Did you ever wonder why companies with a strong team culture are the most successful ones? Try to find a pattern in all the organizations you admire. What do they have in common? Size? Industry? or Company Culture?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about businesses with lustrous office perks or paid vacations twice a year. I’m talking about work environments that motivate employees, engender confidence and respect between colleagues, and celebrate individual talents.
According to a recent study by the University of Queens, nearly ¾ employers rate collaboration “very important”. Focused and determined people working together are usually more successful than the same people working individually. Teamwork brings numerous benefits to companies, some of which we will be discussing in this article.
Better Productivity
Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Indeed a business can have talented individuals, but overall productivity is only achieved when individuals work towards common goals.
Teamwork happens when members join their powers together to do a better job in a shorter time frame than a single employee ever could. Different perspectives and problem-solving skills are essential to outline a strategy more efficiently.
Proper planning and dividing tasks in a team will speed up the job and make the employees feel like they are part of something bigger.
Actionable Steps: Brainstorming sessions. Productivity Rewards.
Creativity and Innovation
In an ideal workplace, creative minds like to work with each other to discover improvement and innovation opportunities. As employees have new ideas, they seek out colleagues for constructive feedback and validation.
This dynamic helps the overall engagement among employees, even those who do not work together regularly. By participating in projects together, they get to know each other and eventually get more comfortable with their peers.
Teams are strengthened when individuals feel empowered to express ideas in a respectful, accepting environment.
Actionable Steps: Creative workshops. Innovation meetings.
Effective Communication
Effective communication among business teams begins with leadership that sets precise methods and goals, leaving all parties involved feeling accomplished.
When conflict arises, effective communication is a key factor to ensure that the situation is solved in a respectful and pacific manner. How one communicates can be a crucial factor in dealing with clients and maintaining healthy relationships with team members.
Internal communication channels are essential to keep up with the team’s agenda and company news. Hosting events with clients it’s also a great way to promote external communication and nurture relationships.
Actionable Steps: Informal events. Easy collaboration methods.
Commitment and Accountability
Accountability means teams follow through on their commitments, finish projects on time, and meet their goals. Team accountability requires each individual to be accountable for their part in the company — both for long-term goals and day-to-day work.
On teams with solid responsibility, employees take ownership of their work, communicate openly and often about their commitments, and complete tasks on time.
It’s less about management requiring information about your work and more about enjoying your role and the autonomy that comes with it.
Actionable Steps: Project management platforms. Personal organization apps.