How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace

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Building a Team Environment in the Workplace

Do you like the idea of the team approach but don't know where to start? Here are a few simple steps to help you launch a successful work team:

  1. Choose your leader. Pick a manager who you know your employees trust and will be willing to follow. Ideally, you want someone who is visionary, but not egotistical; someone who can delegate and keep the team focused, without turning into a tyrant.
  1. Find the right team size. Some studies have indicated that larger teams are more effective. Big teams do have the advantage of drawing on more skill sets, but a larger group of people can also have more trouble reaching a consensus [source: Cohen and Bailey]. Small teams can foster closer working relationships. Consider the goal when selecting the number of team members. For a small project, you might only need three or four members. Larger, longer-term projects may require a dozen or more members.
  1. Pick your team members. Members should bring a diverse set of skills and personalities to the table, each of which complements the project and helps the group reach its goal. All of the team members should be competent, efficient and able to work well together.
  1. Set roles. Clearly define each person's position, and what he or she needs to accomplish within the team.
  1. Determine how the team will fit within the organization. Will it be self-managed or overseen closely by corporate management?
  1. Establish a collaborative environment. Teamwork is built on trust. All employees should feel comfortable asking questions, expressing their opinions and making suggestions. Each person's input should be highly valued. No one in the group should be so self-driven that they're willing to undermine co-workers to reach their personal goal.

Give the team time to get to know one another and develop a relationship and style that works for them. It can take several weeks for members to become accustomed to their roles within the team, and to become comfortable enough to share their ideas.

Even though teams can improve productivity and morale, they don't work for every organization. First, not every corporation has the right structure to support teamwork. A strict hierarchy in which management is unwilling to give up the reigns might not be the best place for a team approach.

If you've tried establishing teams and it's being met with resistance, or your teams just can't work together, don't keep pushing it or blame your employees. You can try bringing in a consultant who is experienced in team building or go with another approach.

Setting Clear Goals to Improve Teamwork

Workplace teams should always have clear goals in mind.
Workplace teams should always have clear goals in mind.
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A team without a goal is like a house without a frame -- it will simply fall apart with the slightest nudge. Every company, whether it produces cars or television shows, should have a clear goal in mind. Individual teams must understand what that goal is, and know their role -- both individually and as a group -- in accomplishing it.

Keep all goals posted somewhere highly visible in the office. Refer back to them whenever team members start losing sight of what's important.

To accomplish your goal, the team must have the right tools. At the beginning of the project, create a list of everything you'll need -- in terms of both staffing and resources.

Set up a results-oriented structure that encourages the team to achieve its goals. For example, the goal of an IT team in an advertising agency might be to upgrade the design equipment so the agency can launch a new social media campaign. The goal of an architectural firm might be to design and complete a new office building. Set up a list of tasks that will lead you to your final goal, with specific deadlines to accomplish each of these tasks. Make sure each team member commits to finishing each task on schedule.

Accountability is important in a team goal setting. Members need to understand that each of them will be personally responsible if the team succeeds -- and if it fails. Members who slack off need to bear responsibility, and those who excel should be recognized. Have a clear and obvious method in place for measuring the team's success.

Communication and Workplace Teamwork

No team can exist in a vacuum. In order to work effectively, team members need to communicate effectively with each other, and with the company's management.

Management should make every effort to provide teams with accurate and timely information about the company's plans, goals, concerns, and accomplishments, and how the team fits into each of these areas. It's also important for management to recognize, support and encourage the team's efforts. After all, motivated teams are productive teams.

Within teams, effective communication is equally important. Members should be encouraged to do all of the following:

  • offer new ideas and suggestions
  • share information about their progress
  • request information from other team members about their progress
  • listen carefully to what others are saying, hearing and acknowledging the other team members' insights and offering encouragement
  • build on suggestions offered by other team members
  • keep a record of everything that is said during team meetings, as well as the team's overall progress
  • solve problems and resolve disputes

Conflicts can arise in any group setting; workplace teams are no exception. Constant infighting can have a detrimental effect on the team if it's allowed to continue. However, if conflicts are resolved effectively, they can actually strengthen the group and enhance its compatibility.

Here are a few simple ways to prevent and resolve conflicts:

  • Make sure each team member is shouldering an equal share of the work burden so no one feels frustrated or resentful
  • Have a clear set of rules and responsibilities team members need to follow
  • Make sure the team leader resolves conflicts effectively. The leader should address complaints objectively and offer constructive criticism, rather than placing blame.
  • If the team leader can't resolve the dispute, bring in a management team leader or consultant to act as a mediator.

Tips to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace




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  • NDT Resource Center. "Teamwork in the Classroom."