How to build successful teams

Build successful teams in your organisation by following the examples below.

You may have noticed we’ve been quiet for a while. We have been spending some time in Melbourne, Australia – currently the second most liveable city in the world, to find out what makes it so successful.

We have worked with a number of companies so far, all with very different dynamics, yet similar outlooks. In all companies, we asked about their teams and their organisational skills. Here are some summaries of the various answers received*.

From a prestigious organisation with a lot of staff.

‘We are nothing without our team, they are the face of our organisation. There are many different roles, and we understand that some members may be more suited to one role than another – this is why we get to know our team.

We randomly allocate our staff on opening day and observe what is working and what isn’t, after a day or two, we can often choose the best role for the majority of our members. By peak season, we have everybody working in the roles that they do best.

Aside from what I’ve just mentioned, our methods allow our team members to experience more of the organisation. They can then see how their role fits in with others.’

From possibly the most organised company I have had the pleasure of working with.

‘Our organisational skills may be top, but we still have a long way to go. We wouldn’t be able to get there without our team. It is important to us that everybody is able to see the big picture and knows the role they play in achieving it. We divide our in-house team and agency teams up to ensure nobody is left without knowledge and support from an in-house member of staff.’

From a company where procedure and time management is of high importance.

‘People need to work not only where they are comfortable, but also where they work best. For this reason, we thoroughly evaluate the work of our employees during their probationary period and put our all into training during this time. It is important that all of our employees feel valued and respected. We find that the more we invest in them, the more they are willing to invest into us.’

From a company that aims to offer the best service at all times.

‘For us, it is important that not only does everybody understand what needs to be done, but also that everybody is willing and able to pitch in whenever necessary. This is why we have a strict training programme to ensure everybody can support colleagues when needed.’

 

How have these companies built successful teams?

To these successful companies, team work, team building, organisation knowledge and training are of the utmost importance.

1. Employers respect employees at all levels; whenever possible, they will offer help, advice and further training when needed.
2. The phrase ‘praise in public, reprimand in private’ also rings true here; employees feel valued, respected and safe in the knowledge that public embarrassment will not occur.
3. We have not seen any no evidence of workplace bullying or gossip culture, but instead plenty of advice and support available should it occur.
4. Employers and employees provide and take advantage of continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities. Both parties acknowledge the importance of CPD in the workplace and often also use the time for team building.
5. Companies strictly adhere to allotted breaks and staff’s start and finish times. An employee whose personal time is respected will be more likely to respect company time in return.

If you find yourself looking for inspiration, why not look to Melbourne and follow some of the examples above? Alternatively, why not leave a comment to tell us how your organisation manages, grows and develops its teams?

*Company names have been omitted for privacy and replies adapted for readability.

Sharing is caring!