The productivity of our team stems from shared goals and good communication.

As the old saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. With that in mind, we take a look at a variety of ways in which you can support your team at work.

The productivity of our team stems from shared goals and good communication.

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Working as part of a team can be both rewarding and challenging. With multiple sets of skills and experience to draw on, a dedicated team makes it easier to overcome obstacles and hit targets. Yet each person needs to feel included, valued, and part of a collective. So how do you support your team at work? 

Whether as a leader or a member of a team, there are several ways in which you can support those around you. As well as looking at some of the steps you can take, we also take a look at why teamwork is important in the first place.


Why is teamwork important?

People are social creatures. Our ability to collaborate and coordinate to obtain otherwise inaccessible goals is unique, and part of why our species has been so successful. This evolutionary mechanism is still evident in modern times, seen across just about every aspect of our society. In the workplace, especially, it is important for team members to support each other. There are several reasons for this, including: 

  • It boosts creativity and performance. When people work together, it’s easier to brainstorm ideas and bring out creativity. What’s more, a 2015 report from consulting firm McKinsey found that diverse teams were up to 35% more creative and performed better than their homogenous counterparts. 
  •  It reduces stress. According to the Harvard Business Review, successful teamwork, such as having extensive, constructive, and supportive discussions, can have positive effects. It helps to build interpersonal relationships and morale, as well as reduce stress.
  • It helps build skills. When working together as part of a team, a variety of skill sets converge to complement each other. Individuals get a chance to combine their skills, learn from each other, and be more effective overall. 

These are just some of the reasons why teamwork is so useful in the workplace. However, as many people experience, there can be some obstacles when you’re trying to support your team at work.

What are the obstacles to a strong team?

There’s a difference between a team working together and effective teamwork. After all, we all have our own thoughts and ideas on how things should be done, even if it’s a collaborative project. There can be some barriers that can prevent a group of individuals becoming an efficient team. And, one of the ways you can start to support at work is to be able to spot where things are going wrong. 

    • Poor communication. As we’ll see, the ability to communicate effectively plays a huge role in teamwork. Those who can’t remain on the same page and express their needs, thoughts, and feelings will find it hard to succeed as a team. 
    • Unclear goals. If everyone is pulling in a different direction, it’s hard to gain any traction. Teams without a clear aim in mind will soon become disengaged and disjointed. 
    • Lack of leadership. Leaders possess a range of skills that can help to motivate and focus a team. Without these skills, particularly among management, teams can soon fail.
    • Lack of accountability. Each member of the team should have a role and know what’s expected of them. Without this, there will be confusion and a lack of cohesion.

How to support your team at work

There are many ways in which you can support your team at work, no matter what your role in that team is. For example, for managers, you may feel a greater degree of responsibility for those reporting into you. Yet even if you’re not in a management role, you can know how to support your team, and even your team leader, in the workplace. 

Below, we’ve outlined ten ways you can do exactly that. These are just a few ideas you can try, and some relate to self-improvement, while others are more focused on helping your co-workers:

1) Communicate regularly

Open and honest communication is the foundation of a successful team. This is true whether it’s face-to-face or virtually, as it helps us build the interpersonal skills necessary for effective teamwork. Sharing ideas, points of view, information, and expertise helps to keep everyone informed and in the loop. 

For managers and leaders, this means clearly communicating what needs to be done, what the latest successes are, and which areas need focus and attention. Communication is also about giving and receiving feedback, brainstorming ideas, and listening to one another. 

For those not in a management role, communication is still vital. Touching base with those around you, whether senior, junior, or on the same level as you, helps establish connections. Doing so can help to build relationships, and means everyone gets a chance to express themselves and their ideas. 

When you use sentence structure to emphasize an idea place the important idea in a to achieve the most emphasis?

For emphasis, one should place an idea in an independent clause; for de-emphasis, place an idea in a dependent clause.

When to use passive voice in business writing?

When should the passive voice be used in business writing?.
To emphasize the result of an action or if the agent (person doing the action) is unknown or not important. ... .
To describe a process. ... .
To use an impersonal or indirect tone, which suggests formality, impartiality, or objectivity. ... .
To avoid placing blame..

For what purpose should the active voice be used quizlet?

Use active voice for directness, vigor, and clarity. When is passive voice used? To emphasize an action or the recipient of the action, to de-emphasize negative news, to conceal the doer of an action.