We all know the saying, “No one is an island.” The adage is even truer in business, where collaboration is key to making the business work. Not only that, teamwork can yield less tangible results like innovation and improved office culture. Rest assured, through taking the time to improve office culture, teamwork can mean the difference between happy, productive employees and disgruntled, disparate minions. Here are some tips to improve office teamwork:
Give Proper Roadmaps
Make sure you're linking the right people together. Employees need to know their tasks, but they also need to know whom they should collaborate with and whom they can rely on for more information or guidance on a project.
Save Waffling for the Iron
Above all, be clear. Be clear about goals, expectations, and who is in charge of what. Personal responsibility only goes so far—be a leader and dole out concrete plans to your team.
Create Some Wiggle Room
Foster an office that welcomes new ideas. Brainstorming sessions give everyone a chance to be heard and strengthen a sense of teamwork.
Come Together—Outside!
Create opportunities outside the office for collaboration. Get the team together to do some volunteer work in the community, or hold an off-site activity. It shows you care about employees' happiness, as well as the communities in which they live. Millennials, in particular, are sensitive about work-life balance and corporate responsibility.
Play up Strengths
Encourage individual strengths to strengthen the group as a whole. Take the time to get to know your employees to find out what they can offer. Ask them what they're interested in and give them opportunities to grow.
Be Genuine
Team building exercises are inherently cheesy, so you're going to have to be original to elicit the desired response. In the Ultimate Guide to Team Building Exercises That Don't Suck, you can find a number of exercises that can be hip and effective. Our favorites include a take on Jimmy Fallon's lip sync battles and the office trivia game. Another cool idea is Employee Show & Tell at your weekly meetings. You never know what you’ll learn about your employees and co-workers!
Show It
Show your appreciation and let people know when they're on the right track. Sure, you should offer constructive criticism when necessary; just remember to balance it out with positive feedback when it's warranted.
Office culture is a critical component to success and growth. Good teamwork based on shared values and goals separates the good companies from the great companies. After all, your employees will be happier and more productive if they feel a part of something bigger than themselves.
We want to do our part to make your employees more productive. We help do this by offering effective and efficient office workflow management solutions that will free up your employees' time to finish their work. Contact us today to find out how our workflow solutions can help your team achieve their best.