Let’s start our conversation with a very basic question. Why do we work in teams and not individually?
Because cooperation brings better results than individual work. And this in many dimensions. The point is not only that working as a team we are more productive. With the support of the team, we are more willing to take risks, introduce innovations, develop faster by learning from each other, we feel greater job satisfaction and less stress. The combination of knowledge and skills of team members gives an advantage, which is why teams work better on problems, work out the right solutions more efficiently and are better able to avoid mistakes.
Employees working in teams usually also feel more confident, of course, provided that they respect each other and know that they are playing for one goal. A particularly useful method is brainstorming – discussing the most important topics together is very important because the enterprise is one organism. Even if the business owner ultimately has to make a one-person decision and be responsible for it, it is very good to discuss the problem with colleagues in advance.
Then let’s talk about the details. In order to achieve any advantage in today’s markets, we need creativity, efficiency, quality and the ability to learn.
The participation of teams in making strategic decisions is also important. When running a business, one should stay ahead of trends and offer unique value. By discussing the pros and cons, you can avoid mistakes, for example when making decisions about investments in fixed assets.
However, it’s not all that simple. Conflicts arise within teams, different members have individual goals, often contradicting the goals of the organization and with each other.
And unfortunately, often many managers do not cope with such situations. Employees should be taken seriously. If employees have goals of their own, talk to them about it and help them grow. In fact, in most corporations, talking about employee goals is a formalized process.
I used to think that when running a business, I would spend most of my time on operational matters. Meanwhile, it turns out that a lot of this time has to be spent on solving employees’ problems. First of all, the emergence of various types of aggressive behavior and mobbing must not be allowed. This is another goal that is much easier to achieve if employees work in groups and match characters.
But the situation in the team is spoiled not only by conflicts. Failed projects or unnecessary reporting are also a problem.
This means that the team’s work should be properly organized. The most important task of a manager is to enable employees to concentrate on performing key tasks.
Employees, especially those who previously worked in corporations, are taught to talk to each other by e-mail. Meanwhile, we should pay much more attention to face-to-face meetings. Employees need to know each other. E-mails can be misread, misspelled text conveys emotions, which can cause unnecessary conflicts. Communication via e-mails also reduces efficiency. Sometimes we wait for weeks for a reply to the e-mail instead of settling the matter immediately in a short conversation. Mail is a very good tool for initiating or terminating activities, but employees should contact each other directly during the project. Solving problems together gives positive energy that the entire organization benefits from.
So, face-to-face meetings and teamwork not only solve problems and conflicts, but also inspire. Integration meetings are also very important – they help relieve stress, connect people and resolve conflicts.
Investing in employees is a huge financial burden for the enterprise. Many companies are trying to reduce staff as much as possible, meanwhile BetaMed S.A. employs over 3,250 people and this number is constantly growing.
Staff reductions tend to place an excessive burden on those who stay with the company. If we don’t hire people, everything will be of worse quality. A business owner cannot sit in the office until twelve o’clock at night and work as an accountant. You have to hire people and you have to share company resources with them. Thanks to this, individual areas of activity are under the care of specialists, we are not afraid of control, we can deal with strategy, development and quality.
You should hire people with passion and positive energy. This energy is easy to see during the interview. I often see her after just a few sentences. That’s why I like to hire employees personally. Then I know that they know me, if they have to be in contact with me, they feel an important part of the organization.
I have come to the conclusion a long time ago that when hiring employees I have to offer them more than other employers. Therefore, in my companies, employees have a birthday day off, this is the day when they are to celebrate, and I pay for it. I also introduced two hours shorter working hours on Fridays. Employees are not slaves, they co-create the company, so we have to think all the time what we can do for them, thanks to which they will be devoted and loyal. Anyway, I can see that more and more companies are starting to act similarly.
Of course, you also need to find a balance between empathy and being demanding. We have to be specific, set specific goals, be clear about what we mean and control. However, the employee must not feel fear, some employers like to show that they are tough, strong and steadfast. This is a mistake, because every manager can be wrong, and that’s when it is good that he can count on employees. That is why it is worth having around you people who are smarter than you and have different views.