Often, running a business comes with staff or colleagues, and with them can come some challenges. Whether it’s personality clashes, differing opinions or lack of productivity, there is a right and wrong way to go about bringing collaboration and team goals back into the equation. Here are some tips and advice on how to approach this:

Firstly, it is important to establish clear goals so that all your staff are on the same page. These goals need to be detailed and applicable to everyone within your team in some way or another. It can be a great way of maintaining a focus and something to work towards.

With this will come group discussions or meetings, and a good tip is to encourage open communication in which each team member feels that they can express their views and issues openly and comfortably. Skills such as active listening, peer feedback and other collaborative tools are all good things for your team to think about and be mindful of when in a meeting.

There are many ways to encourage this mutual respect for example suggesting ways for staff to work on their professional development. All your staff will likely be on different skill levels and with differing amounts of experience however this is where you can make them feel valued by suggesting certain workshops or training sessions that you think would specifically benefit them.

Alongside this, it is also important to encourage a positive work environment. This can be achieved through reward systems such as bonuses or business opportunities or simply relaying positive feedback. Celebrating milestones is the perfect way to boost morale and foster a supportive and collaborative work environment. It does not have to be large gestures either, the act of recognition can make someone feel that they are part of a team.

If you are struggling to foster a collaborative workspace, you are not alone. There are businesses that specialise in business coaching such as Gloucester Business Advisory https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/services/business-advisory who can provide you with ideas, workshops and interactive ideas for your staff. This will be integrated into skills you need to be working in your company therefore it is a great opportunity for all involved.

Finally, an interactive way to bring a team together if you are struggling with dynamics is to encourage social interactions. Although this may not initially be the popular choice, hosting a team dinner or organising team-building activities can give your staff the opportunity to mingle outside the workspace. You never know they could find something in common that has never come up before!