Do you have what it takes to get out alive?

An escape room is a live­‐action team game where players work together to discover clues and solve puzzles in one or more rooms in order to unlock the exit door before the timer runs out.

Read on to learn how escape room team building can benefit your team.

Escape Rooms Make You Focus on a Common Goal

One of the best things about escape activities for a group (whether a sports team or a department at a big company) is that everyone is focused on one task. An Escape Room makes people work together on a common goal of escaping in time!

At work or on a sports team, a group of people may also share a common goal. But not everyone is always committed to the goal. Or sometimes people don’t believe in the goal or have trust in the other teammates.

Getting your team to take part in fun escape rooms is a great way to help your team figure out how to work together to achieve the desired end result.

Likely, they will take what they learn in the escape room and apply it to the team at work or on the field.

If anything, team building activities like escape rooms remind your group that they are in fact on the same team and do share a common goal.

Discover Team Members Strengths and Weaknesses

Team building with escape rooms allows you to also to do some team learning. During a timed escape room game, you will see each team member’s strengths and weaknesses in action.

Even though everyone knows that it’s actually not life and death, the stakes feel high in an escape room where you only have 60 minutes to solve a number of small puzzles and escape from the room.

As a manager, you will be able to see how your team deals with conflict and how methodical they are in solving the puzzles. Escape rooms are a great way to analyze conflict resolution, leadership, problem-solving and teamwork skills.

You will be able to pinpoint which member will need extra coaching or mentoring. You’ll be able to assess where team members struggle and develop a plan for improvement.

And, the individual members of the team will also benefit from learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses. They’ll take this valuable knowledge back to work with them. Then, when a problem arises at work, they will remember the strengths they saw and know who they can turn to for help.

Improve Communication Skills

Good communication skills are vital to a successful team. This won’t come as a surprise to anyone. But what’s less commonly known is that it is possible to sharpen communication skills.

Team building activities such as escape rooms allow group members to improve the way they communicate. Even people who consider themselves to be good communicators may find that they need to explain things differently so others can understand.

The intensity of an escape room mimics the intense environment at work or during sports games. Yet, in an escape room, the stakes are low. This makes it the perfect environment to practice building those communication skills without too much riding on the results.

Get to Know Each Other

Whenever groups take part in an escape room, they are often surprised about what they learn about each other.

At the office, the daily setting can crush creativity and thinking outside the box. By working together in an escape room, the group has to take risks and try different things.

You may be impressed with one team member’s mental math skills or in-depth knowledge or morse code. Or you may be surprised that the quiet person on the team comes up with the solution to a riddle that helps you escape.

Again, this is valuable information to take with you back to the office.

A Chance to Be Outside the Usual Setting

One of the biggest reasons why team building activities are so successful is that they change the day-to-day routine. And if you take your team to an escape room, you are changing the physical environment as well.

Just an hour away from work can break down the mental barriers that some employees might have. A fun time at an escape room will reduce the mindset of the daily grind of being stuck at work.

When a team has fun together, it boosts the morale and team spirit. And not just for the day of the event! Your time in an escape room is sure to be a great story employees talk about all the time.

Step Away from Traditional Roles

Escape rooms are aptly named. Not only do you have to escape the room, but you also get to escape from your usual roles (both at work and socially).

An escape room provides the chance for your team to break out of the typical role they play.

A job title doesn’t matter in a locked room full of brain-teasing riddles. It’s a great way to peel away a layer and get to know the unique characteristics of your team.

Build Team Trust

Team building activities are also trust-building activities. In an escape room, your teammates are counting on you to do your best to crack the codes in the room.

And you are also putting your trust in them.

Learn to Win (Or Lose) Together

Sports teams learn this quickly. But it may be harder for a work team to learn to win or lose as a team.

When a department scores a big win, some team members may be eager to take the credit. Or during a loss, some may be quick to point fingers at who is to blame.

While individual ownership is sometimes important, more often than not, a group effort is needed.

Escape Room Team Building Is Fun

Last but not least, an escape room is a lot of fun for employees. The pressure of work and the projects and deadlines slip away and everyone gets to just have a fun and enjoyable outing.

A team that has fun together will bond. An escape room is one of the top ways to improve team bonding.

Final Thoughts

We hope this list of benefits of escape room team building encourages you to bring your team to your local escape room.

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