Team management is the practice of organizing and coordinating a group of individuals with a shared objective of completing a task or project. It also involves mitigating risks, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. Effective team management is crucial for employee engagement and productivity, contributing to business growth and economic benefits. Below are five reasons why team management is essential and strategies for implementing them.
1. Engage employees
It’s well known that the more employees are engaged with the company’s purpose, the harder they’ll work for it. One of the most efficient ways to improve employees’ engagement is by connecting them to the company’s higher purpose. Encourage your team managers to talk about it occasionally and let the employees know how each task contributes to it. Start sharing actual numbers with your employees. Employees want to feel that their job is essential and they are a big part of the company’s movement. Sharing with your employees some numbers that indicate progress is recommended. Additionally, let your employees know when you hit a milestone. Appreciate the people who made this happen, and share the next set of milestones you hope to achieve.
2. Build a strong culture
Building a strong culture where employees are engaged and connected to the company’s core purpose is essential. There are several ways to do so. First, encourage creating human bonds. For example, taking your teams to lunch outside the office or planning hackathons and team activities are some ways to accomplish this. Likewise, frequent calls with the team members can help you understand the difficulties employees are experiencing. Also, encourage your managers to use new technologies to communicate with team members.
3. Help your team to be productive
Build a productivity improvement plan with your team. Start with the three most important areas. Then, set the goals for that project and management’s expectations for your team. Make sure you and your team management set a good example for others to follow. For example, all managers should be in the meeting on time or join the video meeting one minute before, set clear attainable goals, and be productive. Once you’ve created a good example, your team members will follow.
4. Help employees grow in the organization
Spot potential in your employees and help them evolve and grow within the organization. Career pathing and being transparent about your plans for employees are crucial in maintaining and engaging employees. Train your managers to observe the team members’ progress. Managers need to encourage employees to discuss their aspirations and set goals together. For example, in a 1:1 meeting, managers and employees should check what progress they’ve made in the passing month toward their goals and what they should do in the next month.
5. Focus on Innovation and Idea Sharing
When aiming for innovation, you must prepare yourself for failures and outcomes you would never expect. Create a space where every employee has the same chance to share their ideas and get honest feedback from everyone involved, no matter their seniority level. One example is to conduct a brainstorming meeting where every participant must share their thoughts on how to solve a problem. This way, you listen to everyone in the room, and at the same time, your employees feel heard and valued.
Conclusion
Effective team management impacts employees’ lives and company performance. Today, companies must understand how they can integrate better into the life of each employee, be more conscious of their needs, and motivate and improve them personally and professionally. Managing a team and doing it well means creating a positive workplace, changing preconceived ideas and negative perceptions, and working to ensure a better job environment for everyone concerned.
