How to achieve effective teamwork in the workplace

Teamwork skills are interpersonal abilities that help a team work together to achieve shared goals. Mastering these skills can help with both organizational success and personal growth. In this article, we highlight what teamwork skills are and their importance. We will show you examples and give you tips on how to improve them. Here's what we'll cover:

• What are teamwork skills?
• Why are teamwork skills important?
• Essential teamwork skills
• Teamwork skills to list on your resume 
• How to improve teamwork skills and build a high-performing team
• Overcoming common challenges to teamwork
• Conclusion
• FAQs

What are teamwork skills? 

Teamwork skills are interpersonal skills that help employees communicate well, produce high-quality work, and resolve conflicts. Strong teamwork skills help groups succeed in meeting shared goals. These skills can improve problem-solving and promote creativity. They also improve goal-setting and task division. These skills result in high engagement levels, employee retention, and job satisfaction.

Why are teamwork skills important? 

Effective teamwork skills are key for organizational growth and meeting business goals. They can help team members collaborate better, which leads to better outcomes, higher creativity, and improved performance. It also leads to improved morale and less burnout.

Let's illustrate the importance of these skills through an example:

Jess is a service delivery manager at a business process outsourcing unit for a US-based health maintenance organization. Every day, he does a daily group huddle with 20 agents. They discuss the team's goals and targets. He also updates his group on their current performance and whether they are hitting the metrics set by their client.

These metrics are essential for BPOs, and they need to hit the target. Failure to do so could result in hefty penalties for the employer, and the client could even end the relationship.

At the huddle, the agents share their thoughts on the issues and difficulties they encounter. They make plans to meet their goals and strategies to exceed them. They check their previous performance and collaborate to address these problems.

At the end of each quarter, Jess's team usually hits the group's targets. Their collaboration, proactive nature, and their desire to help each other make for effective teamwork.

Essential teamwork skills 

Based on a 2024 survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, here are 10 key attributes companies look for:

1. Ability to work in a team and problem-solving skills

Being a team player requires you to work well in a team to achieve shared goals. This also highlights how Filipinos emphasize "pakikisama." It's the way of camaraderie or getting along well with others. This extends to working well in a team-oriented environment. 

You also need strong problem-solving skills for effective collaboration and conflict resolution. These skills can help you identify problems and overcome problems in the workplace. 

2. Written communication skills

Written communication skills can enhance teamwork by making responsibilities clear and documenting processes. Choosing the right communication tools helps convey information to other team members better. It keeps them updated and can help them achieve shared goals quickly. It can also prevent misunderstandings and ensure all team members are on the same page.

3. Leadership

Strong leaders can guide employees to achieve common goals and build trust. It helps everyone understand their roles and responsibilities. Having excellent leadership skills also provides direction, motivation, and support to everyone involved. This is essential in motivating employees to work together toward a common goal. 

4. Work ethic

A strong work ethic includes basic values and can help employees thrive in a team. It can help them work under pressure and maintain a positive attitude. Individuals with a strong work ethic are also more consistent and reliable with their efforts. 

5. Analytical skills

Having strong analytical or quantitative skills is essential to working in a team. These skills can help in identifying optimal solutions to challenging problems. Those with strong analytical skills can also help companies find areas that can benefit from improvement. 

6. Verbal communication skills

Being a great communicator can help individuals be good team players. Good communication skills can help clarify the team's responsibilities and expectations, resulting in higher trust among team members.

7. Initiative

Taking the initiative can help people be more proactive and productive. Within a team, it can aid in problem-solving and decision-making.

8. Being detail-oriented

Detail-oriented individuals work well in teams by identifying the blind spots of their team members and minimizing errors. These individuals help the team by reducing the time needed for corrections or extensions. This ensures that the team delivers quality work consistently and on time. 

9. Flexibility/adaptability

Being flexible and adaptable can help employees work with diverse team members and adjust to changing circumstances. It makes them respectful towards differences and diversity in a team. Adaptability also reduces frustration and maintains a positive work environment. 

10. Technical skills

Technical skills provide individuals with the expertise to collaborate effectively and achieve shared goals. The expertise of each individual can help them work seamlessly and support each other in overcoming challenges. 

Teamwork skills to list on your resume  

The 2024 NACE survey also discusses specific team skills you can list on your resume.

1. Leadership

Leaders empower team members by guiding them and leading by example. They understand employees' concerns and address them quickly. They also play a significant role in building and strengthening the workplace culture. 

2. Communication

For the entire team to work effectively, communication lines must be open. The manager or team leader should encourage open communication and interaction during group meetings and presentations. This helps the team share exciting ideas and work toward a common goal or milestone. 

3. Active listening

Active listening is a big part of effective communication. It's essential to pay attention when your team members share their ideas and acknowledge them. This makes them feel appreciated. Remember that active listening goes beyond mere listening and acknowledging. It also means embracing new ideas and providing feedback when necessary. 

4. Time management

This is an essential teamwork skill that includes the ability to organize and prioritize work. It includes the ability to track the progress of a project and keep things in check by following timelines. This often means delegating work when you can, prioritizing tasks, and monitoring progress.

5. Critical thinking and collaboration

Understanding problems from different perspectives and basing decisions on data is ideal when working in a successful team. This helps teams make informed decisions. 

How to improve teamwork skills and build a high-performing team 

The Guide to Managing Human Resources, published by the University of Berkeley, delivers guidelines that help leaders with their teams. The guide helps managers learn how to build an effective team.

Establish leadership with team members 

Strong leadership can help set examples and guide team members in the right direction. It's essential to have a positive influence over their members for better productivity and efficiency. It can also help manage differences in a team and solve disputes. 

Set the core values and goals of the team

It's important to set core values for team members. Leaders must communicate these values clearly. And everyone should understand those values. These core values set the tone for the team's attitude. They guide members in achieving the goals they've set. 

Team members should also know the shared goals. Leaders should channel team members' strengths while also helping them address their weaknesses. 

Encourage open communication 

As a leader, you may establish rules around efficiency, communication, and order. However, you should also have open communication channels to allow members to share their thoughts. Openness in the workplace can also encourage team members to share their ideas and opinions without hesitation. Try to take feedback from your team and address any challenges. This shows that you value their opinions. 

Acknowledge individual contributions

Team members who show great talents and skills are potential leaders. As a leader, encourage these members and help them upskill. This helps them improve and learn, contributing to the overall team growth.

Set up team-building activities

Building rapport between employees is essential to effective teamwork. Your team members will work together better if they have positive relationships with each other. There are many ways team-building can be done. Some opt for recreational activities like a team outing or lunch. Others offer workshops that encourage teams to work together. Ideally, you should strike a balance between the two.

Overcoming common challenges to teamwork 

Achieving successful teamwork can be challenging. Here are some common challenges you may face, along with potential solutions to navigate them:

Hierarchical structures

Many Filipino companies follow hierarchical structures. They include strict titles, positions, and professional relationships. This can sometimes challenge teams and hinder open communication and collaboration. A potential solution is to promote a culture of openness, where team members feel free to share their expertise and opinions regardless of their position. 

Collectivism and individualism

The Filipino workforce often values collectivism over individualism, which may affect team members who try to take the initiative. It may also affect accountability and create confusion about who needs to do which task. One way to navigate this is to clearly define team members' roles and responsibilities. It's also important to acknowledge individual talents, skills, and expertise.

Managing deadlines

Many Filipino companies have fluid timelines and deadlines. This could affect punctuality and time management in a team. It's good to establish the importance of time management by setting clear expectations and deadlines. Teams can use regular reminders and follow-ups for the members to stay aligned and meet goals. This is especially recommended for virtual teams.

Conclusion 

Teamwork enables distributed work, which helps with better efficiency, collaboration, and productivity in the workplace. A strong team dynamic helps members solve problems, communicate, and innovate better. Building teamwork can be tricky and requires the efforts of individual members to succeed. It's also important to address workplace challenges to build high-performing teams. 

FAQs 

Here are some FAQs you may have regarding teamwork skills:

1. What is teamwork?
⁠Teamwork is the ability to work together and direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It helps team members achieve organizational success through collaboration. The essential elements of teamwork are a group of people, a common goal, and cooperation in attaining the common goal.

2. How do I improve my teamwork skills?
⁠Improving your teamwork skills involves setting the direction and committing to the goals. It's about understanding your responsibilities, communicating with team members, and being adaptable to changes. It's also important to focus on the team's goals to contribute better. Remember to actively participate in discussions, show initiative, and share your insights.

3. How do you build an effective team?
⁠Effective team-building starts with establishing strong leadership among team members. Once established, it's time to set core values and clear goals for the team. Have an open discussion on how to achieve shared goals. Acknowledge the individual contributions of the team members, monitor progress, and give constructive feedback. Building rapport through team-building activities is also important.