Seven ways to make meetings more fun

Open the meeting with a fun icebreaker

Starting with a fun icebreaker can set a positive tone for the rest of the meeting and facilitate discussions among your team. Try these ideas:

• Two truths and a lie: Each teammate shares two truths and one lie about themselves. The rest of the team guesses which statement is a lie.
• Would you rather: Try asking funny or thought-provoking “Would you rather?” questions to the group.
• Checking in with an emoji: Ask everyone to share how they’re feeling using an emoji, GIF, or popular meme.

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Use virtual activities during online meetings

Virtual meetings can feel even more draining than in-person ones. However, these fun activities can keep things engaging:

• Virtual coffee breaks: Make time for casual conversation with your coworkers like you would in the office.
• Online Pictionary: Use a digital whiteboard tool to play a quick round of Pictionary, where you guess what another colleague or team is drawing.
• Virtual background contest: Encourage your team to use creative virtual backgrounds and vote on the silliest or most original one.
• Mood music: Play upbeat music as people join the meeting room to create a lively atmosphere.

Pair work meetings with fun games

Games can break the monotony and build camaraderie. Try one of these popular options:

• Trivia: Host a quick trivia game related to your industry or pop culture.
• Charades: Lighten the mood with a brief round of charades.
• Scavenger hunt: Give participants a list of items to find in their immediate surroundings.
• Meeting bingo: Create bingo cards with common meeting occurrences (for example: “someone mentions a deadline,” or “someone’s pet appears on screen”). Give out prizes to the first people to get bingo.

Host themed meetings

Mix up your regular meeting agenda with these fun ideas:

• Theme days: Host meetings with themes like “Hawaiian Shirt Day” or “Crazy Hat Day.”
• Show and tell: Invite team members to share their expertise or present a new technology.
• Guest speakers: Bring in guest speakers to provide a fresh or thought-provoking perspective.
• Prop challenge: Ask everyone to bring a specific prop to the meeting and find creative ways to use it.

Get your team moving

Make time for physical activity to support energy levels and focus:

• Stretch breaks: Schedule a short break so your team can stand up and stretch.
• Chair yoga: Take a break between long presentations to invite coworkers to participate in some light chair yoga.

Use interactive tools

Make meetings more engaging with the following technology:

• Polls and surveys: Use polling tools and apps to collect feedback and facilitate participation in group discussions or presentations.
• Collaborative documents: Work together on shared documents or whiteboards like Microsoft OneNote during the meeting.
• Breakout rooms: For larger groups, use breakout rooms for small group discussions.

End your meeting by calling out achievements

End on a positive note by recognizing the office’s accomplishments:

• Milestone celebrations: Celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries, and finished projects.
• Shout-outs: Allow time for team members to give shout-outs to their colleagues.

These strategies can transform your meetings into engaging and fun sessions. Implement these meeting icebreakers and activities and watch as team morale improves.