Most companies understand the importance of effective communication and group skills to their success, but when it comes to improving them, many are not sure what’s the best way to proceed.
Some invite renowned speakers to give their teams the basic framework of how to improve communication at work, but the truth is, while theoretical knowledge is important, without real-life situations to practice them, it isn’t likely to translate into the workplace.
That’s why more businesses are recognizing the value of using communication games to boost employee communication skills.
But what type of communication game should you choose to achieve the best results?
Let’s explore below.
What Makes a Great Communication Game
While playing communication skills games is not something that every employee looks forward to, these types of games can not only be very useful but also offer a fun experience for everyone involved.
But in order to get the best results, it’s vital to choose a game that focuses on the essential skills that are a part of effective communication.
Some skills that are worked on with effective communication games include the ability to actively listen to what the other person is saying, clearly communicating their own ideas, being able to quickly analyze each other’s input, and solving problems together.
Games for communication that address these skills are the ones that you should look for. These types of games typically need to challenge the participants and have them solve some kind of problem together.
And while there are a few communication game options that can be effective for improving team communication skills, a strong case could be made that escape rooms offer the most long-term benefits.
Why Escape Rooms Are the Ultimate Communication Game
Escape rooms are becoming an increasingly popular communication game option because they offer some unique advantages compared to most other games for communication.
For one thing, escape rooms provide a completely unpredictable and unique environment every single time that your team participates.
That means that any theoretical communication knowledge they might have, they will need to adapt to real-life situations every single time and won’t be able to fall back into cookie-cutter patterns that won’t be applicable in the real world.
What’s more, the fun, but high-pressure environment of having to solve the riddle in the room and get out will mimic the work-like environment that involves deadlines, pressure, and having to work together to solve various problems.
Another reason why escape rooms work so well is that it helps to break away from the hierarchical dynamics of the workplace that can prevent people from reaching their full potential.
During more rigid group communication games, the dynamics of superior-subordinate remain a factor, which can reduce the effectiveness of the game and not have the lasting results that companies expect with these types of exercises.
But in the escape room, people have a much easier time immersing themselves in the themed environment and forgetting the roles that people take at the workplace, and that can have numerous benefits.
First off, it can help people develop a new level of relationships when working together to solve a problem. Colleagues learn to trust one another more and see a problem-solving side of each other that they will be more likely to fall back on in the workplace as well.
And since everyone has an equal say in the escape room, you may even find that employees who are much quieter in the workplace suddenly become more vocal and assertive, giving you a better idea of who might be well-suited for a bigger role at the company.
Finally, the comradery of working together to conquer the challenge of the escape room will not only bring the entire group closer together but will give them confidence that together they can tackle work challenges as well.
You can’t underestimate the significance of accomplishing something together, even if it’s solving the riddle of an escape room.
Seeing the value of working together on a communication game, as well as feeling a sense of achievement from solving it, might be the perfect impulse for doing big things back in the workplace as well.
Final Words
There are many ways how you can approach improving communication skills in your company.
But why sit through a boring lecture or play awkward communication games when you can spend a day with your colleagues solving fun puzzles at the best Atlanta escape room!
At Paranoia Quest, we specialize in putting together exciting Atlanta team building events and offer a wide selection of escape rooms that can provide customized experiences for you and your team. If you want to learn more, you can contact us directly by calling 678 828 4410.
