Idea #2: Set clear expectations for optimal team collaboration

Studies show that we are dealing with a pandemic of dissatisfied employees and a decline in employee engagement. This not only affects employee productivity and wellbeing, but also their loyalty to the employer. Turnover and absenteeism rates are therefore exploding.

One of the most effective ways to engage and motivate employees is to provide full transparency and clarity about what the team's job is and what all team members expect to work together in the best possible way. In our data, we see that more and more companies are dictating from above how many days employees must come to the office, and now managers must implement this as a team. If you do it right, it can even increase employee engagement.

How can you implement this?

We recommend using the concept of a team charter to set clear goals and expectations within your team. A team charter is a document that outlines the purpose, goals, roles, and expectations of team members and creates a shared understanding of how the team will work together effectively, efficiently, and sustainably. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create a team charter and get your team members to participate.

Add an image of a team charter in English:

Picture: An example of a team charter created with Moodtalk

Step 1: When will we find time to create our Team Charter 1.0?

Invite all team members to attend a special team charter creation session. This meeting should focus exclusively on developing the Charter to ensure that everyone has sufficient time to contribute and collaborate. Moodtalk users plan an average of 1h 30min for this meeting. Remember that it's a dynamic framework and the rules will change over time. Set the basis in this meeting and then start working with it.

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Step 2: What is the overall purpose of our team within the organization?

Start by discussing and defining the team's mission. This should be a clear and concise statement that outlines the team's primary purpose and how it contributes to the company's overall goals. For example: “Our team's job is to develop innovative marketing strategies that increase brand awareness and drive revenue growth.”

Step 3: What are the most important collaboration rules that we must follow as a team?

Companies define corporate values and management principles, but often forget to let employees and teams interpret them and define what this means for their day-to-day work and the type of collaboration. So it's important to discuss exactly that and set clear, practical rules for your team on how to best work together.

It is important that every employee follows these rules and feels comfortable with them. Make sure these rules are clear and practice-oriented. Teams often end up with rules like “We trust each other.” This is on the same level as the corporate level. How can we feel that we trust each other? What are activities in our daily work that show that we trust each other? “We don't control each other because we trust each other” would be a clearer rule.

‍ step4: How do we follow our team charter and what do we need to adapt?

Attention! The first three steps are useless without the last step. So if you're not ready to host a regular meeting (once a month, for example) to reflect and talk about how you're complying with the team charter rules as a team, then you shouldn't even start the process. Because then the whole process is useless and only ends in frustration. That's like getting a gym membership, going to an introductory event with the gym owner to use the equipment, and then never going to the gym again.

Review the team charter regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and in line with the team's evolving needs and goals. Therefore, use an existing team meeting or set up a special meeting with the aim of reviewing the team charter.

It is very important that all team members prepare for this meeting for 3-5 minutes by going through all the team charter rules and evaluating whether we are following them as a team. Then discuss in the team meeting which rules we follow well and why, and which rules still have potential and what prevents us from following them. Update the charter as needed to reflect any changes in goals, roles, or team dynamics.

We recommend that you hold this meeting at least once a month, as the working world is very dynamic. Another advantage is that new team members integrate into the team much more quickly because they have a clear framework for what is important for the team to work together as a team.

Conclusion

With rapid change and increasing demands, leaders must focus on employee engagement to ensure their teams remain productive and resilient. By introducing a team charter, you can promote a thriving working environment that not only increases employee satisfaction, but also contributes to long-term corporate success.