Working as a team is an integral component in most company’s day-to-day operations and an essential part of making sure projects are delivered on time and to spec. Indeed, a recent study found a massive 86% of employers consider good teamwork skills to be a critical skill required in their staff.
However, building a strong sense of team spirit can prove challenging to some firms. Low levels of engagement are often caused by substandard communication or a poorly devised chain of command and can very easily filter from the top of a firm right down to the bottom. If you’re struggling with instilling a strong sense of teamwork in your firm, below are just a few ideas that might help you improve.
Remember, good leadership comes from the top
If you’re a company owner or boss, the onus is on you to lead by example and show your staff you’re not averse to taking part in tasks that might be considered beneath you. Working with your employees at their level will give you a far better understanding of your company and its processes while also letting your staff know you’re engaged and interested in both them and the vital role they perform for your firm.
Make sure your staff has the right tools for the job
Year on year, successive employment surveys consistently find one of the biggest complaints employees have at work is not having the correct tools for the job. This problem was yet further exacerbated by the recent Coronavirus, where staff had no choice but to work from home – but were often expected to still operate using dated or unfit-for-purpose networks.
While it’s true the potential loneliness of remote-working has proven challenging in terms of keeping team morale high, there are still numerous steps you can take to help keep your employees feeling involved and part of a bigger entity. It seems home-working is likely going to be with us for some time yet, so you should ensure your firm is using the latest cloud-based computing solutions to allow your staff to still work effectively with one another.
You should also organize daily video conferencing calls with your employees to help build optimism and self-esteem and let them know how much you value them – plus consider investing in collaborative team software to help stay on top of project deadlines and responsibilities.
Organize team-building days and events
Sure, this one will have to wait until the virus subsides, but there is considerable evidence that proves staff partaking in non-work-related team-building events thereafter work better together when back in the workplace.
Be clear and communicate well
People will never work well as a team if they don’t understand the particular aims of a project or what’s expected of them. Moreover, if your employees aren’t clear about what they’re supposed to be doing, they’ll likely make mistakes which can also lead to feelings of under-performing and, ultimately, detachment. It’s essential you communicate your instructions well, let your staff know the end goal of a job, and clarify exactly what each person’s role is in its production.