Corporate team-building activities have become predictable and dull over time, with many involving answering get-to-know-me questions in the office or participating in outdoor activities under the sun. As a team leader, it can be challenging to foster a positive atmosphere and bring your team together, especially when your team is made up of busy professionals who may not even be coordinating with each other. A great way to address this dilemma and build strong relationships while getting to know your coworkers is by organizing an escape room team-building session.
Benefits Of Escape Rooms For Team Building
Improved Communication Skills
Effective communication is crucial to the success of any team, and escape rooms can be a valuable tool for team building as they require team members to interact effectively under time constraints. Successfully escaping the room can bring team members closer and foster a greater appreciation for one another, making it an ideal activity for improving workplace communication and interactions among coworkers.
Enhanced Problem-solving Abilities
Escape rooms are becoming increasingly popular due to the many benefits they offer. One of the most significant advantages is that they require participants to work together to solve challenging puzzles, which can improve their critical thinking skills, ability to analyze information, and creativity when coming up with solutions to complex problems. These skills can then be applied to real-world work scenarios, where collaboration and problem-solving are often essential for success.
Boosted Morale And Motivation
A competitive element can be introduced into an online escape room to increase motivation further. Depending on the experience, a large team or group of employees can be split into smaller teams and play simultaneously or track their performance times to determine which team is the true Escape Masters. Offering prizes or even just the chance to boast can help foster camaraderie between competing teams. Encouraging rematches or ongoing leagues of puzzle rooms is even possible, providing employees with a fun activity to look forward to.
Improved Time Management Skills
Escape rooms are a great way to test your puzzle-solving skills while having fun with friends. These games usually have a time limit of an hour, which can be a real challenge for players. This time limit encourages players to strategize and make the most efficient use of their time in order to finish the game before time runs out. In fact, it is often said that the most successful escape room teams are those that can complete the game with time to spare.
Strengthened Relationships
Escape rooms are a fun and exciting way to build a sense of community among participants. These challenging puzzles require a collaborative effort to solve, with each team member bringing their own unique skills and perspectives to the table. Whether it’s through gathering clues or providing emotional support, every individual plays an important role in the team’s success. Even if the team doesn’t win, the experience of working together towards a common goal can be incredibly fulfilling and create a lasting bond among teammates. By fostering a spirit of camaraderie, escape rooms offer a valuable opportunity for individuals to develop key teamwork skills that can be applied in all areas of life.
Escape Rooms Are Affordable
Escape rooms are a cost-effective form of entertainment, with prices comparable to classical forms of entertainment. A night at the movies can easily cost 30-40 dollars per person for passive entertainment, while an escape room experience can cost around the same amount for an hour-long activity that actively involves participants in the story.
How To Plan A Team Building Escape Room Experience
Choosing The Right Escape Room
When choosing a team building escape room, several factors need to be considered to ensure a successful and memorable team building experience. While choosing a game that matches the team’s interests and skill level is important, this is just the beginning of the process. Once a game has been identified, taking additional steps to ensure that the experience is enjoyable and engaging for everyone involved can be helpful.
Setting Goals and Objectives
Before starting the game, it is important to establish clear goals and objectives for the team building activity. These could include improving communication, enhancing problem-solving skills, or fostering teamwork and collaboration. Ensure that all participants are aware of the goals and objectives beforehand to maximize the effectiveness of the experience.
Debriefing and Discussing the Experience
Debriefing with the team after the game is crucial in promoting team-building and continuous improvement. This process involves an open discussion about the team’s performance – what went well, what didn’t, and what could be done differently. By taking the time to reflect on the game, the team can identify areas for growth and development, which can lead to improved performance in future games.
Must-Try Escape Room Ideas
We have selected three highly-rated escape rooms that are perfect for team building. These rooms are designed to encourage collaboration and problem-solving among your group, whether you prefer traditional puzzles or more unconventional challenges. Get ready to put your team to the test and see their problem-solving skills in action with these exciting Questroom escape room options.
Project Minotaur
In the Project Minotaur escape room, you and your friends sneak away from a boring Temple Tour to explore a large military base. However, you quickly realize that you may have made a mistake as you become the newest test subject for a twisted science experiment. Can you escape the base before encountering the experiment’s namesake? This escape room is a Thrill Theater that is physically demanding, with live actors, enclosed spaces, narrow hallways, strobe lighting, and interactive challenges. It is recommended for a group with diverse skills and abilities, and players with certain health conditions or severe claustrophobia may not be able to participate.
Amnesia
In the Amnesia escape room, players must solve puzzles to try to figure out what happened to them after attending a party thrown by their psychology professor. The professor is missing, and the players are groggy and under the effects of a mysterious substance. This comedic thriller includes a live actor element, mild physical activity, and minor strobe lighting and fog effects. The game is wheelchair accessible and lasts for 60 minutes.
Cannibals Den
In “The Cannibal’s Den” escape room, players wake up in a cold, damp room with no memory of how they got there. They soon realize they are in the hands of a serial killer obsessed with the legacy of Hannibal Lector. Players must use their ingenuity and wits to escape from the killer’s demented jail before becoming his next meal. The game may include acting and fog and lasts for 60 minutes.
Conclusion
Escape rooms are a fun and effective way to build a sense of community and teamwork among colleagues. By providing a unique and challenging experience, they encourage effective communication, problem-solving, and time management skills, all while strengthening relationships and boosting morale. When planning a team-building escape room experience, it is important to choose the right game and set clear goals and objectives. Debriefing and discussing the experience afterward can also help identify areas for growth and development. With these tips and must-try escape room ideas, you can create a memorable and effective team-building experience for your colleagues.
