Weak teams create weak cultures. Unhealthy workplaces experience crippling employee turnover and slashed financial goals. One key to attracting and keeping people longer is to create a culture of strong teams. Leaders have a responsibility to ensure that people are focused on the same mission and working together to reach a common goal. Without everyone moving in sync, deadlines, goals, and growth opportunities will be missed. Team building is more than an annual trust fall. It’s critical for the culture and ultimately the bottom line. Create strong teams and you create a place where people want to work!
Here are 3 ways to build strong teams:
1. Get to know your team
There are numerous ways to get to know your team. You can conduct surveys, stay interviews, and even hold town halls. Those are great and are highly recommended, but the best way to get to know your team is to spend time with them. This could include scheduled check-ins, lunches, or fun activities together. Whatever you choose, make sure you are asking good questions to learn more about your team both personally and professionally.
2. Care about your team
Your team needs to know you care about them. Show your appreciation for the work they do. Find creative ways to celebrate wins and goals hit. When you go out of your way to show your appreciation and take time out of the workday to reward your team, they will feel valued. People can usually find a job that pays more, but a job with a caring boss is hard to find.
3. Make sure your team knows each other
It’s also important that your team members have avenues to get to know each other. While you may think that since they work together all the time they must know each other. That isn’t always the case. Create ways for your team to get to know one another on a deeper level. Team building exercises or “unproductive” time together isn’t just fluffy culture ideas. When you allow teams to work and “play” together communication, collaboration, and cooperation will all strengthen.
If you don’t know where to start, plan a fun day out of the office (or in) doing something together that will force your team to have non-work-related conversations. You will hit all three of the points above! Escape rooms are a great way to do this and more. How else could you create a low-stress way to practice working towards a common goal and working to communicate effectively, all while having a blast?! Book an experience for your team today and tie it to your appreciation for the work your team does. Creating a culture of retention can’t happen overnight but grows as you build stronger teams.
Find more team building tips and retention strategies at https://www.magnetculture.com
Workforce thought leader and keynote speaker Cara Silletto, MBA, CSP, works with organizations to reduce unnecessary employee turnover by bridging generational gaps and making managers more effective in their roles. Workforce Magazine in Chicago named Cara a “Game Changer” and Recruiter.com listed her in their “Top 10 Company Culture Experts to Watch.” She is the author of the book, “Staying Power: Why Your Employees Leave & How to Keep Them Longer,” and Louisville Business First named her one of their 2018 Forty Under 40.
