What is cohesion?
Cohesion is more than just working alongside one another. Arguably it is the root of success, a cohesive team leads to more success, self-esteem, and workplace satisfaction. A cohesive team is one that works together to achieve a goal or target making all members feel as though they have contributed. People working in a cohesive team are often more motivated by the team’s goals than theirs as more focus is placed on the group as a whole.
Why is it important?
Now you know what cohesion is, you should learn about the reasons why it’s vital for your business. These include:
- For starters, it is easier to attract talent to a company with a good working culture than one that is fragmented. When the team is cohesive those applying for roles do so knowing that they will fit in well with the group and be welcomed as part of that team.
- It lowers turnover as the staff are happy and want to stay in the positive environment that has been created for and by them.
- The workplace environment also strengthens interpersonal relationships meaning that employees are more likely to participate in all necessary activities such as training days and workshops. As active participants they are also more likely to have a positive time from these experiences, promoting future adherence.
- Group work fosters co-operation which in turn aids in the achievement of common goals. Each member understands the role that they must perform and how it works towards the objectives leading to better job satisfaction for the individuals. Groups that have worked together for a long time have better output as they have the benefit of a healthy and communicative environment; when all members are empowered to share their opinions, ideas, and feelings output is dramatically enhanced.
Ways to promote Cohesion in your business.
It is vital that you establish a team mission or goal and then implement a plan to accomplish this. Team building exercises can help form a bond between members and also allow you to assess the strengths of each member; meaning that you can assign tasks based on these strengths which is a sure-fire way of guaranteeing success.
Be ready to give and receive feedback. The team needs feedback, explain what worked, and what could have been done better, and try to use both group and individual feedback. Constructive feedback can help the cohesion for the next goal.
It is also necessary to create an environment whereby team members feel they can also provide feedback. When they know that you are receptive, it removes apprehension. Without feedback, the working culture of the company cannot be bettered. People are more comfortable when they feel their voice has been heard.
Finally, offering rewards, whether it be a bonus or a benefits package, these have been proven to incentivize staff. Although it is not always easy to implement as some companies have small HR departments making it difficult to keep track, however, in this technological age we live in there is always an online option, using Zest’s employee benefits portal. This is a great way to relieve some of the burdens when providing recognition to staff as they can access their own personal accounts and keep track of their own benefits with only a small overview needed by management.
To conclude
Cohesion in the workplace is a learned behavior. However, it is important to try and keep it as organic as possible it should not be forced. Try to keep in mind that communication is the key. Provide clear roles for the individual team members as well as a group objective. And simply trust that each person is contributing as they should be.
