Jun 01, 2020
Written by: Mark Hirschfeld, VP of Research and Strategy, BI WORLDWIDE
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Keep business going and employees engaged with research that reinforce how cruicial teamwork is for employees to succeed in times of change.
Scroll DownIn the midst of the current pandemic have come problems and challenges in our workplaces that none of us have ever faced. We need to get creative about how to keep our businesses going in spite of these challenges. New ideas and novel approaches will help us take care of our customers and get work done.
In 2010, Leigh Branham and I wrote a book called Re-Engage: How
America’s Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times. Because we were still in recovery from the 2008 financial collapse, we offered advice on how to inspire and engage employees in “turbulent times”.
A decade ago some organizations were building effective teams and in doing so, were thriving. Those organizations rated far higher on this survey item: “My team collaborates, effectively leveraging individual strengths”. Current research reinforces that teamwork is crucial for employees in times of change. According to my colleague Dr. Charlie Heidrick, “those who report having a strong sense of teamwork in their job are twenty-two times more likely to be engaged at work than those who don’t.”
In review of the advice on teamwork and collaboration we offered a decade ago, our recommendations still hold true, with an exception noted based on the current social distancing recommendations. We need to engage, and re-engage, our teams as we face this pandemic together. Here’s what you can do:
Now more than ever we need to make sure our team members know we’re in this together and are working to create a collaborative work environment.