112 Questions to Ask to Get to Know Your New Hire

Question Mark

Building a strong, cohesive team is vital for any company’s success. At Red Branch Media, we believe in going beyond the basics of introducing new hires to their responsibilities and workstations. One of our favorite ways to welcome new employees and foster an inclusive work environment is through a fun game we call “New Brancher Trivia.”

The purpose of this game is twofold. Firstly, it helps new hires feel more at ease in their new work environment. Coming into an established team as a new member can be daunting, and this game helps to break the ice. Secondly, it encourages existing employees to spend time getting to know their new colleagues, promoting a sense of camaraderie and unity.

New Brancher Trivia involves pairing up new hires and existing employees and encouraging them to guess which answer belongs to which new hire. This enjoyable game is not just about fun. Still, it’s also a fantastic tool to encourage team members to learn more about each other, leading to deeper relationships and increased team cohesion.

We’ve compiled a list of 112 insightful, intriguing, and entertaining questions for getting to know your new hires. These questions can be used for breaking the ice with new colleagues, making new work friends, or even as a basis for your version of onboarding trivia. It’s all about fostering a positive work culture where employees feel valued, seen, and heard.

Asking these questions isn’t just about learning fun facts about your new hires. Each question is designed to reveal something about the person’s character, interests, experiences, or aspirations. This information can be invaluable for managers and team leaders to understand how to best work with each individual, enabling them to play to their strengths and support their development.

Not only that, these conversations can lay the foundation for deeper, more meaningful relationships between team members. Shared understanding and mutual respect can greatly enhance collaboration and teamwork, leading to increased productivity and a more harmonious work environment.

employee quesetions

Questions to Ask New Employees

If you could have one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If you were an animal, what would you be?
What was your favorite childhood toy?
If your house were on fire, what possession would you save?
Name one odd skill you have that most people don’t.
Name a class you took when you were little.
What is your very favorite book?
There’s a movie quote on your grave. What is it?
We’re moving the Red Branch Media office to your dream location? Where is it?
You got your dream job. What are you doing?
What was the name of your childhood pet?
It’s ten years ago. Who was your big Hollywood crush?
Who is your big Hollywood crush today?
If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?
What’s your favorite piece of clothing you own/have owned?
What hobby would you get into if neither time nor money were an issue?
What would your perfect room look like?
How often do you play sports?
What fictional place would you most like to go?
What job would you be terrible at?
When was the last time you climbed a tree?
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning a medal for?
What is the most annoying habit that other people have?
What job do you think you’d be really good at?
What skill would you like to master?
What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?
If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
What’s your favorite drink?
What state or country do you never want to go back to?
What songs have you completely memorized?
What game or movie universe would you most like to live in?
What do you consider to be your best find?
Are you usually early or late?
What would be your ideal way to spend the weekend?
What is something that is considered a luxury, but you don’t think you could live without?
What’s your claim to fame?
What’s something you like to do the old-fashioned way?
What’s your favorite genre of book or movie?
How often do you people watch?
What have you only recently formed an opinion about?
What’s the best single day on the calendar?
What are you interested in that most people haven’t heard of?
At which store would you like to max out your credit card?
Which storybook/cartoon character turns you on the most?
What was your favorite T.V. show when growing up?
Choose a movie title for the story of your life.
What was your favorite toy as a kid?
How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet?
Can you play any instruments?
What is the oldest thing in your refrigerator?
What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?
What is your favorite cereal?
What, if anything, have you ever regifted?
What was the worst punishment you received at school?
What’s the strangest talent you have?
What was your childhood nickname?
Do you have any strange phobias?
What’s your favorite flavor of Pringles?
Have you ever had a poem or a song written about you?
Which way does your toilet paper hang on the wall — over or under?
What, or who, are you a “closet” fan of?
When did you accept a dare that you later regretted?
What is one thing that all of your love interests have had in common?
Where and when did you have your first kiss?
What are three things still left on your bucket list?
If you could have any one superpower, which would you choose?
What is the worst pet you have ever had?
What was your favorite food when you were a child?
What’s the No. 1 most played song on your iPod?
What is one of your favorite quotes?
What’s your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?
What chore do you absolutely hate doing?
What is your favorite form of exercise?
What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year?
What’s your least favorite mode of transportation?
What is your favorite body part?
What sound do you love?
If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and what would it be for?
If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve seen before, what would you paint?
If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?
If you knew the world would end in 2012, what would you have done differently?
If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?
If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be?
If you were immortal for a day, what would you do?
If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?
If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
If you were reincarnated as an animal/drink/ice cream flavor, what would it be?
If you could know the answer to any question besides “What is the meaning of life?”, what would it be?
If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?
Which celebrity do you get mistaken for?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you pass the time?
What would you name your autobiography?
What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?
Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be for the best?
What was one of the best parties you’ve ever been to?
What was the last movie, TV show, or book that made you cry?
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
What was the last experience that made you a stronger person?
What did you do growing up that got you into trouble?
When was the last time you had an amazing meal?
What’s the best/worst gift you’ve ever given/received?
What do you miss most about being a kid?
What is your first memory of being really excited?
What was the first thing you bought with your own money?
When was the last time you were nervous?
What is something you learned in the last week?
What story does your family always tell about you?
At what age did you become an adult?

Questions of any form are a great way to get to know your new hires and your team. After all, you spend 40+ hours a week with these people, so you should probably get to know them! Of course, the process for fun, onboarding, and engagement doesn’t stop there. Put in the work to make your new hires feel like a part of the team. It’ll pay off in the end.

Of course, the process for onboarding and engagement doesn’t stop there. Once you’ve got to know your new hires through this initial game, it’s important to continue building those relationships and fostering a positive team culture.

Be proactive in making your new hires feel like part of the team. Arrange regular check-ins to see how they’re settling in, provide constructive feedback, and be responsive to their questions and concerns. Encourage team social events, whether that’s a lunch out, a team-building day, or just a quick coffee break together. Celebrate successes, no matter how small, and ensure that each member’s contribution is recognized and appreciated.

Investing time and energy in getting to know your new hires and making them feel welcome and valued can significantly increase employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. It can also lead to higher productivity and better team performance. So while the initial effort may seem significant, the potential pay-off is worth it.

This approach to onboarding and team-building reflects our commitment at Red Branch Media to create a supportive, inclusive, and positive work culture. We believe that every team member is valuable and unique, and we strive to ensure that everyone feels seen, heard, and appreciated.

Author

Maren Hogan, the founder and CEO of Red Branch Media, is a passionate advocate for building strong, cohesive teams. She regularly shares her insights on team-building, leadership, and workplace culture through various platforms including Forbes, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, and her own blog, Marenated.

Learn more about Recruiter.com and our advanced recruiting and hiring solutions

By Maren Hogan