Teamwork: it's a manager's job

Wednesday, 17, Mar 2010 12:00

In the UK's unstable labour market, competition between colleagues has reached new heights as every worker tries to prove they're too valuable to be let go. With more employees focusing on their own individual goals, however, will teamwork take a back seat?

The majority of British employees prefer working alone on projects. These individuals feel that flying solo gives them more control over their personal performance and therefore their ability to protect their jobs.

Logical as this may sound, it doesn't change the fact that most employers place great value in teamwork skills. Explore any job site and you'll find that most recruiters list "Must be a team player" under "Required skills".

Why is teamwork so important?

When working in a team, a group of colleagues can share their ideas and improve on them, often finding better solutions to problems than they would on their own.

Group work also makes it possible to divide up the tasks involved in a big project and hand them out to the most suitable employees. This way, projects are completed successfully and on time.

Team collaborations can also encourage colleagues to teach each other new skills. This enables employers to develop staff skills without spending a penny.

In order to reap the benefits, however, managers need to create a work culture that encourages collaboration. This may mean finding ways to reduce the amount of competition in the office, or rewarding employees who achieve results through teamwork.

Ensuring effective teamwork

Not every group effort is a success. Some less motivated employees may view a collaborative project as an opportunity to sit back and allow everyone else to do the hard work. Other workers may dominate team discussions and shoot down others' ideas, making it impossible for their colleagues to contribute anything useful.

While co-workers will disagree from time to time, some leadership is required to ensure they solve their issues in a positive manner. By providing guidance on good teamwork methods, employers can ensure that the group spends more time completing the project and less energy figuring out how to work together as a team.

Group efforts are often a success when everyone is given a chance to express their opinions and thoughts in a calm and structured environment. Someone needs to be appointed to set goals, steer the discussion in the right direction and assign tasks. This role could be given to a different person each time so everyone gets a chance to exercise their management skills.

Creating the right environment

Although effective teamwork isn't something that happens overnight, it is essential for a firm's long-term success to implement and manage it productively.

Here are three ways for managers to encourage a teamwork culture at the office:

1. Communicate with staff:

In a downturn, many employees focus on their own personal performance and avoid teamwork in order to increase their chances of keeping their . Employers need to keep the channels of communication open to ensure workers feel more secure in their roles. This will go a long way towards eliminating competition among staff and creating a more collaborative environment.

2. Build the team:

Team building doesn't need to be expensive to be fun. Companies could take staff to lunch and give them an opportunity to get to know each other better, resolve their differences and share their opinions on how the company could improve its efficiency and cut costs. If employees feel that their opinions are valued, they're more likely to make an important contribution in the next group work session.

3. Boost morale:

One way to do this is to make a big announcement thanking each member for their work on a specific team effort and highlight specific achievements. This will bolster their self-esteem and encourage them to tackle their next group project with even more energy.

Every company can benefit from encouraging its employees to develop better teamwork skills, but it is essentially up to managers to create an environment that is conducive to healthy co-operation.