How to Build Teamwork in Your Workplace

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Accept my sincere apologies for going all Monday motivation on you. It is simply the truth. No matter where you work, you’ll almost likely come across situations where you’ll need to collaborate to complete a task, even as the boss. Collaboration is an important part of job success. It is also a necessary job skill.  We’ll let you in on 6 tips to help you demonstrate collaboration in your organization, in this article.

BUT FIRST, WHAT IS COLLABORATION IN THE WORKPLACE?

People working together in the workplace is what collaboration is all about. It is a group of two or more people who work together to achieve a similar objective by combining their skills and knowledge. It’s about more than just splitting the workload. To generate better outcomes and greater impact, collaboration draws on a variety of skill sets, resources, knowledge, and views. 

Collaboration can help people be more creative and innovative, as well as make better informed and careful decisions. When a company’s culture emphasizes collaboration, employees naturally feel like they’re a part of something bigger.

6 TIPS TO DEMONSTRATE COLLABORATION AND ACHIEVE TEAMWORK IN YOUR WORKPLACE

• Create A Clear Cause

You might want to start with giving your team a compelling reason to participate in your company’s objective. The more interesting and intriguing the objective, the easier it is to motivate them to desire to contribute to the company’s goals. If team members are uninterested or unsure about the aims and objectives that have been offered to them, they will find reasons to avoid working together. The aim and objective of collaboration must be clear in order for it to work.

• Communicate Expectations

Yes, providing your team with as much creative flexibility as possible can enhance their performance, however you don’t want to make the mistake of assuming anything and delaying your project as a result.

Communicate clear expectations, let your team know what you want to make it easier for them to collaborate productively. Set a check-in schedule and decide which communication methods to employ for specific projects. Perhaps a weekly Zoom video call for updates is in order. There are a ton of other collaboration tools you can leverage for this.

• Define Roles

If only you know how motivated your team will get if you spell out roles and delegated tasks. No one should be a bottleneck in your collaborative environment. So, clearly delegate. Your team will be more motivated to work better to be a part of the team without treading on another’s toes and causing unintended disputes. 

• Provide Support & Sounding Board

Even the most self-motivated individuals need support. You want everyone on your team to know who to ask questions and when to bring forward new ideas for discussion. Having the opportunity to try out new ideas or lead a project encourages team members to share their thoughts and opinions. 

• Leverage Strengths

Working with each team member’s strengths rather than working around their flaws is a terrific way to empower them. Begin by forming teams composed of individuals who complement one another. One person makes up for the shortcomings of others, and vice versa. You’ll be able to easily identify which team members will be contributing to which area of the project, and you’ll be able to pair them with activities that are a good fit for their skills.

It’s an excellent idea to have everyone take a personality test and then have a team roundtable to discuss the results. This is a great bonding activity. Plus when teams are connected in this way, each member is set up for success because they are given assignments that are tailored to their individual talents.

• Encourage Team Members To Socialize Outside The Office

Socializing with coworkers is an excellent approach to establish channels of communication, improve understanding, and break down any barriers of prejudgment or mistrust between team members. When team members discover they share shared interests or face similar issues outside of work, they perceive their coworkers as more authentic, which reduces individual prejudice, stereotyping, and false objectification. It is more difficult to point the finger at a team member when we recognize them as real beings.

BOTTOM LINE

Nothing is more important, bonding, or growth-promoting than achieving a common goal. People are social beings that are built to collaborate, plus collaboration at work is the key to innovation and creativity. You should prioritize opportunities for your team to feel safe, empowered, and appreciated to collaborate and spread success and excitement throughout your company. If you follow these tips for demonstrating a collaborative working environment, you will be able to discover how to build and empower your team for future success. Take my word for it.

Got relevant tips for successful collaboration that’s working for you? Please share in the comments.