Why You Should(n't) Use Escape Rooms as a Team-Building Activity for Your Team

It’s known that escape rooms also serve as popular and effective teambuilding activities for companies seeking to enhance collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills among team members. These experiences challenge and immerse your team to solve puzzles and escape from a locked room within 60 minutes, working together towards a common goal.

While escape rooms stand as effective training tools for companies looking to strengthen bonds within the team, they may not be suitable for every group. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of escape room team building exercises so you can make the best decision.

Why are Escape Rooms Good for Team Building?

Escape Rooms Foster Collaboration and Communication Skills

Escape rooms provide a unique way to engage team members. Players must work together, communicate clearly, listen closely, and share ideas without hesitation to solve intricate puzzles and clues and uncover hidden secrets. These fast-paced adventures reveal gaps in communication, inspiring constructive feedback and teamwork.

Through an environment like an escape room, participants step out of their comfort zones, rely on essential skills and diverse abilities within their group, and build camaraderie that translates into improved dynamics back at the office. By working together, teams must foster team spirit, which is crucial for collaboration in any office environment. This makes escape rooms a great team-building opportunity for cultivating unity.

Develop Problem-Solving Skills

The nature of the activity in escape rooms helps teams practice critical thinking and problem-solving under time pressure.

Within a limited time frame, players analyze clues, think creatively, and make quick decisions to overcome obstacles and escape the room. These moments can develop leadership skills, help participants manage their time efficiently, and improve their ability to work under pressure. These transferable skills are vital for building a successful team.

The thrilling experience of solving a variety of puzzles also teaches participants how to approach challenges from different angles while staying calm. Teams often discover that using creative solutions can help overcome unexpected obstacles, a skill that’s invaluable back at work.

Discovering New Sides of Your Colleagues

One of the hidden perks of escape room activities is that you discover unexpected talents and dynamics among team members. The experience often highlights abilities not seen in the typical office environment. While some team members learn to focus on logic, others might excel at agility-based challenges. This ability to see how individual skills shine can cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of one another.

In our escape game Time Crimes, for instance, the series of puzzles paired with storytelling ensures that everyone contributes in their own way, revealing how these types of activities present opportunities for personal growth and uncovering hidden strengths.

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Why You Might Want to Think Twice Before Booking an Escape Room Team Building Exercise with Your Company:

Competitive Atmosphere

Although escape rooms work to build collaboration, the competitive aspect can sometimes create tension. The drive to escape within 60 minutes might overshadow teamwork if individuals prioritize personal achievements over collective success. However, with proper guidance, this competitiveness can boost morale and push participants to achieve more as a successful team.

Limited Transferability

While escape room facilities are designed for immersive fun, the transferable to the workplace skills they teach, like quick decision-making and asking for help, require intentional application to be truly impactful. The puzzles and challenges in these games often involve specific, isolated scenarios that may not reflect the complexities and dynamics of real-life work situations.

While the players may improve their essential skills like problem-solving and interpersonal abilities within the team, applying these skills to daily work may not be straightforward. This is where you need to use your imagination! Creative thinking can be applied almost everywhere.

Think about what the player in you would do.

Unpredictable Group Dynamics

Escape room games are here to help people better their collaboration, but they can also reveal and amplify existing team dynamics.

However, if there are underlying conflicts, communication issues, or power imbalances within the group, the pressure of the escape room scenario may exacerbate these tensions rather than resolve them.

It’s a good idea to assess readiness before engaging in a fun team building activity like an escape room. Done right, these games can help uncover growth areas and encourage constructive problem-solving for different teams.

Short-Term Success

Escape rooms are typically designed with a specific objective—escaping the room within a given timeframe. This emphasis on immediate success may overshadow the long-term objectives and dynamics that drive effective cooperation.

The only focus of solving puzzles may quickly neglect important aspects such as relationship-building, trust-building, and strategic planning, which are crucial for a sustainable team performance.

Think of escape rooms as a stepping stone rather than the final destination. A mix of fun team building activities ensures better results for your next team building event.

How to Choose the Right Escape Room for Your Team

Not all escape rooms are created equal, and selecting the right one can make all the difference in your next team-building adventure. Here are some tips to ensure your team gets the most out of their experience:

• Theme and Storyline
  The magic of an escape room lies in its story. Choose a theme that resonates with your team’s interests. Is your group drawn to intrigue? A detective-style adventure like The Vault could be your best bet. Prefer something out of this world? Time Crimes offers an immersive, time-twisting experience that will leave your team buzzing.
• Difficulty Level
  Gauge your team’s comfort with challenges. For first-timers, opt for a room with straightforward puzzles so everyone can contribute. For seasoned puzzle-solvers, go bold with a series of puzzles that will push their cooperation to the next level.
• Team Size
  Some rooms are designed for smaller groups, where every voice can be heard, while others can accommodate large groups, sometimes splitting into different teams for a touch of friendly competition. For instance, our escape rooms can be played by up to 19 people, split across our rooms, while our Time Crimes experience can host up to 100 people. Find the balance that best fits your team’s dynamics.
• Hybrid or Virtual Options
  If your team is spread across different locations, a virtual escape room offers a fantastic way to engage everyone, no matter where they are. The same collaborative spirit, delivered digitally.

Looking for more tips on selecting your perfect room? Check out our Ultimate Escape Room Guide, where we unveil all the secrets to escape room success.

Tips for Facilitating a Successful Escape Room Team-Building Activity

Make the most of your escape room experience with these thoughtful facilitation strategies:

• Debrief Afterwards
  The adventure doesn’t end when the clock stops. Gather your team to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how those insights can translate into the workplace. For a deeper dive, our Time Crimes experience offers a guided reflection session upon request to help your team unpack the lessons hidden in the game.
• Encourage Participation
  Every voice matters. Create space for quieter team members to shine by encouraging everyone to share their ideas. Assign roles if needed to ensure every player feels involved and appreciated.
• Set Expectations
  While escape rooms can ignite a spark of competition, remind your team that collaboration is the key to escaping successfully. Celebrate teamwork over individual achievements to keep the atmosphere positive and productive.
• Follow-Up Activities
  Extend the experience beyond the game. Pair the escape room with workshops, brainstorming sessions, or strategy-building activities to weave the lessons learned into your team’s daily practices.

Whether it’s solving riddles or reflecting on the journey, escape rooms offer a truly unique way to immerse your team in a shared, growth-focused adventure.

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Conclusion: Are Escape Rooms Good for Team Building?

Escape rooms are a great addition to your next team building session. The combination of critical thinking, fostering a sense of unity, and shared achievement in fun escape room settings can enhance collaboration and innovation. Rooms like The Architect, The Alchemist, The Vault, or the Time Crimes experience, blend immersive storytelling with cooperation, offering a shared, memorable thrilling experience that enhances collaboration and teamwork.

Remember, the key to success is balance—combine escape room team building events with other methodologies to truly maximize the benefits of escape rooms for every team. Whether you choose a traditional or virtual escape room, these games offer a unique opportunity for team members to learn and grow, ensuring a great team-building activity for any different team.