10 Team-Building Tips for Managers

Positive office dynamics and a happy team of employees are a boon to any business, while strained workplace relationships can create strife and negatively affect employee morale and productivity. As a manager, a big part of your role is helping your team work together efficiently and harmoniously. These 10 team-building tips can help unite even the most disparate group of people.

Team-building tips for managers

1. Communicate team goals clearly

Employees look to management to understand company goals. When those goals are not clear, disagreements will erupt as employees try to define goals themselves. By clearly laying out goals, everyone begins in the same place and understands where the business is going.

2. Define employee responsibilities clearly

Offices run best when everyone clearly understands their responsibilities. Provide each employee with a distinct definition of his or her own responsibilities, both individually and as it relates to group projects. This eliminates confusion over who is accountable for what, and allows employees to relate without struggling over responsibilities.

3. Provide equal training to all team members

Make sure that each member of your staff is trained and equipped to complete the tasks at hand; divisions surface when one member is unable to perform necessary duties. Provide ongoing training—if additional time is needed, pair two employees to learn from each other. Make sure, however, that it's an equal teaching relationship in which both employees are gaining new skills.

4. Encourage interpersonal relationships

Most offices are busy places with many demanding deadlines. But allowing employees an occasional extended lunch to go out together and relax outside of the work environment can build understanding that will transfer back into the office and improve working relationships. This is one of the easiest team-building tips to put into practice, but it can have a strong positive effect.

5. Empower your team members

Give decision-making power to the people working on the project. Give them the authority necessary to get their jobs done, but observe the process to make sure they're rising to the challenge. Trusted employees can make decisions without fearing consequences, and good employees will value that trust and seek to make the best decisions.

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6. Provide feedback on a regular basis

Don’t make your team second-guess your opinion of their work. Be clear not only in your initial expectations and assignments, but also in your opinion of the work. Open and frequent communication, where employees are clear on where they stand, will help them feel more secure and willing to work together.

7. Reward your team for their hard work

One of the most important team-building tips is to make sure you reward the office as a group. Whether it's a recognition award, a catered lunch, or some other treat, providing the whole office with an encouraging reward for hard work will build team spirit and bring your employees back in with renewed enthusiasm for their jobs.

8. Set reasonable project deadlines

Reasonable deadlines are often subjective, and timelines vary based on need. But you can build a spirit of teamwork by dividing assignments equally, providing compensation to employees who are working additional hours, and reworking less important deadlines to allow for a little more time.

9. Meet as a team regularly

The best way to understand your employees and to let them know they're not alone is to meet regularly with them. Whether it’s a monthly lunch meeting or an organized meeting with specific agenda items, it's critical to keep the lines of communication open. This allows you to gauge not only their needs and productivity, but will also help you assess any team-building concerns that need to be addressed.

10. Discourage “backdoor” reports

Inevitably, there will be at least one employee who will attempt to report to you after every meeting, giving a play-by-play slanted in his or her favor. Don't encourage this behavior, and resist the temptation to use this employee as a fly on the wall. Backdoor tactics can severely undermine an otherwise positive office environment.

Use these team-building tips to help employees align around a common goal

Building a team means creating a noncompetitive and encouraging work environment—the kind of environment that fosters positive working relationships. When employees feel valued and know that they don't have to vie against one another for recognition, they will be comfortable and confident in working together to achieve their common goal. Putting these team-building tips into practice in your organization will bring your team together, united as one to help the company succeed.