Building a Thriving Team Culture in One Hour a Week
The Power of Positive Team Culture
Did you know that a positive team culture can increase productivity by up to 25%? Building such a culture doesn't have to be daunting or time-consuming. In fact, with just one hour a week, you can make significant strides toward cultivating a positive and cohesive environment within your team.
5 Strategies to Enhance Team Culture Weekly
Volunteer Together:
Whether through company CSR initiatives or personal days for volunteering, regular volunteer activities can unify teams and reignite their sense of purpose. For example, during my tenure with an organization addressing homelessness, my team and I spent quarterly shifts serving lunch to community members. This fostered camaraderie and reminded us of our organization's mission. If you need to be office-based, engage in activities like assembling toiletry kits or organizing virtual fundraisers. [Time spent: 3 hours/quarter or 15 min/week]
Learn Each Other's Roles:
After fostering camaraderie through volunteer activities, the next step is to deepen your team's understanding of each other's roles. Spotlighting team members in meetings to share their daily experiences unveils surprising insights and fosters mutual appreciation. For instance, during one of our meetings, a data entry colleague showcased their mastery and speed with a CRM, which amazed and inspired other managers. Positioning team members as subject-matter experts promotes respect, collaboration, and productivity. [Time spent: 20 minutes/month or 5 minutes/week]
Problem-Solve Together:
I dedicated space during group meetings for one team member to present a challenge specific to their role. The team collectively workshopped solutions, offering diverse perspectives and practical ideas. Focusing on principles ("Where do you think that roadblock stems from?”) rather than prescriptions ("Just set up your spreadsheet the way I do.”) encouraged collaborative problem-solving. [Time spent: 20 minutes every other week or 10 minutes/week]
Get Out of the Office:
Incorporate practical breaks into meetings or one-on-ones, such as quick trips for food or taking a brief outdoor walk. Occasionally, shift your meetings outdoors entirely. Each quarter, my team would pick up lunch and convene our meeting in a nearby park, which provided a refreshing change of scenery and boosted our creativity. [Time spent: 60 minutes/quarter or 5 minutes/week]
Read a Book Together:
[Before you dismiss this as another task on your already-packed schedule, hear me out.] Investing in team professional development through shared reading yields significant returns and positively impacts staff culture. My team blocked out dedicated reading time (in their calendars) and shared key takeaways bi-weekly. They chose books that addressed pain points and growth opportunities, such as Deep Work by Cal Newport (a response to the common question, "How can I be productive amidst constant distractions?"). Applying the author's principles resulted in noticeable improvements, for one team member significantly transforming her practices and enhancing productivity. [Time spent: 50 minutes biweekly or 25 minutes/week]
Implementing Your One-Hour Team Culture Plan
By dedicating an average of one hour per week to intentional activities, you can improve team dynamics, enhance collaboration, and foster a sense of purpose and mission in your team.
