6 Essential Principles for Team Building in the Workplace

In every organization, employees work as a team to accomplish an overall objective.  But the purpose the team is supposed to serve, and the specific function each member is supposed to fill, can easily get lost along the way.  Too often, employees end up showing up to work feeling they are just doing a job, as opposed to contributing to something bigger than themselves.  Effective team building in the workplace gives employees a sense of being part of a team while they are performing their jobs, and a clear picture of the goal the team is working to accomplish.

It is important that managers follow certain guidelines for team building in the workplace if they wish to see success in both their business and the growth of the employees that work for them.  Below are some of the most important employee team building principles:

1)  Encourage clear communication among team members

Not only is it important for you to make sure the team as a whole understands the goals they are working to accomplish for the organization, they should be in constant communication amongst themselves about their contributions and progress.  Regular team meetings are essential to successful team building in the workplace.

2)  Have team members state plans of action

When building your team, have each member state what their individual function is, why their role was created and how it will contribute to the team’s overall objective.

3)  Ensure commitment among team members

You can’t expect your team to meet their objectives if the members aren’t eager to participate and don’t value the team’s mission.  You want employees that are excited not only to contribute to the organization by being part of the team, but also see their role in the team as an important step in their individual careers as well.

4)  Properly establish your role as a leader

One of the most important factors involved in team building in the workplace is having a strong leader who executes every action the team makes.  A good leader also should also serve as a mediator, settling conflicts among team members, and act as a role model for characteristics and behaviors they want the team to adopt.

5)  Encourage team members to express opinions openly

When building your team, you want them to learn to reach decisions intelligently, not as quickly as possible.  This means creating a workplace where everyone feels comfortable speaking up if they have a new idea, and aren’t afraid to disagree with the opinion of others.

6)  Set workplace rules for team to follow

From the beginning, incorporate the importance of honesty, respect, fairness, punctuality and other important principles among your team.  Focus on building a team of employees that thrive on the success of both themselves as well as those around them.  As a leader you should always be sensitive to the feelings of team members, and encourage them to act the same way amongst themselves.