Wudatime

Working in a group is very fruitful, useful, and gratifying, but it is not always easy. Furthermore, if it is you that is responsible for your work group to function effectively, things get more complicated. A good understanding between employees is crucial for success at our jobs.

Building good group cohesion contributes to a good work environment in the office and improves productivity. If you manage teams, here are ten simple tricks to ensure that all of your projects run successfully.

1. Try not to make any distinctions. Treat all of the members of the team equally and do not be more friendly with some than others. This will only cause you problems: suspicion will start to form and they will accuse you of  playing favorites. No one will win.
2. A team is a group of individuals that work together: make sure your team socializes during their free time. For example: instead of everyone eating their tupperware lunches at their desk, why not unite them all during lunchtime so everyone can eat together? How about mid-morning coffee in the meeting room? How about we all go down and order from the menu at the bar on the corner? Try to make sure that your employees get to know each other. Warning: this is not very easy, there is always someone who does not like coffee.
3. Avoid comments about one person from a group to another. If something seems bad (or good) to you, speak directly with that person. Be honest! Keep in mind that if you praise an employee a lot in front of another employee, the second employee will feel inferior and suspicion will start to form. On the other hand, if you criticize them, distrust will start to form. You must be sincere with the members of your team.
4. Avoid making comments directed to one of the members when other members are present. Avoid criticizing or praising someone in front of the rest of the group. Respect is the foundation of all relationships.
5. If two people are doing the same job and their responsibilities are the same, they should have the same salary. If their salaries are different, explain the reason why (seniority, responsibility, etc.)
6. Team building! It is today's popular syntactic saying. One or two times a year, take your team out of the office to get some fresh air. One weekend in a rural house will help everyone to know each other better and establish friendships. A Christmas dinner, or any activity outside of the business premises will help to improve cohesion. Of course, the costs are at the expense of the company.
7. In the case of a conflict, listen to every side. Avoid making prejudgments or assumptions. Do not ignore the conflict, it has to be cut out at the root. Keep in mind that the more time that you let pass, the bigger the problem becomes.
8. Avoid competition. Do not give prizes to those doing well or punishments for those who are not doing so well. The members of your team should not see each other as opponents, but as the complete opposite. If you give preferential treatment, they will compete for your sympathy and you will destroy the team.
9. Remember: constructive comments, not destructive comments. To establish cohesion within a team, you must be shown respect, but not by cracking the whip. If your team feels that you don't respect them, you will lose their trust.
10. Finally, keep in mind that cohesion is something the must be formed from within. Use all of your determination to ensure that your team gets along well and mutually supports each other and the work will flow smoothly.

Establishing cohesion in a society that is growing more and more individualized is an arduous task. The foundations of good group cohesion are communication, participation, and honesty. If your team gets along well, you can face any crisis that may occur.