Feel like your team’s fallen a bit flat? Can’t quite get everyone to row in the same direction? Well, this is a problem that needs addressing without delay! With no real oomph behind your team, how can you expect to generate real results? Teamwork is the glue that binds your business together and shoots revenue sky high.
As it happens, a lack of teamwork is quite common. 39% of employees reported a lack of collaboration in the workplace. So you’re not alone.
But now it’s time to put a pin in your team’s flat and divided ways. As a manager, you’ve got the power to turn the tides.
Check out the most common teamwork problems… and solutions!
Not recognising your team for their work is a fast-track way to disaster. Your team needs more than a salary to motivate them. If they’re not receiving the recognition they deserve, they’ll end up feeling unappreciated. And surprise, surprise, they’ll lose the drive to keep up the good work.
Solution
Make sure you have recognition schemes in place. In fact, using recognition has been shown to increase profits by 29%. This could be as simple as awarding employee of the month. But you can also introduce prizes, bonuses and other incentives.
Toxic productivity happens when the need to always be productive takes over. As a result, people end up burning themselves out. They’re so focused on generating results that they can’t switch off. They’ve forgotten how to take a step back to take a step forward.
Solution
Promote more wellbeing in the workplace. Make sure your employees are taking their breaks and are realistic about their goals. If you notice a team member burning the candle at both ends, check in on them. You could even introduce more wellness initiatives like group meditation or discounted gym memberships.
Perfectionism can be a real buzzkill when it comes to teamwork. Of course, you want your team to strive for the best. But sometimes, too much perfectionism can be counterproductive. It brings unrealistic expectations since mistakes are ALWAYS going to happen. This adds an extra layer of pressure to the team. This can build fear in your team since they’ll be terrified of putting one foot wrong.
Solution
Loosen the strings a little. Normalise making mistakes. The results will never be perfect. But you’ll soon see more motivation and creativity from your team!
Blame culture is a really common trait in business. But it’s also highly toxic. Teamwork ends when colleagues start pinning the blame on each other. This happens when teams are more focused on problems rather than solutions. But it’s also fed by the management team. If an employee doesn’t feel safe in their job, they’ll resort to blame culture. It’s a survival technique.
Solution
As a manager, this trait has to end with you. You can either feed blame culture, or you can promote a zero-tolerance towards it. If something goes wrong, don’t look for names of who did what. Instead, emphasise the importance of working together to find a solution. And definitely no scolding staff in public!
Nobody thrives under micro-management. Micro-management is effectively a lack of trust in your employees. It disables them. It creates unnecessary pressure and stress. And often, it leads to employees resenting their managers.
Solution
Review your daily management techniques. Look for ways to give your team members more autonomy. Empower them. Maybe this means having fewer meetings. Or perhaps you give them fewer KPIs and just focus on the broader result.
How can you expect your team to thrive when the goal isn’t clear? Or maybe you’re guilty of changing the goalposts, which can be extremely demotivating. If your team doesn’t have a clear, common goal to aim towards, they’ll always flail.
Solution
Get super specific on your expectations. Use as many tangibles as possible, like revenue targets or deadline dates. Instead of telling your team to handle calls faster. Tell them call time needs to be under four minutes per call. The clearer the direction, the more precise the result!
Feel like your team needs some fresh meat? We can help! Fixed-Fee Placements specialises in building strong teams on a friendly budget. Get in touch below:
Vanessa Ramkissoon | Recruitment Content Expert
