Working with businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada, I often get asked how effective teams are created. There is no easy answer. Creating a team is complex and requires effort, dedication, strategy and willingness. Creating a team is serious business. And it’s important to your bottom line. When employees are unhappy, disengaged or just going through the motions: your business takes a hit and your consumers pay the price. Not a goal of any business I know.
In her blog, “Laughter is the best medicine – and productivity booster”, Cathy Leibow discusses the research supporting having fun at work. There is a direct correlation between enjoying your work environment and creative, productive employees. If those are behaviors you want from employees, I encourage you to consider creating opportunities that inspire those behaviors. Check out some of the suggestions here: http://bit.ly/czXulx
Some additional ideas:
- Allow employees to have a few pictures of family/friends at their work station
- Have a potluck lunch once a month (I’ll bring the paper plates…you don’t want me to cook anything!)
- Share personal success stories through your internal communication system (ex. “Jen finished her first half marathon this weekend…could someone pick her up off the floor?!”)
- Post employee pictures (most employees do not even know what employees from other departments/areas look like, yet they talk on the phone to give/receive information almost daily)
- Sponsor a “Meet and Greet” night with one rule: No one is allowed to talk about work (you may have to get creative and have some activities prepared…feel free to contact me if you need some ideas)
Research has proven your employees productivity will increase when they feel more connected to your company.
- What are you going to do to create a stronger team?
- What opportunities do you have, with your current resources, to foster a team environment?
If you have additional ideas or suggestions, please share them! I’d love to hear what people are doing that’s making a difference.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Did you just finish your first half-marathon this weekend?
To me the key is knowing your people and your goal and finding ways for your people to achieve their dreams by helping the team achieve its goals. If you love people, it’s not hard work, but sometimes many of us aren’t that lovable.
Mike…
Hi Mike,
Half marathon?! That was just an example. : ) I believe cars are a much more effective way to cover that distance.
You make excellent points: in the long run, to truly build a team, it’s more about daily leadership behaviors than anything else. Hopefully, the leaders understand their vital role in building, creating and fostering the team atmosphere…I know you do! I like Cathy Leibow’s research that supports creating teams in other settings, and bringing that back to the workplace.
Thanks for your insight…I always appreciate your perspective.
Jen
Jen
Thanks for sharing the thoughts. I am a big fan of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs for explaining a number of things – team building being one.
To complete any higher order action people need to feel safe, they then need to feel a sense of belonging. So in terms of what needs to be done to create a team – work at creating trust and emotional safety among the team and then find ways to help them all feel a part of something bigger than themselves.
Take care,
Wil
Hi Wil,
I love that you brought up Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. You really hit the nail on the head by identifying trust and emotional safety as elements necessary for one to feel like a part of something bigger than themselves. Every team I’ve felt connected to has evoked those feelings within me. I’m confident your comment will resonate with many readers.
Peace, Jen