Problem solving focused team building activities: the challenge your team needs

Per the World Economic Forum’s 2025 report, analytical thinking still tops the skills list, marked essential by 70% of employers. In other words, technical muscle counts for very little if it can’t be used when things get messy and real world snags show up (they do). Problem solving team activities close that distance, fast.

Why problem solving matters more than ever

You don’t need help to think up a scenario. Your team, like all team, must have encountered an unexpected client challenge at 4pm on a Friday or had to deal with the sudden unavailability of a resource, platform, technical system or element of logistic support on which your workflow relies. Who saves the day when protocols go out the window? Technical knowledge exists within the group, certainly. But can team members synthesise information quickly? Can they collaborate under pressure? Will they generate innovative approaches rather than defaulting to tired solutions?

Research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers shows that 86% of recruiters actively scan CVs for problem solving skills. Not as a “nice to have” kind of skill, but rather as a baseline requirement. Today’s work problems come layered, tangled, sometimes half defined, and they call for people who can think analytically, pivot quickly, and keep innovating without losing the plot.

Team building, at its core, tightens the weave between people. The activities we run do more than break the ice. They quietly train participants to work as a unit, handle time without panic, communicate with clarity, and step into leadership roles when it’s their turn, even if it feels slightly uncomfortable at first.

We've dedicated an entire category to activities specifically designed for improving problem solving—the most sought-after workplace skill. Every activity encourages lateral thinking through puzzles, riddles, and enigmas that team members solve collaboratively. They're challenging, yes, but thoroughly enjoyable too.

Murder mystery dinners: investigation meets collaboration

How often have you consumed true crime content thinking, "I'd crack this case"? Our Murder Mystery Dinner team building experience in Rome puts those investigative instincts under real pressure. No shortcuts.

Teams pore over clues, spin working theories, trade hunches while lingering over refined dishes at tables dressed to impress. It calls for sharp questions, patient evidence analysis, and the ability to fold colleagues’ viewpoints into something coherent, even when opinions clash and the room gets a little loud.

Designed for groups of up to 40 people, this activity hones communication, creativity, and intuition all at once. Its strength sits in the structure itself. This is not something you sit back and watch. Participants step into the puzzle, lean on personal strengths, and slowly grow a shared intelligence, with some of them catching tiny inconsistencies straight away, while others come alive when stitching scattered clues into a bigger picture. Success requires harnessing these diverse capabilities.

Quiz games and treasure hunts: competitive problem solving

Take your seat. Don headphones. Hit the buzzer before the others. Our Quiz Game team building drops participants straight into the spotlight of a Cinecittà style TV show, with seasoned hosts, tailored sets, the whole production feel.

Open to all ages, the format throws teams into general knowledge rounds alongside industry focused topics. Competition does the rest. Colleagues uncover each other’s strengths, swap know how almost by accident, and deepen shared company knowledge while the pace stays lively and the energy high.

The format sharpens fast thinking, practical knowledge use, and smart collaboration in real time. Treasure hunts, by contrast, take problem solving outside. Teams follow routes, crack clues, and work through absorbing puzzles together. Every solved task pulls the group closer to the goal and to one another. Difficulty rises gradually, keeping momentum high without ever tipping into overload, in order to keep the experience enjoyable for all participants. For extra meaning, the experience can be adapted into a charitable challenge through our Charity Building option.

High intensity activities: problem solving gets tougher under pressure

Certain outdoor formats, including paintball and survival challenges, drive adrenaline straight into team building. Our paintball experience cuts through routine and builds stronger bonds inside energetic, high stimulus environments where focus narrows and reactions count. Participants sketch tactics, trust each other quickly, and defend objectives with the clock pressing in. All activities are supervised by trained professionals, to ensure complete safety at all time.

For extreme experiences (simulated, naturally), our Survival Challenge tests skills comprehensively. Teams build emergency stretchers, light fires, and navigate using only compasses and maps. Then they camp in colleague-built bivouacs. Races tackled on foot, horseback, or by canoe demand route-finding whilst overcoming obstacles. This formative experience highlights problem solving, leadership, and proactivity vividly.

Escape rooms: the ultimate problem solving laboratory

Can your team make it out in 60 minutes? Our Escape Room team building in Rome leaves no doubt. Participants tackle puzzles and riddles using personal strengths and professional know-how. The setup doubles as a masterclass in teamwork—success demands near-perfect synchronisation. Teams stretch problem solving, time management, logic, and lateral thinking all at once, juggling them under the ticking clock.

The controlled pressure cooker environment mirrors workplace challenges remarkably well. Limited time. Gaps in information. Several ways forward. Success hinges on communication, delegation, and adaptability. Participants build practical skills that transfer straight to daily work—while actually having fun.

Indeed research finds that problem solving exercises thrust employees into situations they seldom face, nudging them toward unexpected ways of thinking. Teams come back with new approaches that actually address real workplace challenges.

How problem solving activities can boost team building

Beyond the immediate thrill, these exercises produce concrete, measurable results. Research conducted in the UK shows 57% of adults put workplace culture ahead of salary when it comes to job satisfaction. When companies invest in employee wellbeing through collaborative experiences, engagement rises and morale gets a real boost. Happy employees consistently outshine their dissatisfied counterparts.

Problem solving activities also address the skills gap affecting many workplaces. The World Economic Forum notes nearly 40% of workers will need reskilling within six months, and 94% of business leaders expect employees to learn new skills on the job—team building accelerates learning naturally.

Team building speeds that learning, letting people practice and apply skills in real time.