Over the last five years or so, the use of escape room games for team-building exercises has seen almost exponential growth. Businesses have begun to realise that these are types of games are the perfect solution to the age-old problem of sorting the wheat from the chaff when dealing with company recruitment. These games allow companies to see would-be employees "up close and personal" as they struggle to escape within a predefined time limit. With stress levels rising, one can see the personality qualities needed to complete the task, whilst remaining in good spirits and supporting a team of players. But with the advent of this new recruitment tool, comes the problem that not all escape room games are the same. To that end, what should a company be looking for when choosing from a selection of options.
The first is coldly practical. Make sure the game is in a safe location. You might be surprised as to how many games are opened in less than desirable areas. The main reason is one of cheaper rent. But for corporate clients, trekking down to the ghetto is not going to create the best impression for the company. On the whole, whoever is tasked with selecting a game should at the very least have a look on Google Maps Street View to check out the neighborhood.
In the same manner of an eye to making savings, many escape room games are truly cheap and nasty. Because the desire to save money was greater than that needed to create exciting and stimulating rooms, then you'll find rubbish props, and a badly executed game structure. On the game company's website, there are sure to be photos. Please contrast and compare with other escape rooms before making a choice you might regret later. There may well also be a difference between franchised and non-franchised rooms. On the whole, a non-franchised location will be able to offer a better quality of the game. It's also because the franchisee will need to build games that are essentially reusable over various locations. They tend to favor linear games which are of little use for team building.
And this brings us to the theme of the actual games that you think might be of use to your team building or recruitment program. The design of the games is a critical and intricate part of the whole escape room experience, and getting it right is essential for your company. We suggest that you do a deeper dive into all the "backend" of the escape room business in front of you. Really, put the whole business under a microscope. One essential element you'll be wanting to see is that they employ their own game-building team. These are the guys and girls who not only design every aspect of the game, but ensure that it runs to it's optimal performance. Having an escape room with their own design team, also means that they are happy to work out the best game structure to suit your needs. They can customize aspects of the game-play that might then illuminate important attributes in the would-be recruits or highlight different aspects of the work situation. They will formulate new puzzles and riddle suited exactly to your purpose.
With the competition for good talent getting harder and harder in the workplace, it's imperative that your company is giving out the right message. If you want to attract the best recruits, and you want them to be itching to work for you, then provide them with an illustration of just how forward-thinking your company is. This includes the idea that you are happy to embrace the latest technology and ways of thinking. In other words, a modern and dynamic company. You can achieve this through your recruitment program by offering escape room games. We suggest that you make them as mechanically and technically advanced as possible. The game must create a "wow" factor. It'll be an interview they will certainly remember and a great means of inspiring a positive feeling towards your business.
It's important that the company utilizing the escape room is sure about what they want the exercise to achieve. Having a definite set of goals and knowing when you've achieved them is of paramount importance. You want a game that's designed from the ground up to highlight those aspects the company wants to change or amplify in recruits. This will also make the collection of relevant data at various points around the game, that much easier. Keep in mind that you are not just paying for a game, but also for the data created. This'll allow you to analyse, at a later date, for even more behavioural insights.
Escape room games are without a doubt a great tool for part of the recruitment process. As a recruiter, be clear of your goals and what you want the game to achieve for you. We suggest that you try and have a game designed around the factors you might want to highlight. Oh...in spite of the serious tone of this article, remember that the games are meant to be fun!
