We often hear that employees want to leave their current role because of their manager. However, behind this is often a team that is also impacting the employee’s decision to look elsewhere.
‘Teamwork’ is a critical factor for employee retention and now more then ever, we are seeing candidates wanting to be part of a team that is successful. Teamwork and being part of a team has been identified as a key motivator for employees in the current market.
It is up to all members of the team including the manager – to ensure the team environment is one that facilitates true teamwork. If this isn’t the case, employees will continue to walk out the door. So what makes a successful team?
In my experience, true teamwork means being surrounded by a supportive, focused, and positive team. A team needs to support each other through highs and lows, be completely focused on team objectives, and have fun. The final win is so much more enjoyable and the lows manageable, if you’ve had fun along the way.
If you’re a sportsperson or into sports, you will know that a team won’t win without cohesion. Very rarely does a malfunctioning team (one that doesn’t support each other and isn’t focused on the goal) win, on or off the court, let alone when it truly counts! One player may score all the points but the team can still ultimately lose.
Team members want to feel that they are contributing to team goals, and the team in turn is participating in broader organisational goals. There needs to be a clear line of sight from what the team does and how it helps the organisation to achieve both short and long term goals.
To accomplish this, team members need to know what is required of them both
individually and collectively. This is enabled by open and transparent communication.Not only do they need to know their own roles but also the strengths and weaknesses of each other. A team with clear direction and
understanding will often succeed and survive the rough patches.
A team needs goals, direction and the right environment to succeed. So ask
yourself – regardless of whether you’re a manager – ‘are you facilitating or inhibiting your team’s success?’
Paul Mitchell is a recent addition to the PCA team. He comes from a HR and
coaching background and is the Team Leader for our Government, Executive, Legal and Scribe Division.
