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85 Ways to Create a Warm Welcome in Training

In a community conversation with trainers, facilitators, and talent development professionals, we took 30 minutes to brainstorm approaches to create a warm welcome. Our goal was 100 tips! At 85, we came so close! I removed the names of participants to protect their privacy. We hope these ideas will come in handy for you too, as the power of a warm welcome is undeniable!

PRE-SESSION * START WITH A WELCOME LETTER

  1. Write a friendly welcome letter to introduce yourself, class, and agenda.
  2. Make it personal.
  3. Let people know what to expect and ways to prepare to participate.
  4. Include pre-reading materials as well as pre-reflection questions, for those who like time to reflect in advance (it also helps prime the brain for learning).
  5. Offer how-to tips on using the learning platform, online whiteboard, etc. (i.e. if using special meeting software).
  6. I start with a “Welcome to Hogwarts” letter to participants explaining the events of the day, and I decorate the room seasonally, putting out fun tools and mints/candy on the tables.
  7. Send “excessive” emails letting them know what to expect well before the class start date.
  8. Make pre-surveys anonymous, so people don’t feel put on the spot.
  9. Create a webpage that includes a welcome video, information about what to expect during the workshop/training, an introductory activity, breakouts, on/off camera, schedule, etc. #Pre-Session
  10. If you plan to use a tool like Miro or some other, give participants an activity that requires use of the tool as a pre-exercise so they have some time to figure it out and practice using it.

GET TO KNOW PEOPLE BY NAME

  1. Have clear signage that welcomes people and shows them where to go. Use Floor and Table Stands
  2. Set up welcome posters with everyone’s names on them.
  3. Create fun buttons with people’s names on them.
  4. Walk around the room and introduce yourself to people. Ask what they are learning/hope to learn
  5. Ask participants to pull up a favorite photo on their phone (cat, dog, interest, vacation spot) and be ready to share.
  6. Be present and say hello to people as they come in.
  7. Offer a warm handshake, hug (as appropriate), elbow touch, or high five. Their choice!
  8. Start with a “trading cards” exercise, through which each person can share random facts about themselves. To set this up, ask them for a picture of themselves prior to the session so that you can create the “front of the cards” and they can add details about themselves to the back of the card. Prepare 3-5 cards per person, depending on the activities you expect to run and the size of your group (Hear more from 9:35-10:35, or so, in the recording)
  9. Have people introduce themselves, their goals, or a strength, on a Community Mosaic Puzzle Piece or on Answer Boards
  10. If you’re using event name badges, include fun adhesive ribbons; Or try Chad Littlefield’s We Connect Name Badges which include a connections prompt.
  11. Pause before asking for answers to an intro question. Remember that many won’t be listening to other’s intros because they’ll be thinking about what they’re going to say.

NAME TENT TIPS

  1. Set up name tents with people’s names already on them, but welcome them to write a preferred nickname on the reverse side
  2. Use Dry Erase Name Tents – have people write on names and/or interests – ask them to include tips on pronouncing their name correctly!
  3. As people arrive, ask them to complete to find their tent card with their registered name, but use the bigger gap above it and a colored marker to fill out their preferred name or a nickname.
  4. Have participants use the letters of their name as an acronym with personal strengths or qualities or values attached to the letters – helps people remember one another!
  5. Make colored markers available for people to write their names (or whatever they want to be addressed as) as people are coming into the room BEFORE class starts.  And then I like to walk around the room to informally introduce myself and pronounce their name.

ROOM, SEATING, and TABLE SET-UP

  1. Make tables into “teams”
  2. Put tables together so participants are sitting around a large table with others instead of two per table
  3. Try no-chairs to start, so that people are forced to mix and mingle
  4. Set up rows of two pairs of chairs facing each other
  5. For our leadership boot camp, we start with four people per table, and seats are assigned. The assigned seats change every day so they meet more people.
  6. Have people change seats once or twice a day.
  7. Don’t let anyone sit with their back toward the front of the room. However, you might leave a chair there with a sign saying, “This seat is reserved for the facilitator, No backs to the front, please.” That way, you the facilitator, can sit and join any group, rather than hovering over them.
  8. TABLE “TOOLS” TONS of colored markers, pipe cleaners, and other things to occupy their hands/minds.  This signals that there will be a LOT of activity going on in our classroom!
  9. TABLE “TOOLS” Spread out colorful, quiet fidget tools (to help people focus!)
  10. Don’t call your fidgets and fun stuff “toys.” Participants should appreciate them as learning tools!
  11. VISUALS: Post interesting visuals around the room – related and unrelated to the topic
  12. VISUALS: I really like an idea I learned from Rebecca Courtney at AJ&Smart about having analog boards around the room where people can go up at any time to add their thoughts (e.g., Ahas & Huhs, Book Recommendations, etc.)
  13. VISUALS:. Seasonal decor. I have whiteboard walls in the entire room, which makes it easy for people to jot down info for activities.
  14. HANDOUTS: In larger rooms, put give-aways and handouts only on front tables, to encourage people to move forward.
  15. REFRESHMENTS: Set up snacks, swag, and giveaways in the mingle area.
  16. We have a coffee and hot chocolate bar and another area for water and soft drinks.

SET THE TONE

  1. Play music to create a warm environment
  2. Project a PPT (or other) “show” on the screen at the front of the room with Participant names
  3. Share a pre-show presentation with images, jokes, or trivia

INCORPORATE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (especially after lunch!)

  1. Don’t sit, right after lunch! Try a “Walk and Talk” if you have time. Go outside or walk around the room. See the talk with “powerful questions” [Look for the book: The Art of Powerful Questions]
  2. Instead, begin with question/chat pack-type cards so people stand up and chat with each other. Do this for about 10 mins, and they have to talk to at least 2-3 people they don’t know well or haven’t met
  3. I do a scavenger hunt based on the training topic around the building, then the other staff set up the room
  4. Use a Thumball – but not just at the start.
  5. Toss an easy-to-catch ball or Koosh ball from person to person.
  6. Don’t go more than 15 minutes without a table topic
  7. Interrupt yourself with a 3-minute Energy Break.
  8. Plan activities that get people standing up and moving. Instead of presenting the material on a slide. Have participants stand up and discuss among themselves the information presented.
  9. Try a slide with no words, just images.
  10. Write a couple of questions on boards around the room. Ask participants to walk around and answer the posted questions.

USING MUSIC

  1. Use music upon arrival to pump up the energy in the room
  2. Use music throughout the day to set the tone you want (upbeat, quiet, etc.)
  3. Use the same music clip throughout the session to signal when it’s time to come back together.
  4. Smooth Jazz can also be good for breaks
  5. Find fun channels on YouTube that are “clean” music but upbeat like a “wake up” channel
  6. Play music during breaks. Set up a board and have people write down what songs they like (be mindful of inappropriate lyrics) – Request “family-friendly” selections.
  7. Another good music genre for training is OMA Instrumental Hip Hop (found on YouTube Premium). OMA has several videos on YouTube that are instrumental hip hop jams. Just be sure not to play any “live” performances…those have lyrics.
  8. Find royalty-free music from Bensound (e.g, at the start of a session while people are getting settled).
  9. Play Walk-on Songs each time a presenter or student/team comes to the front of the room.
  10. Try 70’s and 80’s era dance music. The older participants love it and the younguns are often introduced to the AWESOME tunes!
  11. Create a playlist. Look for orchestral versions of popular songs.
  12. Use a chime to indicate time to return to the session or restart in the main room
  13. Look for YouTube timers that have soft acoustic guitar music playing in the background for certain activities.

NO CRICKETS! BREAK THE SILENCE AND WARMLY INVITE PARTICIPATION

  1. Leave conversation question cards on the tables for informal conversation throughout the session.
  2. Start with a pair share practice before asking them to speak out alone.
  3. Have participants discuss a question at their table before having to report out
  4. Set out a bunch of random photos – When responding to questions, have participants relate their answer to one of the images.
  5. Buy interesting objects from Goodwill or a second-hand store. Break the group up into teams of 3 or 4, and equip each team with five random items. Challenge teams to use all items to develop an improv-style story, during which everyone contributes.
  6. If working remotely, invite participants to find an interesting item on their desk that they can use to introduce themselves or contribute to a story-building exercise, as described above.
  7. Use protocols (CLEE, Liberating Structures, etc.)
  8. Use an icebreaker-style approach for participants to find a partner match (example: peanut butter & jelly; matching numbers or shapes; etc.)
  9. At the start of the day, do a getting to know you fun facts questionnaire. I create a fun PowerPoint out of it for each person. Later in the day, welcome participants to share their fun facts. As a group, discuss commonalities and differences. Questions include things like “This or That questions like “dog or cat”, what you do on your day off? Favorite dessert? Where would you be right now if you weren’t here? Favorite vacation spot? Etc.
  10. Play 4 corners: have them move to different corners of the room based on how they answer a question (Example: what’s your ideal vacation…beach, snow, mountain or concert). Discuss why they chose their answer.
  11. Priya Parker Style: Ask “one magical question” that everyone would love to answer.

RESOURCES:

  1. Book: Designing and Facilitating Workshops with Intentionality, by Tolu Noah
    1. Dry-Erase Name Tents Small and Large
  2. Chad Littlefield’s We Connect Name Badges
  3. Community Mosaic: https://trainerswarehouse.com/community-mosaic/
  4. Answer Boards
  5. Thumballs
  6. Sign Stands
  7. Other ice breaker blog posts
    1. Openers to start a Soft-Skills Session
    2. Icebreakers that Make the Most of Every Minute
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