Games in the office – integration of company employees
A creative way to build a team with a weather guarantee
Case study: A creative way to build a team with a weather guarantee
Klient: Informatica Poland sp. z o. o.
Number of participants: 25 people
Game length1,5- hour long mobile escape room
Language: Polish
A CHALLENGE FOR THE ESCAPECITY TEAM:
One afternoon in August, we received an enquiry about organizing a team-building game for the company’s employees, scheduled for December. Initial arrangements indicated an urban game along a historic route, which was to take place outdoors. We proposed the scenario ‘Legends of Kraków’. However, they emphasized the need for a contingency plan in case of bad weather—either an alternative format or a different date.
With clearly defined requirements for the realization of the integration event, we set ourselves some key objectives:
- to develop a game scenario that could be carried out indoors under the guarantee of inclement weather;
- preparing two variants of the activity, taking into account the possibility of both an urban game and an office game;
- adapting the storyline and puzzles to relate to the Christmas climate and fit perfectly with the December charm.
Preparation: Bad Santa Comes to the Office:
Logistics:
Unsure of the client’s final decision, we decided to prepare for both scenarios. We focused on fine-tuning the options with a bad-weather guarantee. Indoor integration, so the key thing was to think about how to organize the game for a group of 25 people so that all employees could participate at the same time, engaging all the way. After careful analysis, we determined that our “Bad Santa” scenario was flexible enough to be successfully implemented in an office setting.
Scenario and puzzles:
Bearing in mind that all participants would be playing in one room, we decided to take care to introduce them to the festive mood and rules of the game. The puzzles were fully set in a Christmas atmosphere, enriched with humorous elements to make the integration even more enjoyable. The centerpiece of the mission was an unassuming gift box hiding numerous secrets and an iPad, adding a modern touch to the game. Our “Bad Santa” mobile escape room sparked creativity and excitement even during the development of the player materials.
Office Transformation , Implementation:
The room where the game was to take place was beautifully decorated with Christmas ornaments, which put the participants in a special spirit. Our game masters, like Santa’s helpers, fitted perfectly into the frame of the event.
After a brief introduction to the storyline and rules, we divided the 25 participants into five-person teams—a structure that proved ideal for ensuring everyone’s active involvement in puzzle-solving. The teams eagerly embraced their mission to save Christmas. During the mobile escape room, one could sense the great excitement of the struggle. The laughter and joy generated by the fun gameplay elements were omnipresent, and the handcrafted puzzle elements delighted the participants. Most of the teams successfully completed their mission, gaining not only high scores, but above all unforgettable memories and a sense of joint integration in a festive atmosphere.
Results: A Christmas Success Story
The game was a huge success for the teams, which was reflected in the final ranking results. The winning team accumulated an impressive 27,250 points, which was only 750 points short of the maximum score. The other teams competed fiercely for the remaining positions, with minimal point differences demonstrating the participants’ equal skill levels.
The team names cleverly incorporated Christmas symbolism, further enhancing the festive atmosphere. After completing the mobile escape room, we received numerous positive comments from both participants and organizers. Ms. Natalia, the main coordinator of the teambuilding, shared her opinion with us:
‘The Bad Santa game was amazing! I heard a lot of positive comments about it. Some of the puzzles were really difficult, but that just adds to its charm. We will definitely want to run Legends of Kraków around spring.’”
We’re delighted that the organizers were satisfied with our mobile implementation and are already planning to experience the original outdoor scenario—the best evidence that we met their expectations. This weather guarantee solution is something we can implement for any client upon request, ensuring successful team building regardless of conditions.
