The best way to increase employee productivity is to encourage them to cooperate. Reaching the desired goals is much easier when they do not only work together on a project but also share their thoughts and doubts, give insights and suggest some changes and amendments. However, this is possible only in the case of employees who are on good terms which each other. How can one build bonds within a team of individuals? Why is that so important? Are there some management systems that can help stimulate cooperation?
Cooperation vs. Rivalry
It is believed that in order to run a fruitful business, one should foster cooperation among employees. Despite the fact that numerous multinational companies have already the found value of everyday teamwork and partnership, there are still many employers who tend to prioritize rivalry over cooperation. Such a practice can be beneficial only in the short term since it triggers conflicts between employees and as a consequence considerably reduces job satisfaction. This also applies to passive companies which leave their employees unsupervised and don’t encourage them to work together. Fortunately, there are some very effective ways, e.g. group incentives or a desk booking system, that can help employees team-up.
Strengthening Team Bonds
There are many ways in which you can encourage employees to get to know each other. Some of them can be easily introduced in the workplace, while some others require more preparation. Let’s have a look at some of them.
1. Give employees personal space
As an employer or a manager, you would probably like your team to always work at full speed. However, you need to realize that none of us is a machine and we all need some time to slow down in our office life. Short office breaks are the best opportunity to bond with other employees. Let employees choose freely with whom they want to spend their free time and never shorten the agreed break time.
2. Let them get to know each other
People who sit close to each other in the office are much more likely to become friends than employees who usually sit at a great distance from one another. A good practice is to change the office sitting chart regularly so that employees don’t always need to sit close to the same people. With a desk booking app such as Deski, choosing a seat is quick and effortless. It also gives employees the possibility to make contact and bond with other employees who would normally be inaccessible.
3. Organize their free time
When your employees spend time in the office, they usually don’t have much time to talk to each other. If you want them to get along well and bond, make them spend some time outside the work in a neutral environment. Depending on your budget, you can choose a company retreat or a night out. Organize some activities that involve teamwork, e.g. paintball or an escape room session. You can also provide your workers with vouchers that they can spend together in a restaurant in their free time.
4. Provide them with new challenges
If your employees always have the same responsibilities and similar tasks to do, this may lead to stagnation. Try to surprise them from time to time by giving them some challenging problems to solve. The harder the problem is, the biggest number of people is needed in order to deal with it. Challenges foster cooperation and teamwork and therefore build bonds among employees.
5. Establish a corporate culture
Establishing a corporate culture within a business is a long-term process that requires lots of efforts and consistency. However, it gives employees some basic understanding of how you want them to behave at work. If your company blooms and develops at a rapid pace, don’t forget to express your expectations and show your staff what the general beliefs and anticipated behaviours are. Otherwise, you may not be able to control your staff’s working attitude.
Whether your employees decide to bond or not is their personal choice. However, you, as an employer, can encourage them to get on well. Introducing a desk reservation system or arranging some group activities outside the office is just a small step that you can take to promote strengthening employee bonds.
Don’t know where to start?
Start with us! Choose a desk-booking app with a simple, yet powerful interface. Booking a desk should be nothing but a single click! Get familiar with Deski – a desktop and mobile app with real-time reservations. Set your own reservation rules and separate office space – it’s all up to you! If you have any questions about our hot-desking app, let us know!