We are currently in the era of the Information Age. It’s has altered the way we approach life, work, and our interactions. Today, even during a pandemic, teams all around the world are no longer confined to a single location or time zone. In fact, 2020 has taught us that we can work anywhere.
However, if you’re like the many professionals that faced the slump of stagnant team collaboration, you’re not alone. It takes time to adjust, but there’s a way to keep teams flowing. From making decisions to communicating shared responsibilities and now celebrating successes together, we’re here to help.
Celebrate superpowers
One of the first steps in establishing team collaboration is highlighting everyone’s superpowers. It’s no secret that we like to feel appreciated and seen. Think about your own experiences. When you’ve been recognized for your efforts, no matter how big or small, it makes us appreciate our environment.
It restore our sense of purpose on our team. And it’s that ritual of praising others that keeps the momentum going.
On the other hand, if peers tends to gloss over victories and fail to acknowledge others, people will feel a lack of respect. This is a study conducted by Office Team, 66% of employees said they would resign if they felt unappreciated. And with millennials about 76% responded in unison.
Encourage candid feedback
You can’t have a healthy work environment without feedback. To keep the momentum of team collaboration, people need to feel comfortable to interact with others, share ideas, and make suggestions.
Whether it’s establishing weekly feedback sessions, asking for peer feedback after meetings, encouraging people during presentations for their input, or using a team collaboration tool — integrate feedback as much as possible. The idea can be scary, but when you take the first step in utilizing a collaborative leadership style, it will only help you foster a healthy team.
Beyond the work environment
We cannot emphasize this enough, step away from your desk! Fostering a collaborative environment doesn't happen over Zoom or in the office. It flourish in and outside of the work sphere.
One of the most important strategies of all is to get your team out of the office. Don’t just ask your teammates to lunch or pop by for happy hour once in awhile. Try organizing team-building activities, game nights, or any other activity that helps you all decompress from work.
When Oxford researchers conducted an extensive study into happiness and productivity, they found that professionals are 13% more productive when they're happy. All work and no play does not help you reach your long-term goals. When it comes to increasing team collaboration and productivity, bake in time to recharge, refresh, and replenish with your peers outside of work.
