Henry Ford, founder of the century old Ford Motor Company, once said “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Ford was a great achiever because he realized the power of teamwork, where people working together can accomplish goals that would have been impossible to attain alone.

Teamwork is the key to building company morale. Working as a team not only helps employees work toward a common goal; it also fosters an environment where co-workers respect one another and function well together. Creating great working relationships will help streamline processes and boost productivity.

According to an Express Employment Professionals survey of 15,000 current and former clients, less than 30 percent of businesses are currently offering team building activities to boost morale.

In any business, making sure that employees work well together is essential as it makes for both a happier environment and a more profitable company. Employees who feel they are part of a team tend to provide quality work at a faster pace. What can you do to better build up your team?

Make Every Individual Feel Like an Important and Contributing Member of the Team:

• Appoint a team leader to oversee the progress and to keep everyone motivated to finish a project on time.
• Assign jobs according to each team member’s strengths for the highest level of success possible.
• Praise team members for a job well done. Acknowledge each person’s hard work and dedication and be sure to pass along any positive feedback from clients or upper level management. “Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal,” said Patrick Lencioni, author, leadership expert, and president of The Table Group.

Teambuilding Activities and Ideas:

Here are some easy tips to implement teambuilding ideas that numerous successful companies have put into practice.

• Recognize each team member’s birthday by either a card signed by everyone, a birthday cake, group gift, or simply singing Happy Birthday together.
• Volunteer for charity work as a team. Your team could raise money for a cause, run a 5K for a charity, or volunteer at the local homeless shelter serving lunch.
• Go out to lunch together at least once a month to help build camaraderie.
• Set up a team rewards system. If your team completes a project successfully, consider giving them a “jeans day,” bringing breakfast one morning, letting them leave an hour early one Friday, or giving out gift cards as a way to reward the team for working together.
• Bring in a teambuilding expert to conduct a day-long session/seminar with your team.
• Form a morale booster committee to plan yearly events such as company picnics and BBQs, company softball games, a potluck or Easter egg hunt — anything to get the company employees together to have fun and get to know each other.

Almost 40 percent of clients surveyed by Express felt that the lack of morale was from feeling unappreciated — something that can be an easy fix in most businesses. Remember, by doing team building activities, rewarding progress, and developing work relationships, businesses can make employees feel appreciated and in turn, build a more successful, productive, and happy workforce.

Overall, team building will boost office morale, and morale in the workplace is critical to the success of any organization.

For More Information:

Tim Tucker, franchisee

Express Employment Professionals

Tim.tucker@expresspros.com