The power of teamwork

Do you feel like working with people is a chore or you don’t need anyone’s help? Have you ever been in a bind but were too caught up, embarrassed or stuck up to ask for assistance? Working in teams can be so rewarding and you should give it a shot where appropriate because:

1. It helps when you need to brainstorm. We all know the expression “two heads are better than one”. So it makes sense that having many people on the team can be extremely helpful. Many times we can draw a blank when having to figure out how to deal with an issue. Looking to your colleagues for their assistance in a meeting setting, or even just running the situation by several persons to get their feedback on how to move forward can save you. You can definitely get a perspective that you would not have even considered and this can be the difference in whether or not you solve the problem.
2. Different people have different strengths. Most situations in the workplace are complex and will require the breaking down of several different layers. In the HR world, most issues involve more than one aspect of the function, thereby you need to check with your peers to cover all bases and determine the way forward. For example, let’s say someone claims that they were not paid their overtime in the last pay cycle. The compensation team will have to check in with the manager of the employee who made the claim to verify whether they truly worked overtime and the requisite approvals were retrieved. Then you may want to check in with the industrial relations team to determine if any steps should be taken in case there may be underlying issues. Depending on where you work and the culture of the organization, there may be fewer processes needed to settle this issue, however the example shows that you need to check in with different team members to arrive at and effect a solution.
3. The assigned task gets completed faster. This one should go without saying. Once a full team is involved, you can divide the work up accordingly, based on the strengths of each team member. In so doing, you can reconvene at a mutually decided date and discuss any challenges faced while completing your respective portion of the assignment and or compile all of the work you have done.
4. Helps with employee morale. One of Maslow’s basic needs of human beings is to feel a sense of belonging. Being part of a team working towards a specific goal will definitely help with that. It also helps people to be creative when actively developing solutions together. Giving employees the opportunity to be part of a team is crucial in giving them a sense of purpose and allows them to feel as if they are truly fulfilling the objectives of the organization.

While teamwork also brings challenges, which is true about everything, once you assess that the task or project requires a team effort rather than an individual one, you can see the benefits. Remember to ensure that your manager approves the use of a team (sometimes the task has to be limited to a few persons) and the members of that team before you proceed. Hoping that the next group project runs smoothly with the above notes in mind.

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