In the dynamic landscape of today’s workplaces, fostering a thriving team isn’t just a lofty aspiration; it’s a fundamental necessity for success. A team that thrives is one where each member not only contributes their skills but also feels valued, supported, and motivated. This synergy doesn’t happen by chance; it’s the result of deliberate strategies aimed at effective workplace team care and culture building.
In this blog, we’ll explore a systemic perspective of workplace teams and strategies to help you create a workplace culture where everyone thrives. Whether you’re an executive leader seeking to enhance your team’s performance or a team member interested in contributing to a healthier work culture, these strategies will provide you with insights needed to cultivate a thriving team environment.
What do the subsystems of your brand need?
Most workplaces have a clear understanding of the different subsystems within the company such as in large corporations this is often found on the organization chart including C-level, V-level, D-level and so on with each level of the company having many different parts and playing a different role. While in small businesses this might be CEO, administrative, directors, and team members. However, it is less common to go a step further to look at how each subsystem impacts one another and what each subsystem needs to thrive. A systemic approach to building your brand is knowing no subsystem within a brand lives in isolation. The more we embrace this systemic approach to building a brand, the more we see the importance of caring for every subsystem. Just as each child within a family system has different needs, so do the subsystems of a company. For example, if one subsystem is neglected for advancement or recognition, other subsystems within the company will also be impacted by this decision and even the company as a whole.
Why is team culture important?
The culture within a brand will impact the customer experience and ultimately determine the success of your brand. Elizabeth Dixon, who has worked for brands such as Chick-fil-A, Disney World, Gap, Southwest, YMCA and is the author of “The Power of the Customer Experience” recognized this element of systemic leadership by saying “The customer experience will never be better than the employee experience. What the culture looks like behind the scenes will overflow to the customer experiences on the front lines. If people love coming to work in a place where the culture is positive, motivated, and fun, the customers will feel it.”
What builds positive team culture?
Trust. Trust is at the core of all relationships, even work relationships. How many times have you heard someone talk about how they didn’t feel like their company or leadership had their back? In other words, they have lost or never developed trust with the people they work regularly with and this will likely create ongoing problems with team culture. On the other hand, when co-workers and leadership consistently show up well and show care it develops trust and builds culture. This often happens mostly in the small moments such as remembering important events or checking in after difficult situations.
Written by: Jennifer Wilmoth, LMFT
References:
Dixon, E (2022) The Power of Customer Experience: 5 Elements to make an impact. Elizabeth Dixon.
© 2023 Jennifer Wilmoth, LMFT