For organizations where connection between colleagues and job satisfaction go hand in hand, a teambuilding activity that truly fits your organization is worth its weight in gold. In this case study, we show how the Spiritual Care Service (part of the Custodial Institutions Agency), together with The Box Company, deployed the Escape Room Experience to experience an unforgettable theme day with the entire service of about 175 colleagues.

One activity, one service, one day

During a working group, the Spiritual Care Service wanted to organize something special for a theme day. The idea for an Escape Room came up and that turned out to be exactly what they were looking for. The goal was:

• to have the entire service of approximately 175 people do the same activity at the same time for the first time

• to let colleagues from different departments and with different backgrounds collaborate with each other

• to create a fun, connecting day in which everyone could participate

An activity that fit both the theme of the day and the daily work of the participants was an important requirement.

The choice for The Box Company

The Spiritual Care Service found The Box Company through an internet search, and it quickly appeared at the top of the results. The Box Company was also recommended by their own location (the Lik), which in retrospect proved to be a great confirmation of their initial choice. The contact went smoothly and pleasantly, which meant there was no need to compare other parties. Moreover, the Escape Room fit perfectly with the theme of the day: employees work in a prison every day and could now, with a nod to their own work, experience for themselves what it is like to be "locked up". Both the location and the Escape Room reinforced that feeling.

The escape room experience in practice

With more than 25 teams competing at the same time to be the first to escape, there was immediately plenty of tension and energy in the room. What stood out in particular:

• the diverse composition of the teams, mixing colleagues from different departments and with different backgrounds

• the strong mutual collaboration within the teams

• the tension and competition between the 25+ teams

It was precisely this diversity that made the day special. Colleagues from diverse departments and with diverse beliefs played side by side, not as representatives of their department but simply as people and as a team. The challenges were achievable for everyone, and the setup of the game worked well in that regard: some challenges were easier than expected, while others required just that little bit of extra thinking. Exactly those kinds of surprises caused laughter and strengthened the connection the department was looking for.

The result: a shared experience for the entire service

The activity brought exactly what the Spiritual Care Service had in mind: for the first time, the entire service participated in the same activity at the same time, resulting in lots of collaboration, energy, and fun. The main results at a glance:

• for the first time, the entire service (+/- 175 employees) was active with the same activity simultaneously

• close collaboration between departments and teams that normally have less to do with each other

• a playful, connecting interpretation of the theme of the day

The preparation and execution were also perceived very positively: communication with The Box Company was extremely pleasant, with quick responses and plenty of proactive thinking. On the day itself, the service did not have to worry about anything; The Box Company took full care of the process.

The activity was rated a 9 out of 10, and the likelihood that the Spiritual Care Service would recommend The Box Company to a friend or colleague also scored exceptionally high with a 9/10. View more reviews here.