How to Create Team Spirit

by Bridgette Redman; Updated September 26, 2017

A workplace infused with team spirit is one that is energized, innovative and motivated. Employees are eager to come to work because it is a place where they can thrive professionally and enjoy the company of co-workers. If you are a team leader or a manager, work to form your employees into a team. Your actions can create team spirit within the workplace and make your department more effective and productive.

Share a mission in common. Your team exists for a reason. Make sure everyone knows what that reason is and that they share the vision of the team. Talk about why the team exists and ask everyone to contribute a viewpoint. Ask the team to create a mission statement and list objectives to help the team accomplish that mission.

Agree upon the values of the team or work unit. Helping employees come to agreement increases their commitment to the team and their willingness to work with enthusiasm and energy.

Make lifelong learning opportunities available to team members. This gives them reason to invest in the team. When team members increase their skills, they value each other more highly for what they are able to bring to the team. This increases their commitment to each other and increases team spirit.

Bring people onto your team who represent a mix in temperaments. Different people need to fill different roles on a team for it to be effective. Create team spirit by bringing in people who can be leaders, relaters, socializers and thinkers.

Hold all team members equally accountable for fulfilling their tasks. When everyone pulls her own weight, each of the team members are more committed and more excited about being a part of the team. When everyone is held accountable, everyone is more willing to perform at higher levels.

Communicate well with all team members. Keep them informed of what they need to know, listen actively and be open and authentic in everything you communicate. Don't hoard information, but disseminate it as widely within your team as possible. Don't let your team members be surprised by news that you should have told them.

Provide your team members with the resources they need to accomplish their goals. Nothing is more dispiriting than being expected to perform a task for which you don't have the proper resources.

Manage conflict effectively. An energized work place with motivated employees inevitably experiences some conflict. Allow productive conflict to take place, but ensure there is an environment in which differences are respected and diverse solutions and ideas are welcome. Address conflict immediately and use agreed-upon procedures to resolve differences.