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The importance of teamwork cannot (and should not) be underestimated. It’s the bedrock on which all successful businesses are built. You’ll hear a few sensible people saying, “Teamwork? Pah! What a waste of time!” But what is it about teamwork that makes promoting it a key priority for HR, and for organizations generally?
What Is Teamwork?
It may seem like a simple question, but the answer often eludes many managers. At its most basic, teamwork is a sense of unity. It’s an enthusiasm that a group of people shares for their common interests and responsibilities. But delve deeper and you’ll soon see that teamwork is a bonding agent of sorts. Teamwork brings people together (the bonding agent) and motivates them to rely on one another, regardless of their position, to get things done. Teamwork also makes progress easier and allows the group to overcome obstacles that would have stymied an individual. Knowing the value of teamwork can help HR make a strong case to management on various policy issues, from learning and development to workplace culture. So here are the key reasons teamwork is so important in the workplace.
Teamwork is efficient work
A key pillar of the industrial revolution, a foundation of modern civilization, was the division of labor. And that’s just another way to say teamwork. Employee teamwork enables your workforce to:
– Split difficult tasks into simpler ones, then work together to complete them faster.
– Develop specialized skills, so that the best person for each task can do it better and faster In a nutshell, teams make work more efficient.
– That can lead to better productivity, reduced costs, greater profitability, and many other benefits.
It brings new ideas.
Businesses need new, fresh ideas to succeed in the competitive world. You have a unique perspective to bring to the table which will benefit the business overall. Businesses thrive when they have a diverse team of people who can contribute individual ideas. This, in consequence, fosters learning from one another. For example, Imagine you have a workforce of 10 designers all working in separate rooms. Each designer works to their own strengths and suffers from their own weaknesses, with nobody to teach or learn from. Now put them all in the same room, on the same project. Working together, they’ll soon learn each other’s strengths and correct each other’s mistakes. And everyone’s performance will improve.
Teamwork builds morale
You’ll feel that your work is valued when you contribute to something that produces results. If you offer an idea that helps improve productivity, such as a new filing system, confidence and trust are built within the team. Each team member has something special to offer. By working together, members of a team feel a strong sense of belonging and deep commitment to each other and the common goal. Finally, when employees work together and succeed as a team, they form bonds that can turn into trust and friendship. It’s human nature. And it’s great for your organization since employees who like and trust each other are more likely to:
– Communicate well with each other
– Support and motivate each other
– Work cooperatively
No wonder successful organizations value teamwork so highly.
