This or That
Employee engagement through shared experience
A memorable icebreaker that helps colleagues connect, collaborate, and leave with shared energy.
Last updated: 2026-08-03
450+ corporate teams
Icebreaker for connection & trust
Quick overview
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Duration
15–45
Minutes total
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Group size
5–30
Participants
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Energy
Low–Med
Energy level
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Format
Hybrid
Virtual & in-person
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Category
Icebreaker
Activity type
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Best for
Teams
New hires & kickoffs
What Is This or That?
This or That team building helps workplaces warm people up fast and replace awkward small talk with real recognition. In practice: Rapid-fire forced-choice questions to reveal preferences, with facilitation that keeps the tone inclusive and workplace-ready.
HR and people leaders deploy This or That during onboarding, offsites, and team resets because the structure reduces awkwardness while still inviting personality. That balance is why it shows up on so many lists of team building activities for employees.
If your brief is employee engagement without gimmicks, This or That earns its place: clear rules, inclusive pacing, and a debrief that ties play back to how the team works on Monday.
How it works
A clear session flow from brief to debrief
Follow these steps to run This or That with confidence, timing included so you can plan the room or Zoom agenda.
Set the frame
Welcome the group and explain why you are running This or That today. Restate the simple idea: Rapid-fire forced-choice questions to reveal preferences. Clarify that the goal is connection and teamwork, not embarrassing anyone.
2–4 minutesPrepare the room or call
Arrange seating, breakouts, or tools so everyone can participate equally. Share timing, roles, and any boundaries unique to This or That.
3–5 minutesRun the core experience
Facilitate the heart of This or That: Rapid-fire forced-choice questions to reveal preferences. Keep coaching light, rotate attention across the group, and use a timer so momentum stays high. Encourage curiosity over performance.
10–45 minutesShare highlights
Invite a few teams or individuals to share a surprising moment from This or That. Spotlight listening, creativity, or support, not only who “won.”
3–8 minutesDebrief into work
Ask what behaviors helped during This or That and where those show up in projects, meetings, or remote collaboration. Capture one team commitment before closing.
3–7 minutesTeam engagement & team building benefits
This or That works as one of our corporate ice breaker activities, scoped for employee engagement, team bonding, and outcomes HR teams can feel in the room.
Culture that feels human
This or That reminds startups and enterprises alike that culture is built in micro-moments, not only in handbooks.
Energy reset for busy teams
A well-timed This or That session interrupts meeting fatigue and restores attention before strategic work continues.
Inclusive celebration
This or That can mark milestones without forcing a single personality style, useful for diverse employee populations.
Everyday leadership practice
Facilitating or spotting during This or That gives emerging leaders live practice in clarity, timing, and care.
Faster interpersonal trust
This or That gives colleagues shared reference points beyond job titles, which softens silos and speeds later collaboration.
Employee engagement lift
As one of the more memorable team building activities for employees, This or That creates recognition, laughter, and belonging without a heavy agenda.
Safer onboarding moments
New hires can participate in This or That with clear structure, meeting peers without pressure to perform in a high-stakes exercise.
Hybrid-friendly participation
With thoughtful facilitation, This or That gives distributed teammates equal airtime in corporate team building moments.
Who It’s Best For
Small teams
Among practical team building activities for small teams, This or That keeps airtime personal so everyone can contribute without rushing.
Startups
Resource-conscious startups use This or That to build culture quickly, high signal, manageable prep, and energy that fits a busy build cycle.
Cross-functional groups
This or That works when departments meet for the first time: shared structure reduces status gaps and sparks informal collaboration.
Large enterprises
Enterprises scale This or That with breakouts, table hosts, or timed stations so intimacy survives even when headcount is high.
Remote & hybrid teams
Facilitators adapt This or That for video, chat, and breakouts so remote employees are not spectators in corporate team building.
Preparation
What You’ll Need & Facilitator Tips
What You’ll Need
- A facilitator who can keep time and psychological safety
- A clear goal for the session (kickoff, bonding, celebration, or skill practice)
- Name tags or on-screen names for new groups
- Optional prompts or cards if you want structured questions
- For virtual: video platform with chat and optional breakout rooms
- For in-person: a circle or U-shape so people can see each other
- No elaborate production required for a strong first run
Facilitator Tips
- Set a content boundary: keep shares professional and consent-based.
- Close with one insight about how the team listens or includes people.
- For groups above ~12, use breakouts so everyone still participates.
- Model This or That yourself first so the tone feels safe and workplace-appropriate.
- Give introverts write time before speaking; avoid cold-calling.
- Keep rounds paced, over-explaining kills momentum.
Variations
Variations & Adaptations
Adjust the format for remote rooms, large groups, low prep, or themed workshops, without changing the core game.
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Large-group adaptation
Split into tables or channels of 6–10. Each pod runs This or That, then nominates one highlight for the full group.
02
Remote adaptation
Run This or That on video with chat prompts, reactions, or breakout rooms. Keep instructions on screen and assign a chat moderator.
03
Low-prep / no-materials version
Strip This or That to verbal or chat-only prompts so you can launch in a regular meeting with almost no setup.
04
Themed variation
Theme This or That around onboarding stories, customer empathy, values, or a product launch so play reinforces a business narrative.
Browse the library
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This or That, quick team building exercises for work
This or That is one of the team building activities teams use when they want team building activities for work without a heavy workshop agenda. Gotezu facilitators scope the session for your group size, format, and outcomes, whether you are planning corporate team building activities for an offsite or team building activities for employees in-house.
When teams choose This or That
HR and people leaders pick this format for kickoffs, culture resets, and employee engagement days where the goal is genuine connection. It fits alongside other virtual team building activities in a longer virtual team building or stands alone as a focused remote team building activities.
Related team building ideas
- Team building activities, explore similar formats in our activities library.
- Team building activities for work, explore similar formats in our activities library.
- Corporate team building activities, explore similar formats in our activities library.
- Team building activities for employees, explore similar formats in our activities library.
- Virtual team building activities, explore similar formats in our activities library.
- Virtual team building, explore similar formats in our activities library.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can do This or That?
Most teams run This or That with about 5–30 people. For larger headcounts, split into smaller rooms or tables so participation stays high.
How long does This or That take?
Plan for roughly 15–45 minutes, depending on group size, debrief depth, and whether you add competitive rounds.
Is This or That suitable for remote or hybrid teams?
Yes. Use video, chat, and breakouts so remote teammates get equal airtime during This or That.
What are the benefits of This or That for employee engagement?
This or That boosts employee engagement by creating shared energy, recognition, and safer familiarity, especially useful at kickoffs, offsites, and culture resets.
Is This or That good for small teams or startups?
Yes. Small teams and startups often prefer This or That because it creates visible culture signal without requiring a massive production budget or multi-day agenda.
Do we need special equipment for This or That?
Requirements vary by format, but most icebreaker sessions need only a prepared facilitator, a suitable space or platform, and the core materials for This or That, not a full event build.
How do you keep This or That workplace-appropriate?
Brief clear boundaries up front, model the tone, offer opt-in intensity levels, and redirect anything that risks exclusion, unsafe behavior, or oversharing.
Can This or That work as a corporate team building opener?
Absolutely. Many L&D and HR teams use This or That before workshops or strategy sessions because it warms the room without stealing the entire agenda.
If This or That feels like the right fit, or you want a mix of formats for employees, startups, and enterprise groups, explore more activities or talk to Gotezu about a tailored agenda.
