Posted on January 21, 2014 by Tricia Borren

More likely than not, you’ve heard the old phrase, “There’s no I in team.” While this cliche has become overused at points, it does hold an important truth. In order for a company to successfully function, the employees need to be working together in unison. What are ways that you can motivate your employees to get along and to work better together?

Create shared goals

In the open workplace, employees might feel as though they are in constant competition with one another to come up with the next big idea. Instead of pitting them against each other, create a common, shared goal. Whether you want to reach a record number of sales by the end of the month or put the finishing touches on a marketing campaign, employees can work together to accomplish these goals.

Schedule like-minded individuals to work at the same time

Some places do not have the flexibility to change their schedules around. However, if you do, let this work to your advantage in terms of employee cooperation and cohesion. When you are creating the schedule, try to divide it up into blocks of time. Each of those blocks can be occupied by people who work well with one another, and you’ll surely develop a greater sense of unity.

Host social events

Employees often have trouble getting along with one another because they do not really know each other. In the workplace, they do not necessarily get a lot of time to mingle or socialize. To work on this component, host social events. You might have a company retreat, or you may throw an elaborate holiday party each year.

Host training sessions

When you want people to work together in a more efficient manner, you should consider bringing in a professional on the subject, such as a certified business coach. This person can lead team building activities in the workplace, conflict resolution training, communication skills training, and more. Better yet, you can consider hiring a company like to help organize company treasure hunts, themed parties, and other fun events. Not only will employees learn how to work together better, but they will also learn the reasons why it is important to do so.

Give staff a place to voice their complaints

Employees might also get testy or annoyed with one another because they don’t feel as though the human resources department is going to help them out. This department should be open and willing to speak with employees about issues. Otherwise, the employees will try to resolve them among themselves and possibly create a bigger mess. Having an outside representative or third party step in can make all of the difference. Cohesion and unity within the workplace are necessary, and these are some ways to start building up these factors.