Would you like to create the best team at work? If so, read on!
What is teamwork?
According to the Collins Dictionary, teamwork is defined as ‘the ability a group of people have to work well together’. In a bumbling office of busy people, we often find ourselves working on tasks on our own. We might think it’s quicker and easier to work on our own, after all, if you want something doing, just do it yourself. But did you know that working with your colleagues can increase efficiency, help generate more ideas, improve communication between staff, share the workload and improve job satisfaction? Read on to find out why we’re recommending more team work in the office and and how to create the best team at work – one that is dynamic, efficient and cohesive!
Why in the workplace?
Teamwork brings people together from different backgrounds and levels of experience. Projects which involve teamwork serve as an opportunity for professional development and learning. This may be conscious learning during a meeting, or learning without you even realising whilst listening to others. You can learn from someone else’s knowledge which allows your own skills and capabilities to grow. And as employees become more knowledgeable, their confidence boosts. With improved knowledge, your employees attitude and job satisfaction can also increase.
How to create the best team at work
Community
- Having a community seems a thing of the past. Yet the lack of community in our social lives means so many of our employees crave it. Having a sense of community in the workplace helps people to feel more comfortable with one another, contact each other and share knowledge.
- Teams thrive when they see managers support the community and social relationships in the workplace. Managers must model this and demonstrate collaborative behaviour between themselves if they want to see the fruit of it amongst their employees. Managers should form social relationships with their employees and encourage their employees to get to know one another too.
Do you have a space in your offices that fosters social interaction, relaxation and socialising for your employees?
Team composition
- Do you find it’s easier to work with people that you already have a relationship with, that you trust and know well? Research was shown that teams with a high proportion of members who do not know each other find it more difficult to collaborate than team with members with existing relationships.
- Define the role of each individual team member and give freedom about how to achieve those goals.
- Keep teams below 20 if you can; teams with over 20 members diminishes the natural cooperation amongst the team.
Getting teams right isn’t an easy task. Strengthening your company’s abilities to collaborate and cooperate, to get the most out of everyone generally requires a number of long term investments. But you can build trust in your employees, foster a company community and make smart decisions about your team composition. Then, you will be well on your way to achieving your company objectives through teamwork!
If you would like help building stronger relationships and teams, take a look at the workshops we provide here and give us a call on 0333 900 0212.
