Questions for team building activities people love [And the ones they hate]

Nobody wants to sit in yet another team building meeting forced to ask questions pulled off the internet last minute. After all, team building has to be educational and fun! That’s why it works best if all the participants sincerely enjoy the experience.

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So we went on Reddit to find out what questions for team building activities resonate with you the most. And here’s what we found.  

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PS: You can find more great content from this series on our blog. Or get started directly with the articles below:

• our top free team building ideas
• 15 activities to work on problem-solving

Ice-breaker questions for quick team building meetings

Ice breakers lighten up the mood before the important conversation, so there’s no need to go deep here. This kind of activity doesn’t require post-event discussions, so keep ice breaker team building questions light and short. 

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People love: fun and light anecdotes or jokes 

People hate: spending too much time on ice breakers

Question examples:

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• How do you get ready for a zombie apocalypse? 
• What would it be if you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life?
• What “old person” things do you enjoy doing? 
• Which song or tune has stuck in your head lately? [Approach this one with caution!]

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Questions for virtual team building to get to know your coworkers

It is often difficult for virtual teams to connect on a personal level. That’s why get-to-know-you team building activities that encourage additional discussion work particularly well for them. Don’t forget to follow up on the replies! 

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People love: finding common touchpoints to bond over

People hate: focusing on job-related experiences too much

Question examples:

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• Which would you choose if you could be part of a friend group from any sitcom?
• What’s your greatest non-work-related accomplishment? 
• What’s the last thing you’ve done for the very first time? 
• What’s your favorite smell? [Yap, this one is very popular and can lead to some groundbreaking conversations] 

Team building activities questionnaires for new hires 

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When you have a new member joining the team, it’s always a good idea to dedicate some time to get to know them as a person. Make sure they feel welcome and don’t hesitate to offer help!

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People love: being asked about their personality and getting help assimilating

People hate: repeating their employment history

Question examples:

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• Is there anything you’d like to ask? [Game-changer, this one!]
• How do you like to organize your day?
• What’s your first impression here? 
• Or feel free to use any get-to-know-you and ice-breaker questions from above!

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If you have new memebers on your team, you should also check out our article about team building for current and future leaders.

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Team building questionnaires to improve productivity

Do you know why the Scrum methodology is so popular? One obvious benefit of the agile approach is retrospective meetings because they help directly address real issues and improve the team’s productivity. Use that in your productivity team building session! But remember, it’s team building, not just another retro!  

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People love: focusing on a specific challenge; learning from mistakes

People hate: forced roleplay and improv activities

Question examples:

• How can we make sure to keep up the good work?
• At which aspects of the project did we fall short as a team? 
• What do you wish you could do better next time? 

Questions for team building activities everybody hates

The goal of every team building is to bring the team closer together. It’s pretty tough to achieve if none of the participants is particularly thrilled to be there. So ensure everyone’s on the same page and don’t ask silly questions just to kill time. 

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People love: questions that have a purpose or lead to some development

People hate: mandatory participation

Question examples [to avoid]: 

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• Why do you love working here? [What if they don’t?]
• What’s your favorite childhood memory? [Remember: don’t go too deep!] 
• What’s your favorite piece of clothing? [You can’t really bond over a hoodie] 
• What kind of life do you want to have in 5/10/15 years from now? [This question is wrong on many levels and is repeatedly reported to cause unnecessary anxiety, so avoid it at all costs] 

What makes good questions for a team building activity?

Every team is different, and each team building experience is unique. But some best practices can help ensure your next team building session doesn't feel like a chore. So, try to follow these short guidelines when working on your next team building activities’ questionnaire: 

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• Don’t ask meaningless questions - people love specifics;
• Don’t go too personal in your questions - it may make many participants uncomfortable;
• Make sure a question can lead to a discussion or some follow-ups; 
• Keep the activity relatively short - as a rule, question-based team building shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes;
• For virtual teams, rely on additional team building software that can make your experience more inclusive.  

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Good luck! 

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