Top tips for team development

According to Forbes, team building is the most important investment you’ll make. A good, well-functioning team is even more essential in the charity sector. Charities and non-profits face complex challenges in pursuit of their missions and goals. Without good teamwork and effective team development, charities will be less likely to succeed.

 

Effective teams don’t happen overnight. A team requires opportunities for individual and overall development to function efficiently. But what does team development look like?

 

Team development is a structured process of taking your team (be they volunteers, campaign managers, or policy makers) and providing them with opportunities to develop their skills, strengths, and interests to work together more cohesively.

 

Here are some of Charity Digital’s top tips for team development:

 

 

Perfect the onboarding process

 

The onboarding process is a team members first introduction to how your charity works. A negative first impression or experience will impact their perception of the organisation and could, as a result, de-motivate them.

 

Look at the onboarding process and identify opportunities to improve training and prioritise the employee experience. Every step should be simple and not overwhelm the new team member. Utilise the experience of other recently onboarded employees by asking for their help and suggestions. 

 

The onboarding process should be regularly reviewed so to keep it up to date with your systems and processes.

 

 

Prioritise professional and personal development

 

One major reason employees leave jobs is due to a lack of career development.

 

It might not seem like it on the surface, but professional and personal development are intrinsically linked.

 

Professional development enables employees to improve their professional credentials. Personal development is about individual growth and aspirations.

 

Professional development can take the form of on-the-job training, gaining a professional qualification, or attending conferences and events.

 

Allowing team members time to focus on their personal development will inevitably improve their morale, confidence, and knowledge. Success in their personal life will motivate them to succeed in the workplace and improve their work-life balance.

 

 

Use incentives

 

Using incentives can help motivate your team to develop essential skills. They encourage other staff to perform well, increase productivity, boost employee satisfaction, and improve retention.

 

Incentives usually take the form of rewards, such as financial compensation, company perks, or awards. But there are other ways to incentivise to your team, too.

 

Organise a team-building lunch or breakfast or consider offering home-office upgrades for remote workers.

 

Recognition is important too. Shout-out individual successes in team meetings and remember to thank your team regularly.  

 

 

Listen to individuals

 

It’s a given that employees who feel heard are more engaged and productive.

 

Studies have found that 82% of employees have ideas that could help achieve their goals. Organisations that don’t actively listen to their employees face additional challenges when it comes to growth and innovation.

 

When thinking about the best ways to aid team development, look for ways to involve staff in the idea process. Be proactive in seeking out feedback, opinions, and concerns.

 

If a member of your team expresses concern about developing a particular skill set, or team building exercise because it is irrelevant or a misuse of time, listen to them and then work together to improve it.  

 

 

Focus on strengths and interests

 

Difference and diversity are a key strength. The beauty of working within a team is that every team member excels at something.

 

In order to identify individual strengths and interests, hold regular one-to-ones with your team members. Ask them what areas of their role they enjoy most. What areas do they least enjoy? Are they finding any areas particularly easy or challenging? Are there any essential skills they need to refine or acquire?

 

Through conversation, consider what your team members are already great at, and how to develop that expertise. Encourage them to offer training and upskill others. Make sure they are recognised within the team as the expert.

 

By focusing on strengths, leaders can help team members feel more confident and valued, and ensure development is owned and driven by them.

 

 

Be aware of time and energy constraints

 

Team development is important, but when it comes to planning activities and seeking out opportunities to develop and grow, it is important to consider your employees’ workloads.

 

An overworked team is an ineffective and inefficient team. It is essential to take into account looming deadlines, capacity (is the team or department understaffed?), and external commitments. For example, are any of your team members carers? Do they have young children or study commitments? Do they work part-time across two roles?

 

Always exercise consideration and compassion. Do not overschedule and be mindful of external schedule conflicts. Give employees a range of dates to choose from and make some projects or opportunities optional if possible.