5 steps to building a great team culture (even if you’re not a manager)

Building a team culture that thrives is a continuous cycle, it’s not always linear, and it needs commitment and effort from everyone with in the organisation. When you start working towards (or achieve!) this, what follows is a positive, successful and highly performing team. Statistics show that those organisations that have high performing and happy  teams  succeed and individuals  reach their goals, both personally and professionally. 

But how do you start building great culture, especially if you’re not in a position of leadership? Here are 5 easy steps to becoming the team that everyone wants to be part of.

1. Define what kind of culture your organisation has

There are plenty of models to start framing your team culture around, think about which one fits your place of work the best. Are you a law firm with a structured hierarchy and explicit behaviour standards to guide you? Are you a creative agency with a broad range of talents and a diverse team? Or perhaps you work in a medical or scientific setting that revolves around innovation and experimentation, all of these fit within traditional models and seeing where you fit in will help to focus your efforts in building that positive work environment. It is often helpful to work though a  model and ask great questions-eg whats the best things you  have done as a team. It is also helpful to develop a visual to support your ream brand.

2. Promote open communication & feedback

Good communication is essential for any team, as we all know this is easier said than done. One of the most difficult but valuable skills is being able to listen, the next is to ask really good questions!

Its really helpful to encourage your colleagues and team members to share their thoughts and opinions,and  provide opportunities to share useful feedback. 

We want to foster a supportive environment where everyone feels like they can share their ideas and views without fear of judgment or reprimand. Nancy Kline has written a book Time to Think which really underlines the importance of taking time to really listen to each other and share our views, Having transparent communication is a great way to build strong relationships, enhancing the team performance, and ultimately facilitating a more positive culture. 

3. Encourage team bonding

Encouraging team bonding can happen no matter your level within an organisation, you can help to build a sense of team spirit and camaraderie among employees. When employees feel like they are part of a connected team, they are typically happier when they are at work, and continue to contribute to a positive work culture.  Things like team-building activities can be run to improve relationships with each other, and even help them better define their roles within the team structure. However these do have to meet the needs of the team and be felt to be of value.

It doesn’t always have to be corporate style team bonding, you can start small and with little (or no) budget. You can simply start by celebrating the achievements of your colleagues, give them praise for successful accomplishments, whether that is in work or if they are open, in their personal lives. Provide a space for celebration and success to be shared whether that’s being together  at lunchtime or an after work gathering. 

Korn ferry have recently written a great piece about hybrid working and the importance of being together (where possible) Its worth reviewing as a team are your working practices supporting and working for you?

4. Recognise individuality

Recognising that not every employee thinks and feels the same is important for any organisation. When employees feel like they can be themselves at work, they are more likely to want to join, and stay within that business, as well as recommend it to others as a great place to work and flourish. Understanding that a diverse workforce is likely to have a range of skills and experiences which can benefit the company is an important factor to get right, and having this understanding is crucial for developing good company culture. 

Again, to achieve this, the entire organisation needs to be on board.. Managers also need to be equipped with the right training and guidance to ensure that their decisions and behaviours are inclusive. Even if you are unable to effect high level structural changes, you can come to work with an understanding that your colleagues are diverse individuals and it’s important for them to be treated as such.

Its also helpful for you to understand your strengths and work values so you can make the most of your opportunities in the workplace. There are a number of ways of looking at these and please contact me if would like some further info.

5. Work at it

Finally maintaining good company culture is not a linear process, it takes time, revisions and constant encouragement to foster the great culture employees want and need. Continue to work at it, raise awareness of areas that need to change, and encourage colleagues to become active participants in improving their workplace culture. Give honest, regular feedback where you can, and regularly assess whether your culture is meeting the vision and mission set out by the business.

By being intentional with these simple steps, you can create a positive work culture that will inspire your team to thrive and enjoy themselves too.