Learning is a never-ending process. In this competitive market, one must know the latest trends, technologies, and skills and infuse continuous learning for professional growth. It increases workplace efficiency and adds a competitive edge.
As per the National Centre on the Educational Quality of the Workforce, upskilling your employee is a worthy investment and offers better business profits. Businesses already know the importance of a well-skilled workforce and how it helps drive productivity and performance. Corporate training programs have thus become immensely popular.
Are you looking for professional learning solutions to train your workforce? Education Nest has a vast range of professional training programs to help your employees have elevated learning experiences for corporate excellence. It has been operational for about two decades now and thus has incredible experience and expertise in corporate training.
The learning process has changed over time and expanded beyond theories and conventional classroom teaching. Currently, the emphasis is on practical and interactive learning solutions for transformative results.
Problem-solving games, activities, and exercises can enhance critical thinking and analytical capabilities and make workplace learning more engaging. Want to know more? Read on to find out.
Best Problem-Solving Games, Activities, and Exercises for Your Workplace
Here, we have enlisted the top games, activities, and exercises to help your workforce deal with complex challenges better and faster.
Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower
It is an exciting activity where the team has to build the tallest tower within a specific time limit using spaghetti sticks, tape, string, and a marshmallow. This tower should support the marshmallow on the top. This problem-solving activity promotes innovative thinking and planning with limited resources and time.
Legoman
It is a creative problem-solving game where one team member has to describe a pre-built Lego structure, and the team has to rebuild it only with verbal instructions. Legoman helps enhance team cohesion and collaboration with clear communication and active listening. As a result, teams can coordinate better and solve complex challenges.
Escape Room
In this adventure, teams unite to solve puzzles based on a particular theme or story and find their way out within a restricted time. It sharpens management and team management skills and problem-solving capabilities with analytical thinking. Escape room games also encourage teams to think under pressure and plan strategically to overcome challenges.
Reverse Pyramid
Reverse pyramid activity is about inverting a pyramid of cups based on specific rules and time limits. It requires strong coordination and strategic planning as the team needs to carry out the activity faster without breaking any rules. Thus, it is an effective activity that promotes creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
The Human Knot
In this activity, the team stands in a circle and holds hands with two different people, both on their left and right. After that, they have to untangle this knot within the time limit and return to a single circle without letting go of their hands. Thus, the human knot is a collective challenge that demands effective communication and seamless teamwork for problem-solving.
Egg Drop
In the egg drop game, the team needs to create a protective structure only using the provided materials. Then, an egg is placed in the designed structure, and it is dropped from a pre-determined height to check if it survives the drop. This activity also requires collaborative problem-solving skills, effective resource management, and creative thinking.
The Shrinking Vessel
The team first forms a large boundary around them using tapes or ropes. Initially, they remain comfortably inside the boundary (vessel). But, the shrinking vessel is true to its name and shrinks after every few minutes. So, it becomes a challenge to accommodate everyone within the shrinking boundaries, and thus, the team has to figure out ways to make it possible. This activity, therefore encourages adaptivity, flexibility, and problem-solving with changing constraints.
Blind Formation
In this problem-solving game, some team members are blindfolded while some remain outside to guide them. The blindfolded members have to form different shapes like circles, triangles, squares, or anything as instructed. The outside members will have to guide them verbally, without touching them, and all this should happen within the specified time. This activity highlights the importance of effective communication and trust within the team for completing complex challenges.
Scavenger Hunt
In a scavenger hunt, the team has to collect some random items as specified in the list within the time limit. These items are strategically placed over the given area. Sometimes, clues are provided instead of the name of the item being selected directly. It becomes more challenging as you have to analyze the clues correctly to understand what items you need to find. Thus, it is an interesting game that enhances cognitive skills for problem-solving.
Minefield
In this activity, different items are placed over a given space to create obstructions. Usually, there are pairs where one partner is blindfolded and stays at the start position. The other has to be guided verbally so that the blindfolded partner reaches the end point without hitting the mines. Once finished, they have to switch their roles and try again. So, this problem-solving game emphasizes proper communication, patience, and support.
Murder Mystery
As the name suggests, the murder mystery is about fictional crime scenes where the team has to solve the puzzles, logically analyze the given clues, and find out the real culprit within the specified time. It enhances critical thinking capabilities and analytical skills for effective problem-solving.
Brainstorming
Frequent brainstorming sessions help understand different perspectives. It helps in clear communication of ideas and explores various possibilities for solving a problem. It also creates a comfortable space for discussions and promotes teamwork. Therefore, brainstorming is an effective problem-solving exercise that helps address issues using a structured approach.
Resource Allocation Exercises
Resources allocation exercises also help enhance problem-solving skills. Here. The team has to achieve specific goals with the limited resources provided. Thus, they must collectively decide based on the constraints and challenges and find effective ways to complete the tasks. This also helps them understand the importance of the resources and how to use them optimally.
Final Thoughts
Problem-solving skills cannot be developed by theoretical knowledge alone. It demands exposure to real-world challenges and constraints for a practical approach. Engaging in activities, games, and interactive sessions can make the process better as it breaks the routine and makes learning fun. Thus, businesses must introduce games, activities, and exercises for better results.
If you are looking for customized corporate training programs for your workforce, check out Education Nest’s courses, designed specifically by seasoned industry experts, to improve efficacy. These learning solutions can boost your employees’ skills and capabilities remarkably.
Reach out to us today to learn more details!
References:
- https://www.icslearn.co.uk/blog/learning-development/the-facts-and-figures-employee-training/
- https://www.educationnest.com/
- https://elearningindustry.com/benefits-interactive-training-in-workplace
- https://educationnest.com/deliver/
- https://clapandhop.com/
- https://educationnest.com/courses/corporate-training-programs/
