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With so many companies offering remote work options, individual performance may seem like the only measure of success that counts. But encouraging collaboration is increasingly important for teams working together in the digital space.
Whether working remotely or in the office, bringing together a diverse group of people takes effort. As their manager, you need to invest time and energy to establish working relationships built on trust, effective communication, and mutual respect. These factors are essential to reap the benefits of working in a team.
And the benefits of teamwork are unmatched. Giving team members the opportunity, tools, and support needed to click as a group makes it easier to contribute their unique skills and talents and work toward a common goal. Without teamwork and collaboration, your projects are more likely to fail than when workers function as a cohesive group.
Why is teamwork important? 12 benefits
Not everyone is comfortable working in a team. If you’re like most, you probably have more than one bad experience on a group project. After all, there’s a reason why “If you want something done, do it yourself” is a well-recognized phrase.
But you shouldn’t let that hold you back. Remember another well-known, perhaps more valid saying: “Two heads are better than one.” If you’re still on the fence about encouraging teamwork in the workplace, these 12 outcomes of collaboration might change your mind.
1. Problem-solving
A 2021 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that groups of between 3–5 outperform a single subject matter expert when solving a complex problem.
Leveraging a team's collective intelligence means colleagues can process more information, generate and adapt numerous potential solutions, and have a higher probability of spotting errors than an individual worker. As a result of their collaboration, the team is more likely to think outside the box and develop high-quality outcomes in less time.
2. Innovation
Working with people of different personalities and backgrounds exposes workers to new ways of thinking. And a study published in the scientific journal Learning and Motivation found that it can even motivate people to learn more. A more receptive mindset can boost curiosity, increasing your team’s knowledge base and skill set.
When team members are more open-minded, they become more flexible and learn to value concepts and perspectives from those with varied backgrounds. And when this happens, the group develops out-of-the-box thinking, which can lead to more innovative solutions.
3. Creativity
Bringing people together to work as a team adds more skills and experience to the project’s toolbox. Their different perspectives and individual strengths make brainstorming more creative and adept, giving your group a larger pool of quality ideas to draw from. As a result, the decision-making and outcomes they produce are more far-reaching and effective.
4. Learning
In a competitive market, employees must maintain a leading-edge skill set. But professional development doesn’t have to happen online or in a classroom. A study conducted by faculty members from Carnegie Mellon University found that people learn better through interaction.
When team members share information or work cooperatively, they cross-train each other, passively increasing the team’s overall capacity through exposure. This results in one of the most compelling teamwork benefits.
5. Risk
Risk and innovation go hand in hand, but being a solo voice advocating to take on a chance for an unproven initiative is daunting, even when it involves the potential of a significant payoff. That’s when the importance of teamwork makes itself known.
Google’s Project Aristotle was an initiative aimed at discovering what makes teams effective at Google. The results showcased that having the backing of a supportive group of peers who value each other’s skills entrenches psychological safety into the work environment, establishing resilience amongst team members.
The sense of belonging and non-judgemental environment make risk-taking feel safer, leading to greater innovation and helping the team fail forward even when they’ve made a mistake.
6. Decision-making
Approximately 80% of employees experience stress on the job. While low levels of workplace stress can boost productivity, too much can impact cognitive function, leading to poorer decisions. Being a member of a good team with clear goals, regular interaction, and supportive feedback can reduce stress, resulting in better choices and improved outcomes generated by the group.
7. Productivity
Good teamwork gets more work done. Whether through more effective work processes, better customer service, or fewer mistakes slipping through, collaboration positively impacts performance. One study published in the Journal of Information Systems Education found that effective teamwork significantly improved overall employee performance.
8. Profitability
With increased productivity, innovative solutions, and better alignment with customer needs, it’s no surprise that companies that invest in high-performing teams show greater profitability. Gallup’s research into the effects of collaboration on employee engagement demonstrated that high-performing teams can add up to 23% more to your organization’s bottom line.
9. Morale
Working on an effective team that demonstrates mutual respect, offers honest feedback, and creates a team culture of personal openness boosts employee morale and improves emotional well-being. When workers experience happiness and job satisfaction, they’re more productive, and their employer sees increased retention.
10. Motivation
When someone’s invested in a group, they don’t want to let people down. Camaraderie can motivate employees to seek their colleague’s approval, encouraging them to bring their A-game to work. They’re more open to sharing ideas and offering feedback, and together, the team is more likely to persevere when faced with a new challenge.
As individual performance increases, so does the collective’s, elevating the efficacy of its outcomes.
11. Reduced burnout
Approximately 43% of desk workers in the U.S. experience burnout — but there’s hope. A study published in the Human Resources for Health journal found that being part of a team can mitigate the effects of stress and reduce burnout rates for workers in the healthcare industry.
Extrapolating that across all sectors, collaborative groups share the load, stepping in to take over when a teammate is overwhelmed while providing emotional support until they once again establish a healthy work-life balance.
12. Company culture
To build an effective team, you must create an environment of trust, maintain communication channels, appreciate each member’s contributions, and more. These positive qualities don’t exist in a bubble. They spill over into the rest of the workplace, creating a company culture that attracts the best and the brightest.
10 teamwork examples to embrace in the workplace
Teamwork isn’t only about turning in high-quality work and meeting deadlines. It’s also about supporting and empowering your personnel to grow to be their best selves. Here are 10 examples of what this might look like in the workplace.
1. Collaboration
When people put their heads together to solve a common problem or do a job, they’re collaborating. Successful collaboration requires strong team communication so everyone understands shared goals and how they’ll achieve them.
2. Delegation
Dividing tasks fairly and effectively between group members is a hallmark of successful teamwork. Consult and negotiate with your team to delegate tasks according to their employee strengths and career goals, ensuring everyone is happy with their assigned jobs and group roles.
3. Encouragement
Work doesn’t always go smoothly. When a colleague struggles, offering encouragement through a positive message, resources, or additional training can give them the strength to keep going. And don’t forget any new team members. They’re probably nervous and anxious, but a welcome message is a great icebreaker and can build a sense of belonging faster.
4. Support
Good team members quickly jump in to help if someone needs it, offering insight or suggestions to ensure their coworker's challenge doesn’t derail achieving a team goal. In some cases, they’ll give up resources if a coworker can make better use of them. Consider developing resource allocation as a teamwork skill to ensure everyone has what they need.
5. Knowledge-sharing
A cross-functional group of team members from various fields with different experience levels often share their expertise, helping their coworkers develop more professional and personal skills than if they worked independently.
6. Shared ownership
When the group shares in the work and enjoys the results equally, they become intrinsically motivated to deliver their best work. And an individual’s sense of ownership in group success builds team spirit and incentivizes members to work toward the company’s goals.
7. Feedback
In an ideal group situation, team members gracefully accept negative feedback from the group, recognizing that it comes from a place of support and desired improvement. One strategy to incorporate feedback into your team’s interactions is to pair team members together and have each list three things the other person does well and three things they can improve.
8. Opportunities
With a high-performing team, there will be opportunities for each team member to feel empowered by contributing an idea, updating a process, or overseeing a project. If you want to motivate your team, give them unique opportunities to use their skills to make an impact. Or, you could rotate specific responsibilities amongst members, like leading a kickoff meeting, to allow them to develop new skills.
9. Conflict management
Even the most tight-knit groups will occasionally disagree. That’s OK. Managing conflict productively can lead to new ideas and greater flexibility. Try to understand each member’s point of view and see if you can negotiate a fair compromise or incorporate what’s most important into the team’s core values.
10. Interdependence
There are benefits that come from being part of a team, and in return, the group benefits from each member’s unique contribution. Each person must work hard to receive the rewards that come with team membership.
Thanks to its members’ efforts, the group’s collective success will be more than the sum of its parts, lifting everyone with it. This type of interdependence means that when one team member gives their all, everyone knows it, which can motivate others to also do their best.
Teamwork makes the dream work
If you don’t work in a company culture that values collaboration, you’re probably surprised by the depth and breadth of the benefits of teamwork. Not only will it improve your company's bottom line, but you'll also see positive impacts at the team and individual levels. The returns are well worth the effort of team building, so invest in your workers' performance and well-being by helping them become a cohesive group working toward shared goals.
You’ll be glad you did.
