The Giant List of "This or That" Questions for Workplace Fun
120 fast, office-friendly picks you can copy into Slack, Teams, or your next meeting
In this article
- Workday preferences: tools, routines & meetings
- Remote vs office life: hybrid choices
- Team culture & collaboration: how we work together
- Office-friendly fun: snacks, sounds & small joys
- Projects & workflow: planning to shipping
- Frequently Asked Questions
These this or that questions for work are designed to create instant engagement without turning your day into another meeting. Pick a prompt, paste it into Poll Maker, and launch in seconds for free—perfect for Slack, Teams, standups, workshops, and quick check-ins. You’ll find crisp options, office-appropriate wording, and prompts that help teams learn preferences, reduce friction, and add a little fun.
Workday preferences: tools, routines & meetings
Use these this or that questions for work as rapid-fire questions to learn how people actually like to plan, communicate, and focus—then turn the results into small improvements you can roll out immediately. Every poll below can be loaded into Poll Maker in seconds so you can run it live or async.
- When to use these polls: When you want to set working norms, reduce day-to-day friction, or kick off a session with lightweight input before deeper discussion.
- Best poll types for this section: Multiple choice (single select) for clear defaults; add “Depends” when context varies; use ranked choice if you’re selecting a team-wide standard.
- How to act on the results: Publish the top preference as a draft norm, pilot it for 1–2 weeks, then re-poll to confirm it improved clarity, speed, or satisfaction.
Do you prefer meetings in the morning or afternoon?
Great for scheduling and reducing calendar fatigue; launch instantly in Poll Maker to find the most inclusive default.
- Morning
- Afternoon
- No preference
Paper notebook or digital notes?
Useful for choosing shared note-taking tools and templates without forcing a single style on everyone.
- Paper notebook
- Digital notes
- Both
Music while working or silence?
Perfect as a low-stakes pulse check; use it to guide office etiquette or shared “quiet hours.”
- Music
- Silence
- Depends
To-do list or Kanban board?
Helps teams align on how tasks are visualized; especially useful when onboarding new members.
- To-do list
- Kanban board
- Both
Quick call or async message?
One of the most practical this or that questions for work—use it to set expectations for response time and interruptions.
- Quick call
- Async message
- Depends
Start with inbox or top 3 tasks?
Useful for sharing productivity habits; the results can inspire a simple “start-of-day” team checklist.
- Inbox first
- Top 3 tasks
- Depends
Short breaks often or one longer break?
Great for shaping meeting blocks, focus hours, and team-wide expectations around availability.
- Short breaks
- One long break
- No preference
Remote vs office life: hybrid choices
These this or that questions for work are built as binary poll questions that make hybrid conversations feel simple and non-judgmental. Paste one into Poll Maker and you’ll quickly see patterns—then design policies and rituals that fit the majority while still supporting edge cases.
- When to use these polls: When you’re designing hybrid routines, planning events, or checking whether current practices feel inclusive across locations and time zones.
- Best poll types for this section: Single-select multiple choice for clear preferences; add a “Hybrid” or “Case-by-case” option to prevent forced answers.
- How to act on the results: Use the winning option as the default, then document exceptions (who/when/why) so the policy stays flexible but predictable.
Remote or office?
A foundational pulse check for hybrid teams; run quarterly to track shifts in preference.
- Remote
- Office
- Hybrid
Camera on or camera off?
Helps set respectful norms for video calls while keeping room for accessibility and context.
- Camera on
- Camera off
- Depends
Fixed schedule or flexible hours?
Great for discussing availability expectations without singling anyone out; ideal as an anonymous poll.
- Fixed hours
- Flexible hours
- Core hours
Virtual hangout or in-person meetup?
Use this before planning socials to avoid low-attendance events and budget surprises.
- Virtual
- In-person
- Both
Onboarding buddy or self-serve hub?
Helpful for improving onboarding design; follow up by asking what “good” looks like for each option.
- Buddy system
- Self-serve hub
- Both
Occasional work travel or avoid travel?
Great for planning offsites and client visits; keep it optional and respectful.
- Travel occasionally
- Avoid travel
- Case-by-case
Multiple monitors or single screen?
Use results to prioritize equipment budgets and standardize starter kits for new team members.
- Two+ monitors
- One screen
- Laptop only
Team culture & collaboration: how we work together
These this or that questions for work are ideal for quick team bonding because they reveal collaboration preferences without putting anyone on the spot. Run them in Poll Maker at the start of a workshop or async in a channel to shape shared norms.
- When to use these polls: When you’re aligning on team agreements, improving cross-functional collaboration, or diagnosing why handoffs feel slow or unclear.
- Best poll types for this section: Single-select for a clear “default behavior”; use a follow-up open-ended question to capture edge cases and nuance.
- How to act on the results: Turn the top choice into a simple guideline (“We default to…”) and document when teams should choose the alternate option.
Feedback in-the-moment or in a scheduled 1:1?
Use this to reduce awkwardness and improve consistency in feedback across managers and peers.
- In-the-moment
- Scheduled 1:1
- Mix of both
Consensus decision or a single DRI decides?
Great for improving speed and ownership; follow up by defining when each approach applies.
- Consensus
- DRI decides
- Consult then decide
Longform doc or slide deck?
Helps set expectations for proposals and updates; useful when meetings feel too presentation-heavy.
- Longform doc
- Slide deck
- Depends
Silent writing first or open discussion?
Great for inclusive workshops; silent writing often boosts participation from quieter voices.
- Silent writing
- Open discussion
- Hybrid approach
Daily standup or async check-in?
Use results to choose a cadence that respects focus time while keeping projects unblocked.
- Daily standup
- Async check-in
- Twice weekly
Public shout-out or private thank-you?
Helps managers recognize people in the way they actually prefer; consider allowing anonymous voting.
- Public shout-out
- Private message
- Either is fine
Address issues directly or bring in a mediator?
Useful for setting a healthy escalation norm; pair results with clear guidance on what “respectful” means.
- Direct conversation
- Mediator helps
- Written first
Office-friendly fun: snacks, sounds & small joys
When you need low-pressure engagement, these Slack poll prompts keep things light while still helping people feel seen. Add them to Poll Maker in seconds and drop the link in a channel, all-hands chat, or meeting agenda.
- When to use these polls: When you want to warm up a group, boost participation, or add a fun break between heavier agenda items.
- Best poll types for this section: Multiple choice with 2–4 options; consider allowing “Something else” if you expect strong variety (e.g., snacks, music).
- How to act on the results: Use the winners to plan small perks (snacks, playlists, themes) and rotate choices so minority preferences also get a turn.
Sweet snacks or salty snacks?
Great for stocking snacks for events or the office kitchen; simple, inclusive, and fast to answer.
- Sweet
- Salty
- Both
- Prefer not to say
Coffee or tea?
Perfect for a quick opener and surprisingly useful for planning beverage options for meetings.
- Coffee
- Tea
- Neither
Work playlist or white noise?
Use this to shape shared spaces (or virtual coworking sessions) so more people can focus comfortably.
- Playlist
- White noise
- Silence
Lunch at your desk or away from your desk?
Helpful for planning “no-meeting lunch” windows; keep it judgment-free and optional.
- At my desk
- Away from desk
- Depends
Cake or donuts?
Use it before birthdays, launches, or anniversaries to pick a crowd-pleaser quickly.
- Cake
- Donuts
- Fruit plate
- Something else
Memes channel or pet photos channel?
Great for team bonding without oversharing; use results to set a fun channel theme everyone enjoys.
- Memes
- Pet photos
- Keep it work
End-of-week demo or wins recap?
Use this to pick a simple Friday ritual that increases visibility and morale without adding heavy process.
- Demo
- Wins recap
- Both
Projects & workflow: planning to shipping
These workplace icebreakers double as practical alignment tools—people answer quickly, and you immediately learn where the team’s instincts differ on planning, quality, and shipping. Drop any of these this or that questions for work into Poll Maker and collect input in seconds.
- When to use these polls: When you’re setting a workflow, revisiting process after a miss, or trying to align multiple groups on how work moves from idea to delivery.
- Best poll types for this section: Multiple choice for a default approach; use ranked choice when you’re selecting a standard (e.g., estimation method) across teams.
- How to act on the results: Convert results into a small process change, define success metrics, and schedule a quick re-poll after the next cycle to validate improvement.
Weekly plan or daily plan?
Use this to set planning expectations so people aren’t surprised by shifting priorities.
- Weekly plan
- Daily plan
- Both
Quality first or speed first?
Great for surfacing hidden expectations; use it before setting a deadline or scope.
- Quality first
- Speed first
- Balanced
Start early or finish strong?
Useful when coordinating handoffs and deadlines across time zones and flexible schedules.
- Start early
- Late push
- Split day
Story points or time estimates?
Use this to align on forecasting; follow up by clarifying what the estimates are used for (not for).
- Story points
- Time estimates
- No estimates
Continuous review or milestone review?
Great for deciding how often work should be reviewed; helps avoid last-minute surprises.
- Continuous
- Milestone
- Both
Detailed tickets or lightweight tickets?
Use this to reduce rework and debate; the right level depends on team maturity and risk.
- Detailed tickets
- Lightweight tickets
- Depends
Release often or ship in bigger batches?
Helpful for aligning product and engineering; use results to guide rollout strategy and comms planning.
- Release often
- Big batches
- Feature flags
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about running this-or-that polls at work, choosing the right options, and using results to strengthen team norms without adding meeting overhead.
- How many this or that questions for work should I ask at once?
- For Slack or Teams, 1–3 questions per post keeps response rates high. For a meeting, 3–7 questions works well as a warm-up. If you’re gathering input for a decision, run 1 focused poll at a time so the result is easy to interpret and act on.
- Should workplace this-or-that polls be anonymous?
- Anonymity is best when the topic touches preferences that could feel sensitive (cameras, schedules, office vs remote). Named polls work well for light fun prompts or when you want follow-up conversations. If in doubt, start anonymous to build trust.
- What’s a good cadence for posting Slack poll prompts?
- One poll per week is a safe default; it’s frequent enough to build rhythm without becoming noise. For new teams or onboarding, you can do 2–3 per week for a short burst, then scale back after norms are established.
- How do I write strong binary poll questions without bias?
- Keep wording neutral, avoid “better/best,” and make both options equally specific (e.g., “async message” vs “quick call,” not “quick call” vs “endless messages”). If context matters, add a third option like “Depends” to avoid forced, misleading votes.
- Is it okay to offer more than two options in a “this or that” poll?
- Yes. Many this-or-that questions for work are best with 3 options, such as adding “Hybrid,” “No preference,” or “Something else.” The goal is clarity, not forcing a false binary.
- Which workplace topics should I avoid with these polls?
- Avoid anything that could reveal protected characteristics or feel like performance evaluation (health, politics, compensation, manager ratings). If a question might pressure people to disclose personal circumstances, include “Prefer not to say” or choose a different prompt.
- How do I use poll results to improve meetings without overreacting?
- Treat results as a signal, not a verdict. Pick one small change (e.g., “default cameras optional,” “move recurring meeting to afternoons”), pilot it for a short period, then re-poll to confirm the change helped.
- Do these polls work for cross-functional or global teams?
- They do—just add options that reflect real constraints (time zones, travel, accessibility). For global groups, run polls asynchronously and keep the window open long enough for everyone to participate.
- Should I mix fun questions with operational questions?
- Yes, mixing them often boosts participation. A fun poll can increase engagement, and a practical poll can capture input you’ll actually use. Keep the purpose clear by labeling the poll (e.g., “Fun” vs “Working norms”).
- What’s the simplest way to turn poll outcomes into an action plan?
- Summarize the winner, name a single owner, set a trial period, and define one success metric (time saved, fewer pings, higher satisfaction). Share the decision and the “why,” then follow up with a short check-in poll.
For the best results, keep each question short, specific, and genuinely answerable in a few seconds. Offer balanced choices (matching tone and specificity), and include a “Depends,” “No preference,” or “Something else” option when context varies—this improves data quality and reduces forced votes. After you collect responses, share what you learned, choose one small behavior to pilot, and revisit the decision with a follow-up poll to confirm the change helped. When you’re ready, you can build and launch all of these this or that questions for work in seconds using Poll Maker for free.
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