7 alternative topics of watercooler conversation

By July 16, 2018For Talent

Alas, the world cup is over and there are but a few weeks of Love Island left to lubricate the wheels of workplace chit chat.

But fear not, to fill the football shaped void in our hearts (and our conversation), we’ve put together a list of alternative watercooler topics. Why blend in when you can stand out, eh?

Who’d win in a fight?

We love to pit people against each other and make predictions on the outcome. The previous weeks have given us Messi v Pogba, Ronaldo v De Gea and now it’s Graham from Accounts v John from HR. Place your fictional bets.

If you hadn’t taken this job, where do you think you’d be now?

Nothing like being the catalyst for a colleague’s existential crisis.

Which Friends character do you most closely assemble?

Not their favourite character, the one they share the most similarities with. If ever there was a question to highlight a coworker’s sense of self awareness (or lack thereof). Watch out for those Rachels!

Do you think we perceive colours in the same way?

Green is green and red is red but what if how I see green is how you see red? What if how we perceive all colour is completely different and there’s no way to possibly determine which is correct or even if one is correct.

If you were a beverage, what would you be and why?

Think Blind Date but with less aggressive flirtation. Again, the key is not to let the person away with simply stating their favourite drink but the one which best reflects their personality, history and relationship with the public. It’s a great way to garner insight into your coworkers’ self perception and ability to think on their feet.

Would you rather be hated or forgotten?

This one really rolls off the tongue: “Hey there colleague, how was your weekend? Quick question: In the age of celebrity, instant gratification and obsession with our legacies, what’s more important to you…”

Flawless.

If aliens were to land on earth, where do you think they’d go first and why?

For best results give as little context here as possible. No illustrative alien backstories, just wait for your coworker to give their opinion.


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Author Aoife Geary

Aoife Geary is the Content Editor at Jobbio specialising in the areas of Workplace Culture, Diversity, Startups and Digital Trends. She's partial to a burrito, a bad pun and living way beyond her means.

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