Did you know that when employees collaborate, almost 3 in 4 deliver better work? Over half also feel more satisfied with their jobs. They’re also 50% more effective in task completion than those who work independently.
All that should be enough reason for you, as a business leader or owner, to focus on building better teams. Otherwise, your organization can suffer from poor performance. This can lead to lower productivity, disengaged workers, and unhappy clients.
The good news is that many strategies exist to create excellent, high-performing teams. We’ve shared our top tips in this guide, so read on.
1. Determine Your Company Culture’s Health
Almost 33% of U.S. workers said they considered quitting their jobs in a 2022 survey. About one in four even admitted they’ve already left their previous employer. The most common and leading reason for their departure was toxic company culture.
Toxic workplace cultures are unhealthy because they make employees feel demoralized. This can occur as workers think their employers punish, reject, or humiliate them.
Such negative emotions can give rise to hostility and low employee motivation. Poor team unity, absenteeism, and disengagement will soon follow.
Working in such an environment can also lead to stress, fatigue, anxiety, or depression. Indeed, a 2021 poll found that 59% of U.S. workers said work-related stress affected them negatively.
So as a business leader or owner, you should first find out how “toxic” your company culture is. Start by sharing your fears and thoughts on this topic with your people. Doing so can help them feel more psychologically safe to talk about what scares and worries them.
2. Fix a Toxic Company Culture
Once you know what makes your company culture toxic, address them immediately.
Suppose the most cited reason is an inconsiderate or abusive manager. In this case, you, the business leader or owner, must investigate the person in question. You can either monitor them yourself or ask other potential witnesses.
After you’ve confirmed the manager’s problematic behavior, talk to this person one-on-one. Start by describing such behavior objectively. For instance, you can say, “I noticed several times you speak in such a loud voice when you talk to your team.”
Next, explain why that’s a problem, such as, “I’m concerned that this instills fear in your team.”
Then, tell the manager about the changes you want them to make. For example, “I need you to speak to your team members respectfully and refrain from shouting at them.”
Inform the manager you’ll monitor the situation continuously and give them feedback. Follow this up by cautioning them against retaliation.
As soon as you’ve noticed a positive change, acknowledge it. For instance, you can say, “I noticed you now speak to your members more politely. Thank you for your effort; I appreciate it very much.”
If no change occurs, inform the manager their behavior is unacceptable and must stop. If that still doesn’t work, tell them you plan to have them undergo performance management.
3. Provide Training Programs
A 2022 Pew poll found that a lack of advancement opportunities made 63% of U.S. workers quit their jobs in 2021.
Many employees don’t want to get stuck in the same position for years. After all, it means their salaries will stay roughly the same, despite the rising living costs. Also, being in a cycle of repetitive responsibilities doesn’t promote career growth.
All that can lead to disinterest, disengagement, demotivation, and resignation.
Providing career growth and development training programs can help prevent such issues. For one, they can enhance and expand employees’ skill sets. This helps them become better and more knowledgeable in their fields.
The more each member grows and develops, the more they can contribute to the team. This can help with overall team improvement, from better output to higher productivity.
4. Encourage Transparent Communication
Transparent communication is the practice of sharing information, both good and bad. This involves disclosure, participation, and accountability among all involved. It’s essential to building better teams as it encourages everyone to say what they must say.
Remember: As people, your team members want to feel heard and listened to. It’s a natural and innate human need.
So if leaders or managers do all the talking, employees will likely feel rejected or devalued.
Don’t let that happen to your team; ask members to participate in decision-making. This alone sends them the message that you need and value their opinion and presence. As a result, it may help them feel happier, more relaxed, and more productive at work.
5. Acknowledge and Appreciate Team Members
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs states that appreciation and respect are essential human needs. This means that people need recognition for their achievements and efforts. Meet this need, and they can feel appreciated, helping boost their self-esteem.
Self-esteem is crucial to employees as it gives them confidence in their work. This helps them focus on doing their best to remain confident and believe they are worthy.
So, make it a habit to acknowledge your team members’ efforts and hard work. Thank them in private and public, and give recognition awards to those who deserve them.
6. Make Team-Building Fun and Engaging
Team-building activities aim to boost motivation and encourage cooperation among members. But if they’re dull and uninteresting from the start, they’d be a complete waste of time and money.
To prevent that, determine common characteristics shared by each team member. Then, choose appropriate activities based on these findings.
Better yet, huddle with the entire team and ask the members for their opinions. This simplifies the task of choosing fun and engaging activities everyone would like. It’s also a perfect example of transparent communication at work.
Start Building Better Teams Today
Remember: Better teams are more productive and produce higher-quality results. They also have more satisfied, motivated, engaged, and happier members. As a result, they contribute significantly to the growth of their organization.
That’s the type of team you want, so as early as today, follow our tips to help you build them in your firm.
If you enjoyed this informative guide, you’d love our other business tips and tricks. For starters, check out our recent post discussing tips to improve employee retention!
