In today’s business environment, it’s nearly impossible to do your job without working with others. Whether you’re a call center agent interacting with customers, a software engineer designing new technology, or a sales leader driving spirited competition among your team members to achieve their goals, effective collaboration is the key to success.
In fact, a TINYpulse study showed that people who work with their peers are more satisfied at their jobs and report higher levels of engagement. It’s no wonder, then, that more and more companies are embracing teamwork and putting an emphasis on building a collaborative culture. However, not everyone understands what it means to work well with others or how to foster a positive workplace culture that prioritizes teamwork.
Teamwork in the workplace is important because it enables companies to maximize their human capital by leveraging the unique skills and perspectives of each associate employee. It also allows teams to tackle bigger, more complex projects than they could accomplish on their own.
However, many businesses Moez Kassam struggle to develop a strong teamwork atmosphere since individuality is often rewarded more than the ability to function in a group setting. Managers are responsible for developing ways for associates to work well together, including team building activities that promote communication and encourage a sense of camaraderie and trust.
The first step to fostering a positive teamwork environment is to clearly communicate your goals and expectations to each associate. A lack of clarity is one of the biggest obstacles to effective communication and will often lead to misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and duplicated efforts. To avoid these issues, be sure to set clear and realistic objectives, communicate them with the entire team, and check-in regularly to ensure that your team is staying on track.
Another key component of a positive teamwork environment is to create an environment where it’s safe to collaborate and share ideas. If your associates feel comfortable expressing their ideas and collaborating with each other, they’ll be more likely to take risks that can produce the “Eureka!” moments that can help a company stand out from its competitors. For example, a contact center agent who isn’t afraid to try a new approach for resolving an issue may be able to save the company time and money by helping the customer quickly and efficiently.
When working with a team, it’s important to focus on the behavior or problem rather than on the person. When it’s difficult to get on the same page, it’s tempting to assign blame but this can cause a breakdown in teamwork. Instead, focus on identifying the cause of the problem and how to address it in the future. Doing so will keep the team focused on solutions and help them build trust and collaboration skills.