Question of the Day for Work: 150 Ideas by Category

An employee meeting starts in 10 minutes, and you're trying to come up with a good question of the day. You want something thought-provoking and relevant to encourage your team to open up, communicate, participate, and form connections. The challenge is that you're drawing a blank or keep finding the same questions you've heard in a million other meetings.

This guide has 150 ready-to-use questions of the day for work, sorted by category, so you can find the right type of question for your team and workplace culture. It also offers suggestions on how to introduce questions during meetings, so they maximize engagement and minimize stress.

A question of the day for work is a short, open-ended prompt you present to your team at the start of a meeting or asynchronously using a channel such as Teams, Zoom, or Slack. Each person answers the question, sharing a little about themselves and becoming more familiar with their coworkers.

According to Maxwell Leadership, “How Asking Questions Shapes Stronger Conversations and Stronger TeamsOpens in a new tab,” leaders who regularly ask questions lower defensiveness and build team unity. 

Questions of the day are different from icebreakers, which are typically questions used to start conversations or help people get comfortable with one another. They're also distinct from standups, where teams go over their goals, progress, and roadblocks to coordinate their work.

In contrast, these fun little conversation starters can become a recurring way to get everyone talking and build connections before diving into the agenda.

A thoughtful or fun question of the day for work gives employees an opportunity to express their personalities and build connections with coworkers. Questions focused specifically on recognition can also create opportunities to acknowledge and appreciate people's contributions.

The “Recognition Is the Currency of Human Connection” report by Gallup and Workhuman notes that when employees receive consistent, high-quality recognition, they are 73% less likely to feel burnout, and they experience stronger engagement and connection to company culture. 

Daily check-in and focus questions

Check-in questions for meetings are perfect for touching base with your team at the start of the day, ensuring everyone is on the same page before they get to work:

1. What's your most important priority today? 
2. What's one task you could complete today that would make you feel successful? 
3. What's the biggest roadblock or distraction in your way today? 
4. Name two things the team could do to support you today. 
5. Describe a win from yesterday that you can build on today. 
6. On a scale of 1 to 10, how prepared do you feel to tackle your tasks today? 
7. In two words, how do you feel about what's on your plate? 
8. What's one thing you're excited to work on today? 
9. Who do you need to collaborate with to get your work done? 
10. Tell me one thing that makes your work easier. 

Fun and lighthearted questions

Using these fun questions of the day for work on Monday mornings or during heavy weeks can help lighten the mood before the meeting starts.

1. Which one is a sandwich: a hot dog or a taco? 
2. What's your most unusual or useless talent? 
3. What's your favorite emoji? 
4. Name the worst pizza topping. 
5. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? 
6. Pick the perfect theme song for a TV show about your life. 
7. What famous person would you love to have a Zoom meeting with? 
8. If you had to live inside one movie, show, or video game forever, what would it be?
9. List the two best comfort foods. 
10. What animal would you choose for our team or company's mascot? 

Get-to-know-you questions

Questions related to employees' interests are ideal for rapport-building when teams have worked together but haven't yet forged strong bonds. 

1. What was your first job, and how did you feel about it? 
2. Are you more of a morning person or a night owl? 
3. What's your go-to hobby or interest? 
4. If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be? 
5. Where did you grow up, and would you live there again? 
6. What’s the most unusual job you’ve ever had?  
7. Who is a person or family member who made a major impact on your life? 
8. Is your dream vacation at the beach, the mountains, the city, at home, or somewhere else? 
9. What daily habit helps keep you energized? 
10. What’s your favorite family tradition, or a tradition you’ve created for yourself?  

This-or-that and would-you-rather questions

1. Coffee or tea? 
2. Work quietly or work with music? 
3. Would you rather do one big project or five small ones? 
4. Would you rather have an office with a great view or the most comfortable chair? 
5. Window seat or aisle seat? 
6. Call or text? 
7. Would you rather work four days a week or finish three hours earlier every day? 
8. Would you rather travel to the past or the future? 
9. Go out or stay home? 
10. Would you rather work on a team of 2 or a team of 20? 

Yes/no, poll, and tally-mark questions

A one-tap answer is a fast and simple option for deskless teams, office whiteboards, and channel polls. 

1. Have you had a drink of water today? 
2. Did you have a good breakfast? 
3. When was the last time you watched a movie? a) a day ago, b) a week ago, c) a month ago, d) longer
4. Have you ever been to another country? 
5. Which activity would you choose? a) bungee jumping, b) skydiving, c) whitewater rafting
6. What's your favorite way to travel? a) plane, b) car, c) train
7. Which would you most like to have more of? a) money, b) popularity, c) free time
8. Do you enjoy surprises? 
9. How many pets do you have? a) 0, b) 1, c) 2, d) more 
10. If you won a million dollars tomorrow, would you quit your job? 

Wellbeing and energy check questions

Rather than simply asking people how they are, try these optional check-in questions to give employees different ways to describe their energy or mood.

1. Tell me a movie title that describes your mood this morning. 
2. Rate your energy on a scale of one to five. 
3. Which of these colors best represents how you're feeling today: green, yellow, or red? 
4. How full would you say your battery is this morning? 
5. What kind of weather forecast would you give to describe how things are in your mind? Is it sunny, snowy, foggy, a heavy thunderstorm, or something else? 
6. Imagine you're a coffee cup. Are you currently empty, a lukewarm sip, or a full mug? 
7. What kind of animal are you most like today: an owl, a sloth, a cheetah, or another option? 
8. Think of yourself as a houseplant. Are you healthy and growing, or do you need more water or sun? 
9. What season best fits your mood: spring, summer, fall, or winter? 
10. Imagine you're going on a hike. Is the path you're taking flat and paved, sloped and grassy, or steep and rocky?

Work style and productivity questions

1. What app or tool is most important during your workday? 
2. What type of music keeps you energized throughout the day? 
3. Do you prefer to write lists or notes on paper, your phone, or on your computer? 
4. Do you try to get the hardest work out of the way first or save it for the end of the day? 
5. Would you rather get important information through an email, a Slack/Teams message, or a meeting? 
6. When starting a new project, do you want to brainstorm with a group first or think through things on your own? 
7. If you could change one part of your workday, what would it be? 
8. What tool, device, or software would you love to have? 
9. What's your favorite trick or shortcut for getting things done more quickly? 
10. Would you rather work on one big project at a time or jump between different smaller tasks? 

Career and growth questions

During quarterly meetings or development cycles, as well as one-on-one sessions, ask questions related to professional goals and learning opportunities. 

1. What's one skill you would like to develop over the next month? 
2. What task drains your energy the most? 
3. What's the best work advice you've received recently? 
4. If you could change any one process at work, which one would you choose? 
5. If you had a free learning day to focus on any skills or tools you want, what would you want to learn? 
6. Who at work do you think can most help with your professional development? 
7. What's one goal you want to achieve by the end of the week? 
8. Tell me a recent work accomplishment you feel proud of. 
9. When you make a mistake, how do you come back from it? 
10. What part of your job do you find the most motivating?

Reflection and gratitude questions

At the end of the week, an especially challenging project, or an exhausting sprint, these questions help employees focus on the positives. 

1. Describe a small win or completed task you want to celebrate. 
2. What went better than you expected during a recent project or workday?
3. List three things that make a bad day better. 
4. Name one thing you're looking forward to working on in the coming days or weeks. 
5. Who on the team has made your job easier recently? 
6. What's one new thing you learned recently while working on this project? 
7. Tell me about a difficult work problem you solved this week. 
8. What helped you deal with your stress and overcome obstacles on this project? 
9. How did you step outside of your comfort zone to get things done? 
10. What’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self? 

Recognition and appreciation questions

These questions are great for weekly meetings where employees can acknowledge their coworkers and leaders and are adaptable to how people prefer to be appreciated. 

1. Who on the team has gone above and beyond recently? 
2. Share something a coworker did that made your job easier. 
3. Name two things you appreciate about one or more of your teammates. 
4. What's a positive habit one of your coworkers has that you admire? 
5. If you could give a gold star to someone today, who would it be and why? 
6. Which coworker made you smile this week?
7. Who has given you the most helpful suggestions or advice lately? 
8. What's a win from a coworker that we haven't celebrated yet? 
9. Who or what makes you grateful to work on this team? 
10. Whose desk or office do you visit when you need someone to make you laugh? 

Creativity and imagination questions

1. If animals could talk, which one would be the worst to have sit in on team meetings? 
2. If you could have lunch with any historical figure, who would you choose? 
3. You're on a deserted island. What three things do you bring with you? 
4. If you could invent an app to take care of any daily annoyance, what would it do? 
5. Would you move your workspace to the moon, an underwater habitat, or a floating office? 
6. Which fictional character would make the best coworker, and why?  
7. If you could make any household chore into an Olympic sport, which one would you pick, and would you get the gold medal? 
8. If you could teleport to any fictional world with a snap of your fingers, where would you go? 
9. Imagine you have to build a fort with only your office supplies. Which ones would you use? 
10. Think of your favorite foods. If you could only eat one for the rest of your life, what would you pick? 

Remote and hybrid team questions

Distributed teams don't always get the chance to get acquainted through quick chats in the hallway, but icebreaker questions for virtual team meetings can help strengthen their relationships. 

1. What one gadget or piece of furniture would you love to have in your workspace? 
2. What routine do you have to mark the start and end of your workday? 
3. What's one thing that would make collaborating easier for you this week? 
4. What's the best way to spend your lunch break? 
5. What's your favorite and least favorite thing about working remotely? 
6. List two things you do to make sure you don't get distracted while you're working from home. 
7. What's the most chaotic thing that's ever happened in the background during a meeting or call? 
8. If you're away from home, where's your favorite spot to set up your workspace?
9. What's your go-to workday beverage? 
10. What's your favorite way to connect with coworkers while working remotely? 

New hire and onboarding questions

Introductory and surface-level questions help build trust with employees during the first few weeks when they aren't yet comfortable with deeper topics. 

1. When you get recognition, do you prefer public shout-outs or private feedback? 
2. What's one question you have about working here that you haven't asked yet? 
3. What's your favorite way to decompress during the workday? 
4. Name one thing the team can do to help you feel more welcome over the next week. 
5. When you're learning new tasks, do you prefer reading about them or having someone demonstrate? 
6. Do you do your best work during the morning or the afternoon? 
7. What's your biggest pet peeve when working with a team? 
8. List two reasons you're excited about taking on this role. 
9. What snack helps you power through a long day? 
10. If you could instantly become an expert on any topic, what would it be? 

Team culture and values questions

1. What tradition or routine should we start following as a team? 
2. Name two strengths you see in our team. 
3. How would you describe an ideal team culture? 
4. What's a trait or skill you appreciate in one of the other members of this team? 
5. Describe our team using only three words. 
6. What's one way we can better support each other as a group? 
7. Tell us about something you learned to do because of someone on our team. 
8. What's one way our team reflects the company's core values? 
9. If you had to choose a slogan for our group, what would it be? 
10. What's a boundary or practice our team should have to protect our communication and unity? 

Seasonal and Monday-motivation questions

During predictable low points in the calendar or workweek, these questions can help start conversations and bring some energy to the day.

1. What task are you excited to dive into this week? 
2. What's one thing you did on the weekend to recharge for the new week? 
3. What's your favorite thing about this time of year? 
4. What decoration would you add to your workspace to reflect the season? 
5. Does the kind of weather we're having give you energy or drain you? 
6. If we could go outside for a team break or meeting today, where would we go? 
7. What outdoor activity or hobby do you like to do during this time of year? 
8. If you could wave a magic wand and instantly finish a task on your to-do list, what would you choose? 
9. What seasonal scent boosts your energy and puts you in a good mood? 
10. What's one thing you could tell a coworker as a pick-me-up to help them start the week on the right foot?

Whether an employee gives the bare minimum response or is more enthusiastic about the discussion, facilitators should always show equal respect and appreciation for their engagement. These examples demonstrate how answers can range from surface-level comments to deeper insights: 

• Which one is a sandwich: a hot dog or a taco? 
• A hot dog because it has bread, meat, and condiments. 
• Does the kind of weather we're having give you energy or drain you? 
• The sunshine gives me lots of energy. 
• How did you step outside of your comfort zone to get things done recently? 
• I took on a project I didn't have any background in, and I reached out to contacts outside my normal field to come up with new ideas. 
• Do you prefer to write lists or notes on paper, your phone, or on your computer? 
• On my phone. 
• What's one question you have about working here that you haven't asked yet? 
• Do people here spend time together outside of work, or do they just stick to their professional relationships in the office? 
• What's your got-to-have workday beverage? 
• Black coffee because I need caffeine. 
• If you won a million dollars tomorrow, would you quit your job? 
• Yes, definitely. 
• What's your biggest pet peeve when working with a team? 
• I hate when I do all the work, but other people take the credit. 

Asking questions of the day is a simple process, but your timing and responses directly affect employee participation. Use this strategy to create a controlled but welcoming environment: 

1. Ask your question before you dig into the rest of your agenda, rather than waiting until after work-related updates when the meeting is already underway.
2. Cap answers at 30 to 60 seconds, and be clear about the cap with your team. Otherwise, the first answer or two could set an unreasonable length expectation.
3. The facilitator answers the question first. Their response can help set expectations for the length and level of detail in other participants' answers. 
4. Acknowledge each employee's answer quickly and move on. Turning responses into a full-fledged discussion leads to less effective check-ins.
5. Rather than choosing questions by mood, rotate categories on a fixed weekly rhythm. This eliminates the need to choose a new type of question each day and makes the practice easier to maintain.
6. Choose your delivery format deliberately so everyone has an opportunity to participate. For example, you might use a spoken round for a small meeting or a channel poll for remote teams. 
7. Rotate who picks the question each day. Keep a running log of questions used so they aren't recycled. 

This sample rhythm demonstrates how you can have a general category for each day without making the field of potential questions too narrow. On Monday, ask questions about focus and motivation. Have Tuesday questions center around work style.

Midweek questions on Wednesday can be fun and lighthearted, while Thursday centers around recognition. Finally, Friday questions are an opportunity for reflection.

Daily questions and regular check-ins can create opportunities for connection, recognition, and appreciation. According to “The Lost Art of the 1:1 Check-in,” a 2024 study by Workhuman, 69% of employees who meet with their manager at least weekly report being thanked in the past two weeks, while around 30% of those who don't meet regularly haven't been thanked. 

• Making it mandatory: Employees should have a clear, guilt-free way to pass on a question so they have psychological safety at the workplace. This will also help naturally quiet people avoid feeling self-conscious or excluded.
• Getting too deep too quickly: A question that works for a team with a long history may sound intrusive to one formed last month. 
• Asking about wellbeing without preparing for a difficult answer: Recognize that questions about employee feelings and wellbeing may have challenging responses and reacting inappropriately could permanently damage the relationship. 
• Asking daily questions but never following up: Failing to show long-term interest in employee responses teaches people that their answers don't matter. 

When planning your questions of the day for work, consider the cadence. Addressing deep, thought-provoking topics every day may make the practice feel burdensome over time. Use briefer daily questions for coordination and connection, and ask reflective or more extensive employee survey questions on a weekly or biweekly basis.

How long should a question of the day take in a team meeting?

A question of the day should be short and easy to answer. Keep your questions to one or two lines, and aim for responses between 30 and 60 seconds. 

Should answering the question of the day be mandatory?

Although participation is important, remember that not everyone will feel comfortable answering every question, so don't make your questions of the day mandatory. Requiring employees to answer can create resentment instead of building morale and is especially problematic for more reserved employees. 

What kinds of questions should you avoid asking at work?

Never ask questions focused on overly personal or controversial topics, including personal finances, romantic relationships, and medical histories. When using humor, stay away from inappropriate topics, which could make employees uncomfortable and violate company policies. 

How often should you rotate the question of the day?

You should have a new question every day to avoid repetition and boredom. You can have a theme, such as questions about wellbeing or recognition, but avoid using questions more than once.  

Who should choose the question of the day?

In addition to manager suggestions, create a schedule for employees to select questions of the day for work. Allowing them to think of fun questions to ask coworkers makes it a more collaborative and inclusive activity.