Page 11 - PR Communication Age MAY 2016
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tives like to talk about team players but they don't describe downs because they bring together groups of workers who
the concept, leaving employees to wonder how their experi- have never talked before. For example, technical/project
ence on the school football team 15 years ago could possibly management and customer service teams frequently are
relate to the workplace. Because they don't know what it at odds with each other: customer service wants the prod-
means, they simply go about elucidating their tasks. uct out as soon as possible but project management has
multiple deadlines to meet and doesn't want to give poor
At the same time, it is true that companies see amazing service to anyone. However, by bringing the two groups to-
results when they move for implementing effective customer gether to solve a problem, they need to agree on the re-
relationship management first for their internal customers - sults and both sides will feel as though the other understands
i.e. for the members of their work-oriented teams. If indus- what their concerns are.
trial relation is good, productivity often increases because
employees then feel that they are a part of the company. 6.2.4. Teams need not stale:
Employee retention often decreases because employees feel The whole idea of teamwork is to bring together people
they can make a difference even without the support of his/ with different areas of expertise to address a specific prob-
her employers, and costs often fall because employees are lem. As a result, teams should be formed and disbanded as
working to solve problems management might never see. needed. When a person or a group identifies a problem,
Therefore, the relationship management always starts within teams are formed by gathering employees with the neces-
the courtyard of the organization. sary information to help to solve it. When one task is com-
plete, the team ends. When new problems are identified -
6.2. What factors motivate your team? new terms are selected and new teams are formed.
Any leader must keep these features in mind when you are 6.2.5. Resources for the team needs to be provided:
assigned some task to accomplish with quality and also To be effective, teams need access to key functions and ser-
within the scheduled time. vices such as varied technical skills and processes, customer
service, marketing, HR as well as continuing management
6.2.1. You need a specific framework/model: and technical education via consultants. They will need
Workplace teams are different from sports teams so some- money to conduct studies such as a comparison of two pro-
one has to show you what to do. As a first step, everyone cesses or benchmarking a process with other companies.
should start by sharing with all their team members some
examples and case studies. It is also a good idea to develop 6.2.6. Dealing with difficult co-workers:
the team through effective training where the members We all have people in our lives whom we don't like but we
will learn basic communication skills as well as strategies can't ignore. We also know the toll these relationships take
for setting up good teams. on our mental - and sometimes even physical - health. You
dread having to be in the same room with him. Your heart
6.2.2. Delegation of responsibilities for better outcome: rate starts to skyrocket at the mere thought of having a
The leader/manager of the team don't just bring employ- conversation with him. Worse yet, you spend hours of pre-
ees within the department together for a weekly meeting cious time you could be working just dealing with the bad
just to pass on information or listen to complaints and ex- feelings. Yet it doesn't have to be this way. You don't have
cuses. Instead, even workers at the project level should be to like everyone you come into contact with, but you can
asked to identify the probable problems to face with the make the relationship easier on yourself by following a few
costs associated with them. They should be empowered to key communication tactics.
solve those problems too.
6.2.3. Encourage within the team the vivid team inter- 6.2.7. Always begin with friendly way:
action: You'll realize a huge difference when you make a conscious
Many of the successes team-oriented workplaces have seen effort to smile at your co-worker and ask him a non-work
"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed."
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