How to Develop a Collaborative Team Culture in Your Workplace

Collaborative Team Culture July 28, 2020

Dakota Sheetz

Writer

Introduction

There is a lot to be said for a collaborative team culture. Some of the greatest business minds tout it as one of the most critical principals of any workplace. To encourage collaboration is to encourage business success.

British business magnate Richard Branson even said that for business success, you need to create the kind of collaborative workplace and company culture that will attract great talent. If you hire brilliant people, they will make work feel more like play.

But even if you know you need to work on creating a more cohesive and collaborative environment among team members, that doesn't mean it's an easy task. You can't tick it off your list in a single day. It takes a deep understanding of the process and the ability to establish why it's so crucial in the first place.

What is a Collaborative Culture?

A team culture that promotes collaboration is many things. It's a platform of honesty, transparency, and helps to build trust among employees. It's an encouraging environment that celebrates achievement. It's also a meaningful bond and a sense of camaraderie.

At the very heart of such a culture is its leader. That leader encourages and promotes a nourishing and collaborative environment. That leader also helps their team reach their full potential. In return, workers reflect best business practices and support company values.

Vision for the End Goal
Knowing what such a culture is and achieving it are two different things. The first step involves communicating a clear vision for how you want that culture to look. Everyone, from corporate executives to key workers, should know the company's goals. When they know, they can help you achieve them.

Creating Collaboration Opportunities
A leader who desires a collaborative workplace knows that it takes action. They make sure to provide as many opportunities for team collaboration as possible.

These might include-

Online chat groups
The use of team apps
Joint projects and initiatives

The more opportunities for team collaboration, the stronger the bond between employees and workplaces. Quite simply, an environment that fosters this level of team work brings people together.

According to the Harvard Business Review, positive work culture can improve productivity. In contrast, businesses with a take-no-prisoners mentality and cut-throat environments that are focused on the individual strength and skill set of employees, see more errors, absenteeism, and higher staff costs.

Reinforcing Your Workplace Culture
Once you start building that environment of collaboration, you must then maintain it.

Maintenance can be as simple as-

Monitoring the culture
Reinforcing values
Organizing team-building activities
Carrying out assessments
Providing staff surveys.

These can all establish fundamental cultural changes and entrench them for the future.

Why Does it Matter?

Employment engagement is something that's on the minds of many business owners, but it's at an all-time low. Leaders are being hired that cannot lead. That was proven in a Harvard Business Review study. This study revealed that some employees trust strangers more than their bosses.

A 200,000-person study from O.C. Tanner Learning Group also had some surprising results. Nearly 80 percent of people who quit their jobs did so because they didn't feel appreciated. People don't leave companies; they leave their bosses.

So, having a collaborative team culture matters more than you might think. When workers feel like they are part of a family, they enjoy their work. And when they enjoy their work, they do it to the best of their ability. A happy employee is a productive one.

And it all starts at the top.

A leader who leads by example then creates workers who carry the same attitudes. The flow-on effect benefits both the employee and the company's bottom dollar.

An Even Playing Field
Emphasizing collaboration as a core part of your company's operations matters. Believe it or not, it even matters in the workplace hierarchy. Creating a level playing field lets everyone, from janitors to executives, have a say.

Something as simple as an open-door policy makes workers feel valued. You can create an even playing field through open workspaces where no one feels less or more valued. This approach can improve communication and inter-workplace relationships.

Conclusion

It can be easy to assume that productivity is the be-all and end-all of a company. Push your workers to produce the results and reap the financial rewards.

As more companies are beginning to realize, there is a huge advantage to fostering a beneficial team culture, instead. Provide a vibrant working environment, and the results will follow.

The first step in creating a beneficial team culture is hiring a leader who wants it and encourages it. They should also be a leader who is dedicated to nourishing their workforce. The more engaged the leader is, the more the workers are, too.
Having a vision and sharing that vision is equally as crucial. Doesn't everyone in your team deserve to be on the same page?
Finally, provide the tools and environment for a rewarding team culture to blossom. Encourage social events and team-building activities. Celebrate your team's personal and professional achievements.
Value your team and provide them with an environment to grow. They will reward you with consistently high-quality work and exceptional productivity. As the old saying goes, you give what you want to receive.