Utilising escape rooms as a team building activity is a relatively new trend, especially here in Perth. Nonetheless, escape rooms are an increasingly popular option with companies (big and small!) due to the long-term morale and productivity benefits they can deliver.

Part puzzle, part mystery - an escape room immerses team members in a themed room and forces them to work together to solve a series of complex clues, riddles and puzzles within a limited timeframe; 60 minutes at Escape This, 45 minutes at some other Perth operators.

During their hour of ‘game play', teamwork plays a vital role in players’ inevitable success or failure at escaping their “locked room” adventure. Consequently, memorable working relationship are established between colleagues. This teamwork when paired with the other benefits of escape rooms allows companies to test out the degree of co-operation of their employees while promoting other soft skills that contribute to productivity and problem-solving techniques in individuals.

At Escape This, our Perth escape rooms have proved to work wonders for corporate teams from the likes of BHP, Rio Tinto, Deloitte, Water Corp, and even the Western Australian Government. Some of these benefits include:

SETTING COMMON GOALS

Teams have a common goal in any escape room - to escape! Throughout their 60-minute escape experience, participants must work together to complete a series of short tasks which ultimately lead to escaping the room. It is just like a project with milestones and interim targets. Each team is motivated to cooperate under the pressure of time to reach a winning conclusion, and in doing so they analyse the risks ahead of them and cooperate with one other to finish tasks before the deadline.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Companies use escape rooms as a tool to analyse employees and their potential to deal with differing solutions in an enjoyable and non-confrontational environment. Our escape rooms encourage team members to engage in on-the-spot decision making and compare their thought processes with that of their colleagues. Dealing with non-work-related problems encourages individuals to be more adventurous with their solutions and willing to adopt techniques used by others. This can have a significant long-term benefit for both the individual employee and their working team.

ENGAGEMENT & LEARNING

Research shows that people who play games and solve problems are both more inquisitive and more open to new ideas; together, this results in more adaptable, more logically minded problem-solving techniques. Here at Escape This, our Perth escape rooms force your team to switch gears and to think through problems or puzzles like never before, to don their 'creative thinking caps’ and brainstorm solutions to the clues they are presented.

So... why team build in an escape room?

1. This fun activity promotes teamwork and cooperation
2. Flexes your team's lateral thinking muscles
3. Allows emerging leaders to rise to the top
4. Allows for healthy competition amongst teams
5. It’s a super fun way to get your team out of the office!

To learn more about escape rooms as a team building exercise, or to discuss hosting your next team building exercise with Escape This, contact our team now. Or...