Let’s rewind to the last team bonding session you had. Everyone’s gathered around a break room table, and HR is asking what kind of animal you’d be in the jungle. You glance around, silently hoping no one says “sloth.”
So, why does team bonding feel so painfully forced?
Because it is forced. And honestly, that’s not the worst thing. Your coworkers weren’t hired to be friends- they were hired to do a job. But that doesn’t mean connection isn’t important. The problem is that these sessions often highlight how disconnected everyone actually feels.
Here’s what we’ve learned: good conversations don’t happen just because someone prints a worksheet. They happen when the prompt is real, the atmosphere is low-pressure, and people feel like they have a choice.
That’s where we come in.
At HR Approved, we created decks full of real, thoughtful, sometimes silly questions that get people talking without making them cringe. Our Icebreaker Deck includes 400 questions: 200 work related & 200 personal (but not too personal).
Here’s how to make it work:
- Pick a calm day. Avoid Mondays. Avoid busy seasons.
- Schedule a low-stakes hour. Right after lunch works great.
- Add snacks. Seriously, people open up faster with snacks.
- Give options. Each card has two questions—let folks choose which one they want to answer.
For example, one side might ask:
- “What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to Google for work?”
While the other asks:
- “Do you think variety really is the spice of life?”
Choice removes pressure and lets people stay within their comfort zone.
We road-tested every question with real teams. We avoided anything that could veer into awkward or negative territory. We also avoided questions that sparked one word answers. But a lot of it still comes down to the tone the facilitator sets. Keep it light. Don’t force it. Let people pass if they want. This isn’t a performance, just a conversation.
At the end of the day, team bonding doesn’t have to feel fake. People want to connect. They just need a nudge, and a setup that doesn’t feel like another task on their to-do list.
So if your goal is better meetings, stronger teams, and a little less awkward silence, start with better questions. We’ve got a few hundred to get you started.
Stay professional-ish.