Higher Quality Outcomes
Teamwork creates outcomes that make better use of resources and produce richer ideas.
Higher efficiency:
Since teams combine the efforts of individuals, they can accomplish more than an individual working alone.
Faster speed:
Because teams draw on the efforts of many contributors, they can often complete tasks and activities in less time.
More thoughtful ideas:
Each person who works on a problem or set of tasks may bring different information and knowledge to bear, which can result in solutions and approaches an individual would not have identified.
Greater effectiveness:
When people coordinate their efforts, they can divide up roles and tasks to more thoroughly address an issue. For example, in hospital settings teamwork has been found to increase patient safety more than when only individual efforts are made to avoid mishaps.
Better Context for Individuals
The social aspect of teamwork provides a superior work experience for team members, which can motivate higher performance.
Mutual support:
Because team members can rely on other people with shared goals, they can receive assistance and encouragement as they work on tasks. Such support can encourage people to achieve goals they may not have had the confidence to have reached on their own.
Greater sense of accomplishment:
When members of a team collaborate and take collective responsibility for outcomes, they can feel a greater sense of accomplishment when they achieve a goal they could not have achieved if they had worked by themselves.
The total value created by teamwork depends on the overall effectiveness of the team effort. While we might consider simply achieving a goal a benefit of teamwork, by taking advantage of what teamwork has to offer, an organization can gain a broader set of benefits.
Higher Quality Outcomes
Teamwork creates outcomes that make better use of resources and produce richer ideas.
Higher efficiency:
Since teams combine the efforts of individuals, they can accomplish more than an individual working alone.
Faster speed:
Because teams draw on the efforts of many contributors, they can often complete tasks and activities in less time.
More thoughtful ideas:
Each person who works on a problem or set of tasks may bring different information and knowledge to bear, which can result in solutions and approaches an individual would not have identified.
Greater effectiveness:
When people coordinate their efforts, they can divide up roles and tasks to more thoroughly address an issue. For example, in hospital settings teamwork has been found to increase patient safety more than when only individual efforts are made to avoid mishaps.
Better Context for Individuals
The social aspect of teamwork provides a superior work experience for team members, which can motivate higher performance.
Mutual support:
Because team members can rely on other people with shared goals, they can receive assistance and encouragement as they work on tasks. Such support can encourage people to achieve goals they may not have had the confidence to have reached on their own.
Greater sense of accomplishment:
When members of a team collaborate and take collective responsibility for outcomes, they can feel a greater sense of accomplishment when they achieve a goal they could not have achieved if they had worked by themselves.
The total value created by teamwork depends on the overall effectiveness of the team effort. While we might consider simply achieving a goal a benefit of teamwork, by taking advantage of what teamwork has to offer, an organization can gain a broader set of benefits.
