25 Fun Ideas for Your Next 'Virtual Coffee Break'

Like most of you, we’ve temporarily closed our global offices and our staff is working from home. The shift to remote work hasn’t slowed us down, but we have encountered new challenges, like how to keep innovation and teamwork at the forefront of everything we do. The truth is, some of Lineup’s best ideas have come from conversations over a cup of tea or a good meal – luxuries that we’ll be missing for the time being.  

In an effort to keep up team spirits, encourage brainstorming and relieve stress, we’ve implemented local, regional and global team “virtual coffee breaks,” and the results have been pretty incredible. These 15-30-minute video calls are just for fun, but we’ve noticed benefits to our business that will last beyond these current events, so we’ll continue this practice even once we’re all back in our offices. 

Lineup’s employees live and work in seven different countries, so moving our “watercooler chat” online has allowed staff from different parts of the world to connect in a unique way, building new relationships and caring for existing ones. It’s brought several recent hires into the fold, ensuring they can participate in Lineup’s engaging, friendly (and nerdy) culture even from afar. 

Chances are, your team has implemented something similar (and if you haven’t, you should!), and we hope yours are as fun and productive as our breaks are. We wanted to share some of the things we have discussed on our calls – that AREN’T Covid-19 - and some fun ideas we’ll be trying soon. We hope this list inspires and encourages you! 

Team Building Activities for Virtual Coffee Breaks 

1. Show off your home workspace.  
2. Introduce your pets on camera. 
3. Swap recipes for what you had for dinner the night before.  
4. Read an industry article (we’ve got lots!) and discuss. 
5. Introduce your children. 
6. Share a picture of your favorite place in the world. 

Conversation Starters

1. What’s one thing you’re thankful for? 
2. Rate your day from 1-10, personally and professionally, and explain why.  
3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? 
4. How has your morning routine changed because of working from home?  
5. What weird habit(s) have you picked up from being in quarantine? 
6. What show are you binge watching right now?  
7. What are you drinking right now? 
8. What is your team doing differently while you’re remote? What are they doing the same? 
9. Ask a trivia question. 
10. What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now? 
11. What was your first job? 
12. Share one thing you appreciate about your team. 
13. What’s the best thing that has happened to you this week? 
14. How do you ‘wind down’ after work? 
15. Do you believe in aliens? 
16. What’s one way you are like your parents? One way you are different? 
17. Do you listen to podcasts? What’s your favorite one? 
18. Do you have a side hustle or hobby? 
19. What’s the first thing you want to do once social distancing is over?