State of Teams

 

Teams are the building blocks of any organization, and our working lives are becoming more team-oriented than ever before.

Over the past several decades, employees have devoted much more time to collaboration — in meetings, on phone calls, or via email and chat platforms. Engaging with their team(s) now accounts for over 60% of employees’ time.

This proliferation of teams, however, has complicated employees’ working lives. As teams become more complex, more fluid, and more remote, team members must navigate an environment in constant flux. That’s no easy task, and employees must be flexible, socially adept, and relationship savvy in order to navigate interpersonal challenges and achieve collective gains within and across teams.

Many individuals suffer from a critical teamwork skill gap in the workforce.

Despite the pressing need for highly effective and productive teams, many individuals are either unaware or unable to consistently practice the behaviors that will ensure team success. This is primarily because employees see teamwork as something that comes naturally to them and as learned only through personal experiences on teams. In other words, they don’t view teamwork as something they need to learn, especially when 99% of respondents in a recent Wiley survey consider themselves “good” and “effective” team members.

The consequences of this skill gap are astounding for individuals, teams, and employers.

The inability of many individuals to meet the changing demands of their workplaces can costs everyone – dearly. Not only do inefficient teams and poor teammates hinder organizations’ competitive advantage, but they affect productivity and workplace culture, too. What’s more, inefficient teams create greater employee turnover due to lower job satisfaction.

The good news is that nearly everyone agrees that teamwork skills can be developed and improved.

This means organizations can address the interpersonal skill gaps among employees and overcome—or, better yet, avoid—the staggering cost of ineffective teamwork by training and developing their workforce. Only by creating a working environment that values and promotes the building blocks of collective teamwork—from trust and commitment to accountability—and rewards high-performing teams, can organizations reap the benefits of efficient and effective teamwork.

The Five Behaviors® can change the way you team.

This powerful tool teaches participants the critical behaviors and interpersonal skills needed to work together effectively by combining Lencioni’s teamwork model with personalized insights. The result is a unique and impactful team development solution that empowers team members to rethink their approach to teamwork, shape new, more productive behaviors to increase productivity, and create a common language that completely redefines what it means to work together to drive results. To learn more, visit fivebehaviors.com/tenicewehmeyer