Boost your workplace team spirit

Team spirit is that feeling of camaraderie. When a group of people co-operate and work well together because they feel invested in reaching a common goal. You know what I mean, you find team spirit in those movies where there’s the underdog sports team that work really hard and end up winning because they trust and respect each other. The team gel, they understand each other’s weaknesses and strengths, they are productive and highly engaged.

Well, we can boost team spirit in the workplace too where people collaborate effortlessly, pitch in and problem solve whilst remaining positive and enthusiastic. It’s worth investing in! Here’s what you can try:

Once you have hired the right people, going through a thorough and well thought out onboarding process is just as important. This doesn’t mean just giving them their passwords and training on software, but also introduce them to the team, explain daily duties and ease them into the new environment. Studies have shown that this results in early engagement and more dedicated and productive team members.

Consider creating an energetic workshop focusing on the company’s core values and encourage that supportive team building culture. Actively promote listening to others’ ideas and opinions: you want every team member to feel comfortable sharing their views in a collaborative and transparent environment. It’s a great idea to practice problem solving so that your team can work successfully to overcome any obstacles by bringing in the right attitude and an open mind. Are your team asking the right questions and coming up with solutions? Also, remember that the workshop would greatly benefit a dynamic personality to hold them: someone inspiring who will set a solid framework.

Your team might not be best friends every day, and a bit of conflict in the workplace can be inevitable. Leadership is a contact sport, and it pays to address these tense moments immediately before they start to fester. Identify the issue and have a chat over everything to help understand and resolve. Maybe the secret to conflict resolution is to try and prevent it before it strikes by actually seeking out areas of potential conflict and proactively intervening.

It can be unmotivating and unproductive if your team is unsure about what goals to reach for and the daily steps to get there. People need to know what they are doing and why to feel purposeful and driven. So, effective communication regarding progress towards goals will create that teamwork and team spirit you are looking for.

Feeling appreciated for a job well done boosts morale. Sharing feedback and praise is a further step that could be added to the weekly routine and not just given directly to the individual but shared with the team or even the whole company. You could also encourage your team to share praise and feedback with each other. Praising achievements via a messaging tool or in meetings can help give your team a sense of direction and form good habits. And, people just like to feel appreciated! It creates that sense of dedication and loyalty, increases team spirit and makes your team valuable assets.

A fun social event always brightens up team spirit! There doesn’t even need to be a special occasion and you can organise something during or after work hours. Hanging out at a quiz night or planning a murder-mystery type activity is a sneaky way to encourage your team to work together, disguised as fun 😉 Connecting and getting to know each other outside of a formal work environment can create strong relationships and elevate team spirit.

Making everyone feel included will encourage team spirit. This can come down to the language you use and the activities you organise: you want everyone to enjoy it! Gathering opinions from the team and considering their perspectives into the decision-making process really creates that inclusive feeling too. Survey and ask what needs improving and allow people to have input.

Creating strong team spirit is an ongoing process but you will find it boosts morale and creates a positive and respectful workplace. People will be more dedicated and will feel higher job satisfaction leading to a low staff turnover rate. Your team will also be able to handle those workplace challenges better creating a productive workplace environment with lasting positive long-term effects. Work will be more enjoyable!

If you have any more questions about your career path, give the team at Cavanagh Recruitment a call. Contact Us.