The feeling of having a great team is incredible. You wake up every day all energized! The phenomenal cocktail of excited and challenging emotions swirls down. Isn’t it exciting to even think of? If yes, then you are reading the right thing.
There is always a key difference between teams across an organization and defining improvements is the foremost priority to boost teamwork. Unarguably, collaboration and teamwork go hand in hand, and they are indeed the foundation of an organization’s culture.
For businesses who have diverse or remote teams, teamwork is pivotal for the success of an organization. But how would you boost teamwork?
When it comes to finding an approach there is no one-size-fits-all because a diverse team requires different ideas for improving teamwork. One clear objective of teamwork is to achieve clearly defined goals.
Is Teamwork Really Important?
Indisputably, without an efficacious team an organization is likely to suffer. Even if the team consists of brilliant and productive individuals the company will struggle to keep the work going smoothly.
When a group of like-minded individuals combines together it creates a bigger picture with fresh ideas on the table.
You know you have a successful team when your goals are achieved with better outcomes. In a study by Stanford, those who worked in teams as opposed to those one working individually endured a longer displayed more interest, and satisfaction level, enjoyed working on challenging tasks, and also required lower self-regulatory efforts. One or two weeks after the study, the participants who were part of a team decided to perform more such tasks in their daily lives.
Improving Teamwork in Frontline Team and Desk-Based Team
Teamwork and collaboration are not silver bullets. It requires constant collaboration and unique ideas with experimentation. The whole teamwork process involves a lot of ideas to be worked upon.
Improving teamwork methods is different for each time, frontline team and desk-based team. Most managers consider teamwork as an important ingredient, yet teamwork can be a really tricky task. As a manager, give your team the right conditions to develop. With the frontline team, it requires meticulous attention and introspection.
All the frontline workers may not be sitting in front of the screen hence they require specific teamwork tactics. In such cases, you can focus on optimizing the work process and workflow stimulating two-way communication between the leaders and the team.
Whereas, in the case of a desk-based team they definitely require a process and a strategy to manage the clear goals. This process may require face-to-face meetings that would keep your team members on the same page.
There are a few innovative ways to boost teamwork in your organization, among your team.
- Leadership
It always starts at the top. If you do not have good teamwork, then things need to be improved at the grassroots level. The leaders are the ones whom a team looks for guidance. Any good leader should initially establish norms and this behavior trickles down to leaders of each level as well as team members.
- Good Communication
It is an unavoidable fact that communication is a vital part of evoking team collaboration. As said, great teams communicate well! To ensure a good team effort the leaders can allow teams to brainstorm ideas and share ideas and feedback. Now, the question is how to enable clear communication.
- Set a tone for communication and be clear about what you would like to communicate.
- Listening in communication holds equal importance. Ensure you are listening to your fellow team members and considering their thoughts before communicating.
- Although there is a profusion of ways to communicate yet choose the best method to communicate for your specific needs.
- Using collaboration tools is the best modus operandi to maintain transparency ultimately improving teamwork.
Avoid Cringe-Worthy Team Building Exercises
You must have encountered various teambuilding exercises and may have experienced some of them. But the honest fact is, the team generally bonds over lunch or games. These activities have been proven as an effective way to boost teamwork and develop a sense of collaboration among them.
- Teamwork Recognition Programs
Collaboration becomes more attractive when people are rewarded for their efforts. The employees feel valued and recognized when teams are rewarded for their efforts. Providing Kudos to the team can increase job satisfaction and a sense of leadership driven towards organizational growth.
- Two-Way Communication
Team members feel valued when they feel they are heard and their ideas are listed without getting shot down. Ensure the communication is always a two-way idea sharing and isn’t just flowing downward.
- Clearly Defined Goals and Responsibilities
Clear goals will keep the employees aligned with their individual tasks and responsibilities ensuring each of them obtains good results. A team that is ambiguous about their roles and responsibilities can lead to wasting ample time in understanding the projects. Each person should be accountable for helping the team achieve its objectives and should have access to the necessary resources and help from others to do so.
- Providing Team Rewards
What is the use of setting up objectives when the teams are not rewarded for their performance? Rewarding employees will foster them to work together adopting to positive working attitude. A good idea is to include a best team worker award. This will be given to the one who has always shown a willingness to help other team members.
- Know Your Team Members and What They Do
Only defining clear goals and objectives is not enough knowing the work of your team members is also an important part of boosting teamwork. Get your teams together and outline their skill sets with precise workflows. Don't forget to call out everyone when the discussion happens. This allows teams to convey unrealistic expectations.
Concluding Thoughts
Teamwork makes the dreamwork, an ancient yet powerful saying. Evidence in the past has shown that an outstanding team has the potential to enhance satisfaction and productivity while decreasing turnover. This has soared the company’s profit margins. Yes, a strong team cannot be built in a fortnight, but it is also true that a strong team will definitely benefit your workplace.
