Involving your staff in team-based activities may
increase CRM.
Teamwork, effective work teams, and team building
are popular topics in todayís multi-channel
organizations. Successful teams and teamwork fuel
the accomplishment of your strategic goals.
Effective work teams magnify the accomplishments of
individual employees and enable you to better serve
customers.
If you're experimenting with ongoing
teams, start with a few to determine what team
activities your organization can support. Teams
require resources, and especially, time. Your teams
are most effective when:
- A diverse group of employees is able to
participate.
- You limit the number of teams on which any one
employee may participate.
- The teams establish a regular meeting schedule.
- You require periodic team goal setting.
- Minutes or notes are posted from team meetings
or projects, and
- Teams self-perpetuate by regularly adding newer
employees.
There are five work teams that every
organization needs.
Iíve seen many different approaches to team
roles and responsibilities. Different organizations
may also group responsibilities differently. As an
example, a client recently asked the safety
committee to take on employee wellness
responsibilities in her organization. The team
refused, preferring instead to add environmental
responsibilities. With this in mind, these are the
five teams most frequently recommended.
1.
Leadership Team
Often an organizationís
senior managers or department heads, the leadership
team is the group that must pull together to lead
your organization. The leadership team is
responsible for the strategic direction of your
company. The leadership team plans, sets goals,
provides guidance to, and manages your
organization.
2. Motivation or Employee
Morale Team
Known by different names in
various organizations, the Employee Morale Team
plans and carries out events and activities that
build a positive spirit among employees. The teamís
responsibilities can include activities such as
hosting employee lunches, planning company picnics,
fund raising for ill employees, and fund raising for
philanthropic causes. They lead the celebration of
company milestones, employee birthdays, and the
arrival of new babies. They sponsor company sports
teams. Have fun with this team since the only limit
is the imagination of its members.
3.
Safety and Environmental Team
This team
ensures the safety of employees in the work place.
It takes the lead in safety training, monthly safety
talks, and the auditing of housekeeping, safety, and
workplace organization. The team provides recycling
and environmental policy recommendations and
leadership as well.
4. Employee Wellness
Team
The wellness team focuses on health and
fitness for employees. Popular activities include
walking clubs, running teams, and periodic testing
of health issues such as high blood pressure
screening. The wellness team can sponsor whole
person wellness activities such as how to make a
budget or lunch. It can also learn about investment
productsónot investment advice.
5. Culture
and Communication Team
This team works to
define and create the defined company culture
necessary for the success of your organization. The
team also fosters two-way communication to ensure
employee input up the chain of command. It may
sponsor the monthly newsletter, a weekly company
update, quarterly employee satisfaction surveys, and
an employee suggestion process.
Start several
company teams such as these, and nurture their
success. Remember, teams are a means to an end, not
an end in themselves. But do involve people from
different parts of the companyómix managers and
staff members. Let them get to know one another,
what they do. Introduce marketing and merchandising
folks to call center and warehouse peopleóto finance
and IT personnel. When your people see successful
teams, more of them will become interested in
serving on the teams. The teams make your company a
better place to work and provide the opportunity for
real employee involvement and commitment. And maybe
a better customer experience.
Executive Search International