some, it could be a major promotion, yes, but someone else might reference the surprise engagement party they threw their colleague. Plus, listening to others’ happy mems can help you learn about what matters to your coworkers and reframe what success at work looks like, notes Dr. Orbé-Austin. Whatever people bring up, the vibes will stay high.

5. If you could have another career or job for a day, what would you do?

This ice breaker can give you insight into what people are interested in outside of work, says Dr. Strongin. You might learn that Ben from marketing is an excellent baker. Or, you might realize that you and a coworker you don’t spend much time with both have a passion for photography. That’s cool—and something you can keep discussing later on! 

6. What did you do this weekend?

This question is a low-stakes way to help everyone get to know each other on a more personal level. It’s basic, sure, but it’s a relatively easy one to answer. That keeps the awkwardness to a minimum. Like any good ice breaker question for work, it also enables you to connect on shared interests, says Alpert. Maybe you’ll discover that David shares your love of pointless Target runs or that Beth runs half marathons for fun. Go, Beth, go!

7. If you could have a different name, what would it be and why?

A smart ice breaker question is one that gives the respondents an opportunity to share the story behind their answer—and this is one of them, says Dr. Strongin. Maybe someone wanted to be named after their favorite cartoon, or they found out their parents had an alternate name picked out but didn’t use it. Don’t be surprised if everyone’s responses spark more conversation.

8. What’s something no one here knows about you? 

We’ve all heard the “share a fun fact about yourself” prompt. But what counts as ~fun~ can trip people up. That’s why this one is slightly more open-ended. The only requirement, as the question suggests, is that no one knew the fact about you before right now. This ice breaker lets you find common ground with your coworkers and get a well-rounded idea of who they are as people, says organizational psychologist Courtney Keim, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Bellarmine University. (It's like all of these ice breakers in that way.)

Maybe no one knew that Kevin was a nationally ranked tennis player in high school or Taylor went skydiving with her 80-year-old grandma. It doesn’t have to be shocking or extreme like those though; any new information gets the job done.

9. If today was a skip work day, what would you do?

It’s probably safe to say that no one’s perfect day involves going to work. (Of course, IDK your life.) And, like all ice breaker questions for work, the best ones invite people to disclose what their life is like after hours, says Dr. Orbé-Austin. That’s the stuff that helps foster connection and enables you to build healthier working relationships during your 9-to-5. 

Whether the answer is a full-on bed-rot day or involves frolicking in the city, this Q makes space for everyone to talk about what they love doing for fun and the people (or pets) most important to them.