Culture cannot be held, grasped, or easily measured.

Yet almost half of all job seekers see it as very important when applying for a vacancy.

We might not be able to see it right away, but we can certainly feel it when a company nails its organizational culture.

Today we’ll help you set up a team-oriented business culture that’s perfect for collaboration.

Alone your employees are sharp, but in a team-oriented culture, they’ll be on point!

What exactly does a “team-oriented culture” mean?

Having a team-oriented culture in the workplace means that employees strive to help one another complete their tasks. Oftentimes, if one individual needs help, other group members will deprioritize their own work and start supporting their teammate.

Companies with a team-oriented culture place a massive value on sharing ideas and solving problems as a group, with individual performances taking a backseat to collective success.

Of course, every company needs some degree of teamwork - no group can survive with zero teamwork skills. However, some companies strive for a team-oriented culture as it specifically benefits the way their business operates.

Principles and practices to establish a team-oriented culture

So your mission is to establish a harmonious team-oriented culture, where all team members have each other’s backs? They’re going to need you to put some steps in place to help them get there.

Here’s our list of practices and principles to establish and develop a team-oriented business culture:

Co-create a Shared purpose

To kick our list off, you might want to consider working from the ground up. Perhaps you don’t already have one specific organizational style for your teams. In that case, this could be the perfect opportunity to set the stage for an optimized team-oriented culture.

Instead of seeing this as just a series of tasks to encourage teamwork, involve them all in actually defining the organization’s mission and vision (if that’s too big of a change, call it the shared team purpose). When team members are given complete agency over organizational changes they become more trusting and engaged with the group vision.

Whether you’re lacking one specific organizational style, or you’re rejuvenating the way your teams work, don’t just tell them what the mission is. Team members feeling unheard is one of the leading reasons why teamwork fails, so bring them into the fold! 

That way, it’s not just someone else’s goal anymore; it’s their goal too.

Rotate leadership roles

A team-oriented culture takes a step back from prioritizing leadership, but it still requires lead players for each group. What many companies get wrong is relying too much on traditional systems and structures. Team dynamics and compositions are changing, so have you considered creating rotational leadership systems?

Switch things up on a schedule to give everyone a chance to lead. As years roll by, it could be the case that many employees slowly stop challenging themselves and stick to the same schedule. Rotating your leaders at set times can bring massive benefits to your teams. 

Monthly or bi-monthly rotations can give a fresh set of eyes for the challenges your teams face. They’ll certainly be better able to empathize with each role in the group, which is a huge contributor to team-oriented culture. Quieter or less proactive staff will have a chance to shine and could discover a hidden talent for leading. There are so many possibilities, try this to galvanize a cultural shift!

Prioritize group-based working

The cornerstone of having a team-oriented culture is being able to overcome challenges as a group.  Most organizations already have tasks specified for individual work or group-based work, but when was the last time you reevaluated these tasks?

Minimize as many siloed tasks as you can by incorporating them into group-based work systems. You could be bringing fresh perspectives on out-of-date tasks and promoting a shared sense of collective responsibility. 

If you’re launching a new product, don’t be afraid to do away with having marketing, design and development teams stuck in their own silos. Create a cross-functional team and encourage real-time problem-solving as much as you possibly can. Optimize the office workspace to make collaborative working second-nature to your teams. 

Getting this one right means the whole team gets closer to brainstorming and troubleshooting as one, cohesive unit. You’ll enhance a shared sense of responsibility, meaning that when their successes roll in, they’ll celebrate together and be more tightly-knit than ever.

Embrace apps and tools

Moving on from group-based tasks and optimizing the workspace for collaboration, have you optimized office tools and tasks to completely endorse a team-oriented culture?

Modern technology has been moving at breakneck-speeds for years, so sharpening your tools is essential for streamlining collaboration. By getting completely up-to-speed with apps and tools to smoothen teamwork, you’re laying the groundwork that team-oriented culture rests upon. 

Most companies have embedded MS Teams for their Office 365 ecosystem and Skype for its user-friendly videoconferencing. There may however be other apps completely suited to your organizational style. If your teams often use data-heavy Gantt Charts, then Zoho Project might integrate healthily. If you’re planning on increasing group projects, Asana might help keep things simple, quick, and flexible. 

The best tools of the trade might be highly specific to your operations, but choosing the best of the best equipment can really make a difference for your staff. A team-oriented business culture relies on the capacity for group collaboration. Make sure you’re on the cutting edge of modern tools to ensure you’re hitting the mark for a team-oriented culture.

Be proactive

“It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more roses.” - George Eliot.

We really like this quote and think it captures the essence of being proactive. In a team-oriented culture, proactivity allows you to better plan for future developments. When harnessed properly, you can take the initiative to create the results you want, instead of waiting for things to fall into place.

Encourage proactivity and forward-thinking in your team members, while leading by example. That’s going to mean things like ensuring you don’t just wait until someone is behind schedule to check-in on their progress. Adapt to changes early and stay ahead of the curve. That way, leaders among your teams are more likely to give you insightful suggestions for change.

Empower everyone in the team to make decisions and take the lead when they see opportunities for improvement. An example could be a software development team in your organization. They’ve heard some grievances about slow response times in fixing bugs. Instead of waiting for the next major customer complaint, the team decides to set up a weekly bug-squashing session. See how that works? Encourage them to think this way.

You’re practically preventing future delays and electrifying the capabilities of the company. Having a team-oriented culture that is proactive can yield innovative results, so make sure this is in your company’s DNA. Keep everyone moving toward shared goals while staying ahead of the curve. There’s power in worker unity.

Work on your workshops and training

For all of the planning and preparation in the world, you won’t be able to establish a new team culture if you don’t put it into practice. Design workshops that illuminate the strengths of team-oriented culture to demonstrate to your teams first-hand.

You need to take a step beyond generic training that only teaches one-way. Use professional workshop planners or design your own with input from your teams. The key is to inspire and engage them from the start.

Use team-based workshops that flaunt the strengths of communication and problem-solving. A workshop called “Collaborative Problem-Solving in High-Pressure Scenarios” will set the stage. Give them realistic business challenges like a product launch that has been delayed. Set a timer for brainstorming, develop a solution and get them to present their plan as a group.

Facilitators should give guidance throughout the session, but let teams get creative with new solutions. Leverage their strengths and collect feedback at the end of workshops and training. Implement this feedback openly for future sessions.

By stepping toward more of a back-seat position during the workshop, you could be opening the door to trust-building and group cohesion. Done the right way, workshops can usher in a powerful team-oriented business culture, feeling energized and more deeply connected with one another. 

Use formal and less formal feedback

Just as you collect feedback and iterate for future workshops, getting your feedback right can equally enhance trust in a team-oriented business culture. Team-oriented business cultures often pull the plug on traditional styles of feedback, so let’s find one that suits your teams.

Feedback is the lifeblood of team growth. Realistically, it shouldn’t be confined to one formal review once-per-year. The best teams thrive on a mix of structured feedback and casual, real-time conversations as they do what they do.

Quarterly reviews and performance appraisals are essential for delving into long-term goals. Try out something new with group appraisal sessions, and choose a location a little different from the usual (our teambuilding retreat locations come to mind!). Reflect with your groups on “glows and grows”, meaning what things stood out and what could be improved.

Waiting months for feedback schedules to roll around might not get you on the path to a team-oriented culture, so shake things up a bit. Though they may take longer to set up, 360-degree feedback might also be beneficial for teams. Get executives on board with your idea and your teams will leave feeling cherished.

Blend new and old-school styles of feedback to establish a work environment where teams feel supported. Regular check-ins establish trust while regular and formal feedback sessions let you get into the nitty-gritty. Make feedback a habit, not a rare event.

Raise diversity awareness

Moving forward, building a team-oriented culture relies on groups made up of diverse members. It’s not just a matter of checking boxes, it’s a core value that permeates every part of the company and lets everyone feel represented. When done right, it creates a positive work environment where achievements are celebrated together, making your team bonds that much stronger.

Awareness workshops can help raise voices for those who feel less-heard and can inform teams on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Cover topics like equal representation and pay, cultural sensitivity and how diverse perspectives contribute to new solutions. Don’t let it stop at just training either, create a vibe where everyone feels like their voice can and should be heard.

Cross-cultural team-building activities can work fantastically for this too. If you have business operations in countries overseas, this could be the perfect time to help your teams understand international perspectives. The outlook of your international teams should not end at a country’s borders. International understanding is a breeding ground for overseas market growth, so consider this an investment into expansion.

Incorporate diversity in your recruitment and promotional practices to make sure your hiring net is cast far and wide, and you’re ready for the long-haul. Team-oriented business cultures thrive in a diverse group, so harness the power and elevate your teams. 

Incentivize group rewards and teambuilding retreats!

Our final recommendation is also our loudest. Extrinsic rewards for outstanding group performance should be celebrated. Think of it as an investment in the foundation of teamwork in your company.

Intrinsic rewards like company shoutouts and professional development programs are great, but to get teams to the next level bring everyone in the company on a team-building retreat.

Here at Surf Office, organizing team retreats is what we do best.  

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Here’s what we offer:

• Stress-free transfers? We got you! ✅
• Quality-assured accommodations? Check! ✅
• Engaging team-building activities? Our speciality ✅
• Restaurant reservations? That's on us! ✅
• Expert retreat planning assistance? Of course, we have this covered! ✅
• Onsite support, tailored to your needs? Absolutely ✅

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Not only this but we also have access to 160+ locations around Europe, APAC, the US, Latin America, and now Africa, meaning the sky is your limit when it comes to choosing the right location for you and your team.

Establish a healthy and long-living culture where teams work for and with one another. A productive retreat is an experience they’ll never forget.

Let us sort out the tricky logistics for you. Spaces are very limited, so get in touch now!