Every employer knows that a happy, cohesive team is a productive team. The trouble is that it is not always easy to build a dream team in business. If morale is low at your company, or you are looking for ways to facilitate and promote collaboration and cohesion, here are some steps you can take today.
Look for the right personality traits
When you are recruiting, you may have a list of essential qualifications and you might be looking for people with a level of experience. This is fine, and it’s critical to ensure you have the right skills on your team, but don’t underestimate the importance of personality.
If you want to create a hard-working, dedicated, enthusiastic team that works well together, look for candidates that are comfortable working with others, get an insight into what makes people tick and search for ambitious, energetic individuals who want to get on and climb the ladder. Use the interview process to delve deeper, and identify character traits that match the ethos of your brand and the vibe of the workplace.
Bring people together
Working with other people doesn’t automatically create a team. A team is a unified group of people that works towards shared goals. If you feel like the workforce is made up of small groups or a series of individuals, make an effort to bring employees together.
Organize group activities, encourage teamwork on projects, and hire a collaborative meeting space to get together and discuss ideas. Make sure every person has a platform to talk, give people the opportunity to meet with colleagues on a regular basis, and identify clear team objectives. Away from the office, activities like a sports league or social traditions like going for a Friday evening post-work drink can help to strengthen ties.
Address issues promptly
It is very common for employees to have grievances from time to time or for some people to find it difficult to work with others. If you are the manager, or you lead a team, it is beneficial to address issues promptly and to try and nip problems in the bud wherever possible.
Arrange one-to-one meetings with your employees on a regular basis, ensure that they feel able to bring issues to the table, and try and mediate potentially tricky situations. Communication is key, and often, problems crop up as a result of a misunderstanding or breakdown in communication. Encourage discussions, ensure that you are accessible, and try and adopt a direct approach. You don’t want everyone talking about a problem or employees to be stressed about something that could be tackled easily.
Reward and recognize effort and commitment
Everyone likes to receive positive feedback. Rewards and recognition can go a long way to improving morale, encouraging continued hard work and creating a positive environment.
If you are an employer, it makes sense to focus on building a strong team, which is capable of achieving incredible results. This is not always an easy task, but if you choose the right people, you bring them together, you recognize effort and results, and you address issues swiftly, you should reap the rewards.
