Creating a Successful Company Team Environment
by Carrie Hinkel on February 21st, 2008
Many business experts believe that a team-based organizational structure is the most effective design for accomplishing overall objectives. If managed properly, a team environment allows each employee to contribute to the company’s success while working alongside fellow teammates to generate these results.
However, not all employee teams are successful. If members don’t fully understand the team’s importance, or are not recognized for their efforts, then motivation and devotion will be lacking, leading to the inevitable collapse of the team and its objectives. In order for a team to be successful, it’s important that certain basic guidelines are followed.
Team importance – Before employees can feel enthusiastic about their role as team members, they first need to understand the importance of the team and the power of teamwork. Employees should understand how working as a team allows for different skills, thought processes and creative thinking to come together to work towards a specific goal. Employees should feel excitement and motivation about working alongside others and making a significant contribution to the company as a whole. They need to understand the importance of their role and how valuable they are as an employee to the success of the organization. Without this groundwork, employees may not feel committed to the project or even feel that the team’s role is meaningful.
Objectives – Employees should be clear as to the objectives of not only the team, but of the organization as well. Employees need to understand how the contribution of the team fits in with the overall mission of the company. Even the roles of each team member should be understood by everyone on the team, so they know how team members fit in, what their skills are and how they will contribute to the team’s goals.
Authority – In order for a team to be successful, the members need to feel that they have enough control and decision-making power to achieve their goals. If employees feel that they are being micromanaged by having to get approval over even the smallest of decisions, you can bet motivation and commitment will be almost nonexistent. Employees need to feel that they were chosen for this team because they are important, intelligent and valued. Team members need to have some authority over certain decisions, timelines and budgets, or at least have the opportunity to make recommendations to management.
Communication – Obviously for a team to meet its goals, its members need to be able to communicate clearly, honestly and effectively, without being critical of each other’s ideas. Having even one team member who is negative and harsh with comments can hurt the productivity of the entire team. Teammates need to understand how to brainstorm and communicate effectively with others, even if they don’t agree with the ideas that are put forward.
Recognition – It’s human nature; people like to be recognized and rewarded for their efforts, especially when goals and deadlines are met. If your company doesn’t have a rewards program in place already, one should be created in order for team members to feel that their hard work is appreciated. Rewards should be given to everyone on the team, as it was the combined efforts of the team that allowed the goals to be reached.
Having a team-based company can increase employee productivity, loyalty and motivation. However, for a company new to the horizontal structure, it would be wise for the owners or managers to attend at least one seminar about team building. They can then bring their knowledge to the company and set up an effective design of company teams.