Many businesses recognise the importance of working in groups to create a team effort in a project. However, Brits in particular are known for their dislike of ice breaker activities, team building days, group activities, project collaborations and so on. But why is this?
According to ehow.co.uk, there are many reasons why we hate working in groups in a work environment. Firstly, impressing the boss seems to be a big burden on many employees. With competition at an all-time high, quieter work members may find it difficult to get their voice heard or noticed. Another reason we hate to work in groups? The resentment we may get from other workmates if we get things right. Also, how do we distribute workloads? What if one person does all the work, but another gets all the praise? How do we effectively track who has done what?
These are common reasons for resenting group activities and projects, but there are so many reasons that businesses still want to utilise teams effectively.
Lone Working is not Motivational
One reason is that lone working can be very counterproductive, and working in a team means everyone can be on board with the same ideas and hear changes as soon as they happen. There is also the old saying ‘two minds are better than one’ so the more brains we have on the team, the better the end result is likely to be.
Regular meetings would help this process, along with technology geared up to help share work that is being collaborated on effectively.
Collaborative Software could be the Key to helping Teams Work More Effectively
Some businesses invest in specific programs, whereas others use Google Drive and Dropbox to help fuel content sharing, collaboration and delivery.
With certain software like that provided by thruinc.com, you can easily and seamlessly share work with your team using secure ad hoc file transfer systems that help you stay on top of workloads, so that teams can work from separate locations without disruption or the worry of security issues or interception from external sources. What is also interesting to note is that Thru’s services can be accessed from any location or device at any time, ensuring that work continues outside of the office and files are secured. So, your team can stay working together on the morning commute, or over the weekend if someone has a sudden good idea and wishes to access the project online. For members of staff who want to contribute but can’t seem to find their voice in the meeting room, this sort of service means they can have their say and be seen by other team members easily.
In terms of tracking who has contributed what, these kinds of programs can also assist. Take Google Drive, for instance. The boss can log into your latest project document and see exactly who has contributed what, and when. They can even tell when you logged on, and can comment on progress as it happens. This makes working in a team far more productive and less forced, which is often why people find it so difficult to work in teams in the traditional sense.
Of course, there is always going to be a need for face to face contact, which perhaps Skype, conference call software and other communication technologies cannot fulfil. Bouncing ideas around a room is still a preferred method for some, even if not for others. To help get the best of both worlds, businesses can and should adopt a flexible approach – use technology where required, and play to individuals’ unique skill sets.
