How Do You Ensure You Work Well In A Team

6 Tips to Ensure You Work Well in a Team Environment

Teamwork and collaboration are key to succeed in any type of work environment. Although you’re a staff member, professional or employee with your own individual responsibilities, it’s crucial to remember the importance of teamwork in the workplace.

One of the major benefits of teamwork is that it brings people together and unites them in achieving a particular objective or goal. This could be hitting a sales target, landing an account, closing a deal or coming up with new product ideas.

The importance of teamwork in employee job satisfaction is also well known. In fact, some people stay in jobs they’re not 100 per cent happy with simply because they get along famously with the people in their team, section or department. Besides, the importance of teamwork extends to how much easier it is to succeed in projects with the help and cooperation of everyone concerned.

However, working in a team environment does not come easily, especially for people who are new to a company and those who are accustomed to working alone. If you’re new to a team or to the idea of being a team member, here are six tips to help ensure you work well in a team environment.

1. Familiarise yourself with your role in the team

During your orientation and training, you’ll get to know your role in depth and be given opportunities to practise your daily tasks. You’ll also have the chance to clarify any grey areas or unfamiliar aspects of your role.

Know your responsibilities as well as the limits of your role, and perform your functions as efficiently as you can.

2. Be mindful of activity or project schedules

Deadlines are part and parcel of work. Being part of a team also means accomplishing projects left and right. Therefore, it’s crucial to remember and respect team deadlines for certain activities or projects.

You need to do your part. And, if you encounter any difficulties in performing your role, ask for help. Try not to leave this to the last minute as cramming usually doesn’t lead to the best results. This is especially important in workplaces where any delays in one section or department can affect the output of another team.

3. Respect the people in your team and strive to be positive

Whether you’re the leader or a team member, everyone in a team has an important role to play in ensuring project success. Learn to listen to what everyone has to say and be open to everyone’s ideas, especially during brainstorming sessions.

If a suggestion or idea seems outrageous or strange, ask for clarification. Also, be tactful and mindful of the way you speak when expressing your opinion or opposition to certain decisions. Once a consensus is reached, everyone is expected to work toward the same goal.

Try to avoid being a spoilsport or a constant complainer. While airing grievances is part of any workplace, constantly focusing on negativity can demotivate others. Instead, focus on the good. Spreading good vibes within your team can help reduce work-related stress. And whether you succeed or fail in an undertaking, strive to lift each other up and get ready for the next challenge.

4. Communicate and participate

If you are a team leader, you need to ensure everyone on your team knows what their tasks are. You also have to inform everyone about major project milestones everyone has to work towards.

As a team member, it’s crucial to listen, contribute and collaborate with your team to find solutions and achieve results. Avoid gossiping. Instead, communicate directly to clear the air, motivate yourself and others.

5. Acknowledge what everyone has to offer

Know that there may be team members who seem to have less or nothing to say or contribute to any topic, meeting or discussion. However, this doesn’t mean they have no value to the team. The thing is, people are different. There are those who can articulate their ideas or thoughts quite easily, whilst others prefer to be quiet and work on the sidelines.

Whatever personalities comprise your team, it’s important to delegate tasks to people you know can perform a job well. Even if you are not the team leader, you can volunteer your fellow team member’s skills or talent. Sometimes, all they need is a little nudge in the right direction so they can show what they can do to help the team.

6. Get to know one another and know each other’s strengths

Find strength in unity

Success is best achieved and comes so much easier when people work together. This is why teamwork is so important in the workplace. If you’ve recently joined a different department at work or are just starting in a new job, following the tips shared here can make it easier for you to become an invaluable team member.