How to Increase Team Spirit in the Workplace
Great work environments don't happen overnight, but even the best
managers won't get much done without a positive team spirit. Promoting a
collaborative atmosphere helps to accomplish that goal, as well as
ensuring that everyone understands where the company is going and that
managers aren't creating hidden agendas. If you've done the job
properly, you'll create a place where employees enjoy going to work, but
also feel continually challenged to achieve excellence.
Be Honest
Being honest is critical in building team spirit. Keeping secrets inhibits staff from giving its best. Employees who know what's going on are more likely to share your vision and care about making it happen, as Forbes magazine states. To promote morale, hold regular informal meetings, but don't limit the agenda to major announcements. Use these occasions to see which employees might make bigger contributions and which ones need reminders of your company's core values.
Define Your Strategic Plan
Employees need a road map to know where they're going, which is why it's vital to create a strategic plan that everyone embraces and understands. The company Feedback Plus, for example, actively involves its employee work teams in creating action plans and annual goals. Managers base pays on how well employees perform against both documents, the CareerCast website reports. Creating a consistent framework makes it less likely that employees will go their own way, which only breeds chaos, and erodes morale.
Get Everyone Involved
Collaborative decision-making is a key element in team building. As Entrepreneur magazine notes, employees are unlikely to feel invested in ideas that don't involve them. Companies like Bridgeway recognize this principle by submitting its annual goals to a company-wide vote, for example. Workers submit lists of ideas, which are whittled down on a points system to the final 10 goals. Instead of remaining spectators in major decisions, employees become participants, which significantly raises team spirit.
Promote Work/Life Balance
In an increasingly virtual era, employees expect companies to help balance life and work appropriately. Cohesion and morale suffers when employees feel tethered to their computers, or see little relief from unrealistic workloads. In response, firms like the Dawson Group offer flexible and part-time schedules and telecommuting – as long as employees get all their work done. Workers who see these values reflected in mission statements, as Dawson does, are more likely to go beyond an employer's expectations.
Read more | work.chron.com
Be Honest
Being honest is critical in building team spirit. Keeping secrets inhibits staff from giving its best. Employees who know what's going on are more likely to share your vision and care about making it happen, as Forbes magazine states. To promote morale, hold regular informal meetings, but don't limit the agenda to major announcements. Use these occasions to see which employees might make bigger contributions and which ones need reminders of your company's core values.
Define Your Strategic Plan
Employees need a road map to know where they're going, which is why it's vital to create a strategic plan that everyone embraces and understands. The company Feedback Plus, for example, actively involves its employee work teams in creating action plans and annual goals. Managers base pays on how well employees perform against both documents, the CareerCast website reports. Creating a consistent framework makes it less likely that employees will go their own way, which only breeds chaos, and erodes morale.
Get Everyone Involved
Collaborative decision-making is a key element in team building. As Entrepreneur magazine notes, employees are unlikely to feel invested in ideas that don't involve them. Companies like Bridgeway recognize this principle by submitting its annual goals to a company-wide vote, for example. Workers submit lists of ideas, which are whittled down on a points system to the final 10 goals. Instead of remaining spectators in major decisions, employees become participants, which significantly raises team spirit.
Promote Work/Life Balance
In an increasingly virtual era, employees expect companies to help balance life and work appropriately. Cohesion and morale suffers when employees feel tethered to their computers, or see little relief from unrealistic workloads. In response, firms like the Dawson Group offer flexible and part-time schedules and telecommuting – as long as employees get all their work done. Workers who see these values reflected in mission statements, as Dawson does, are more likely to go beyond an employer's expectations.
Read more | work.chron.com