Benefits and Examples of Teamwork in the Workplace

Teamwork is essential for success at work in nearly any industry. Working cooperatively with clients, co-workers, and workplace leadership can facilitate efficiently finishing daily tasks and meeting project goals consistently. Whether you have experience in your field or are just starting, you’ll find feeling that you are a valued member of a team can improve your overall job satisfaction, help you build lasting professional relationships, and add to your resume skills. Let’s explore the benefits of teamwork and see some examples that contribute to a positive workplace environment.

Teamwork is when a group of individuals works cooperatively and efficiently toward a collective goal or to accomplish a set aim. A work environment that values teamwork motivates employees to develop confidence in colleagues and build professional integrity. The positive climate that results from cooperation builds strong bonds among employees and capitalizes on their individual talents. Developing your interpersonal skills through working collaboratively with others can prepare you for future leadership roles or even help you transition to another field. Teamwork can also be beneficial by:

• Aligning team members: As team members learn about one another, they form supportive bonds of friendship that align their goals and influence them to work harder to support each other.
• Presenting different perspectives: Multiple perspectives at one time enable teams to use problem-solving skills and consider different angles to make more informed decisions.
• Providing prompt feedback: Team members can share ideas, inform each other’s actions, benefit from differing skills, and work off of the knowledge of others to adjust actions and provide more consistent output.
• Improving productivity: A team can increase the rate of productivity because it lessens the overall shared workload, pressure, and accountability on an individual.
• Supporting professional development: As team members work together, they learn from one another. They value each other’s contributions and can practice their already powerful skills while improving upon their underdeveloped skills with the support of others.

The teamwork implemented at your company and the skills you need may depend on the specific plan or project goal. An effective working team can influence the progress of a project or the prosperity of a company. Understanding your company culture will also help you determine the type of teamwork skills you can expect to use. To help you understand the characteristics of successful teamwork, review the following list of teamwork examples in the workplace.

Communication

Being a skilled communicator means possessing the ability to express your ideas in a clear and concise manner so others can easily understand your perspective. You should be able to accomplish this in writing, speaking, and through your nonverbal gestures. When working as a group, it is important to focus both on what you say, and how you say it. Being cautious will ensure that you convey your idea correctly to your team members. Some examples of teamwork communication in the workplace include:

• Informing: You may have to relay information clearly to your team to productively and correctly complete projects.
• Instructing: Working in a group requires showing others how to do things or expressing alternative ways to complete tasks.
• Guiding: Teamwork often entails guiding each other through steps and taking turns shepherding team members.
• Setting goals: Team members must communicate to form consistent goals on how to measure productivity or success.
• Managing: Teams need to work together and provide leadership through effective communication, such as clearly established expectations, defined roles, and separate tasks.
• Researching: The communication of important content and learning through inquiry and discussion reflects careful thought and the professional growth that happens through teamwork.
• Counseling: Team members can offer support to each other by giving counsel and providing suggestions for quality work and efficient productivity.

Problem-solving

Using critical thinking skills at work can help you navigate through daily tasks. When applied to teamwork, problem-solving skills will encourage you to mediate any conflict your team faces and come to an agreement that suits each member and the company best. Some examples of good teamwork problem-solving skills are:

• Defending: Expressing your perspective in a way that does not devalue the ideas or beliefs of others on your team will help to maintain a positive working environment and foster quality workplace relationships.
• Disagreeing: Some of the most productive moments are when team members disagree because it shows critical thinking and can move the team closer to a better understanding of the problem or aim.
• Agreeing: Coming to an agreement after a debate involves careful consideration from each member and is typically accomplished after extensive discussions through effective communication of individual ideas and opinions.
• Collaborating: Working together is the sharing of ideas. When trying to solve a problem within a group setting, you must share information in a respectful and productive way with all members focused on the same goal. This ensures the team is effective in accomplishing their goal and overcoming obstacles.
• Evaluating: When teams share ideas, team members use their critical thinking skills to consider all options, accurately predict which one will provide the most desired outcome, and take action.
• Negotiating: Negotiating requires a dialogue between people or groups of differing opinions to reach an outcome that is agreeable to all involved. Transferring of ideas facilitates problem-solving and helps teamwork progress toward understanding.
• Defining: Teamwork requires working toward a clearly defined outcome and team members’ abilities to delineate their ideas effectively for other group members.
• Managing: Teamwork often requires team members to monitor themselves, their own actions, and the progress of those around them. Self-governing strategies and many other transferable skills help teams function effectively without outside management.

Dependability

It’s important to establish yourself as a reliable person at work who performs consistently and is available to support other team members. Being a reliable team member shows other members that they can count on you and promotes trust in the workplace environment. Some examples of how you can show dependability teamwork are through:

• Participating: being an active team member requires contributing to the overall group dynamic. Your participation in discussions, tasks, or team-building activities led by management shows your dedication to your workplace environment and industry.
• Monitoring: Reviewing and evaluating a team’s progress is a continuous process requiring teamwork. The entire team must collectively and objectively assess the completed work and critique the outcome. Monitoring for progress and end product ensures a high quality of output.
• Motivating: Because the group depends on the abilities of each team member, contributing to a supportive environment and motivating others to do a good job becomes elemental in teamwork and the team’s overall success. Inspiring others through utilizing and highlighting individual strengths, encouraging risk-taking, and celebrating accomplishments together empowers teammates are powerful motivating factors and quality examples of teamwork.
• Committing: Dedicating yourself to supporting others in the completion of a collective goal instills trust, helps to develop strong friendships, and expresses a passion for your industry.

Respectfulness

Showing a mutual understanding and consideration of others’ ideas, feelings, and contributions to the team’s success will make them feel appreciated. When you acknowledge others through genuine care, consistent eye contact, and a friendly demeanor, you establish a positive work atmosphere and hone various soft skills for success at work. Teamwork example activities for respect are:

• Listening: An example of successful teamwork is effective active listening skills. Maintaining eye contact when others are talking, having open and friendly body language, and responding appropriately to the questions and comments of others establishes a professional work environment and shows good teamwork.
• Empathizing: Understanding others’ views and showing appropriate responses to the experiences and knowledge of teammates develops a strong rapport among team members. Inviting the ideas of others, welcoming differing perspectives, creating an environment through positive feedback where all feel safe to share contributes to a positive atmosphere for teamwork.
• Reflecting: You can validate the ideas and feelings of team members by reflecting on what they say verbally and expressing genuine interest. Valuing individuals on a team align themselves with team and company objectives and actively work to achieve those goals and objectives.

Creativity

Grouping team members with different backgrounds and experiences can facilitate better innovations. The differing perspectives on teams work to find a common ground and often lead to innovative ideas, methodologies, or products. You can work to further develop your growth mindset through team collaboration and effective teamwork examples of:

• Developing: Teamwork is a process that is continually changing. As the team learns from one another, they develop the skills needed to work productively with each other.
• Sharing: One of the greatest benefits and examples of teamwork is the sharing of ideas and responsibilities.
• Building: Teamwork functions by focusing on the strengths each member contributes, but also allows for a safe environment to learn new skills or improve on weaker ones. Valuing the strengths of others helps build individuals by providing organic professional development opportunities and improves team performance.

The opportunity to work collaboratively on a team can be an exceptional experience that provides opportunities for career advancement. The teamwork examples mentioned here encompass some skills and abilities necessary to thrive in an environment that cultivates a positive company culture. Tell us what your experience has been like working at your company!