High performing companies have high performing teams. That is because collaboration breeds innovation and its innovation that captures market share.
Businesses that foster teamwork somehow find a way to bring together a diverse set of individuals to improve the whole effort. This means companies with the best teams are more productive, which directly impacts the bottom line.
Understanding the importance of teamwork is one thing, but how is it that companies can go about fostering teamwork? What are the steps managers need to take to improve camaraderie in their workforce and increase teamwork?
Create the Right Environment
For teamwork to happen, employees must trust each other. Trust means that employees are more willing to take risks. When an employee is willing to stick out his or her neck and “think outside the box,” potentially everyone wins. Managers can create an environment of psychological safety to promote this feeling of trust between teams. This environment will encourage employees to share ideas openly while working to improve the organization. One way to do this is to seek and share feedback in an open communication environment.
Teams Aren’t Made – They’re Built
To begin creating the right environment where teams thrive, consider fostering team-building opportunities. As problems arise in the business start to think about solving them via these collaborations and not as individuals. Then determine what venue for collaboration could work best: a weekly brainstorm, a happy hour, or some other activity to bring out the best and most creative ideas. This process may start slowly, as individuals learn to work together in collaborative sessions. But teams are built on problems to solve – and most of these problems aren’t solved in isolation.
Strive to Make Your Teams More Diverse
Avoid groupthink in your teams by focusing on creating diverse workforces. Personality, skills, and background as well as the obvious areas that come to mind when the word “diversity” is used, are all important. While you want your teams to work well together, give some thought to how the internal members of a team can challenge and inspire each other. See how you can mix up teams to change up and challenge the status quo in your company. If you can do this, you’ll create a better team environment.
Talk with MAS Medical about how we can find the talent to supplement your existing teams and build a culture that benefits your business.
