Team Building Questions

A team that knows each other works better together. These questions are made for the workplace and range from quick, fun warm-ups to real conversations about what makes work good. Use one to open a meeting or a handful on your next team day.

Good for: Teams, departments, new coworkers and managers who want to break the ice.

Play 100 cards

Tips for playing

Open your next team meeting with a single card.
Let anyone pass without having to explain why.
Have the manager answer first, so everyone can see it's safe.

Depth: lightLight questions

Easy to start with. Good for warming up.

What was your very first job?
What's the best lunch you've ever had at work?
What small, everyday thing could you not do your job without?
What would you be doing if you weren't doing this?
What's the most fun project you've ever worked on?
What do you do on the weekend when you really switch off?
Which coworker from an old job still makes you smile when you think of them?
Coffee, tea or nothing at all in the morning?
If our team were a movie, what genre would it be?
What do you know way too much about?
What would you do with a random day off in the middle of the week?
What's your best office holiday party memory that's safe to share here?
Which of your hobbies would surprise us most?
What was your dream job when you were a kid?
What's the strangest thing you've ever been part of at work?
Which former boss taught you the most?
If you taught us a class on something that has nothing to do with work, what would it be?
Where do you love to go on vacation?
Donuts, bagels or muffins when someone brings breakfast for the team?
What's the most useful thing you've learned from an online video?
Which workplace would you love to try out for a week?
What do you listen to when you need to focus?
What's the first thing you do when you get to work?
If our team had a theme song, what would it be?
If you could design your own workspace, what would it look like?
What's your go-to desk snack?
What tool do you wish someone would invent?
Who was the first coworker you became real friends with?
What's the longest commute you've ever had?
If you started over in a completely different field, what would you pick?
What's the funniest thing that's ever happened in a meeting you were in?
What do you do on your lunch break when you can do anything you like?
Which country would you like to work in for a while?
What's the best celebration a team you were on ever threw?
Which app or website could you not live without at work?
What do you like to eat for lunch on a busy day?
Which office buzzword can you not stand?
What do you do in your first hour at work?
What song should play at the next team lunch?
Which meeting habit would you get rid of tomorrow?

Depth: mediumA bit more personal

For when the conversation is flowing.

What gives you energy at work?
What drains you the most in a work week?
What time of day do you do your best work?
What's the best piece of career advice you've ever gotten?
How do you like to get feedback?
What are you proud of having done this past year?
What do you know about your job that the rest of us probably don't?
What makes a meeting a good one?
What mistake have you made that taught you something?
Which part of your job would you like to spend more time on?
How can we tell when you're busy?
What would it take for you to say no to a task?
What are we good at as a team?
What could we get better at as a team?
Who here have you learned the most from?
How do you think new coworkers should be welcomed?
What's the best way to help you when you're stuck?
What small change would make our everyday work better?
What has surprised you most about working here?
What did you do before you came here that still comes in handy?
How do you switch from work mode to free time?
When did you last learn something new on the job?
What's your best trick for keeping track of everything on your plate?
What would you do if you were the boss for a day?
What task are you secretly great at?
What does a good work environment mean to you?
What would you like to get better at over the next year?
What's the difference between a good and a bad workday for you?
What do you value most in a coworker?
When did a coworker last make your day better?
What's the best thing you've learned from a new coworker?
When were you proudest of something we made together?
What keeps your energy up on a long workday?
What kind of work would you like more of?
How do you like to say thank you to a coworker?

Depth: deepDeep questions

Take your time. These are the ones people remember.

What made you choose the line of work you're in?
What do you want to be able to look back on when you retire one day?
When have you felt that your work really made a difference?
What's hard about your job that isn't always visible from the outside?
When did you disagree with a decision at work, and how did you handle it?
What do you need to feel safe speaking your mind in a meeting?
What does succeeding at something mean to you?
What do you wish more people knew about your role?
How has the way you see work changed since you started out?
Which setback in your working life taught you the most?
What keeps you going when the work is boring?
What value would you never compromise on at a workplace?
What have you learned about yourself from working with other people?
What does it take for you to feel like part of the team?
When were you last nervous at work, and what helped?
What would you tell yourself on your very first day of work?
What makes a leader someone you actually want to follow?
How do you balance work and the rest of your life?
What's the kindest thing a coworker has ever done for you?
What do you dream of achieving in your working life?
What would you like us to remember you for here?
What keeps you going when work gets hard?
What topic do we avoid at work, even though we should bring it up?
What makes you feel appreciated at work?
Which mistake has taught you the most in your career?

100 cards in this deck.