Most of us can agree that teamwork is more than just a buzzword, it is a cornerstone of success in business. Harness teamwork and this team-oriented approach will ensure that everybody is working in sync, driving innovation, and improving overall performance. Still, we might not realize just how beneficial it is for problem-solving, communication, decision-making, innovation, organizational efficiency, and overall performance.

In this installment of The Productivity Box, let’s discuss the impact of teamwork on personal and collaborative success.

What exactly is teamwork?

It’s a common misconception that teamwork and collaboration are interchangeable. Both of these assets lead to valuable contributions, but it’s important to know the distinctions between them.

There are many ways to explain teamwork. Mostly, it is defined as the interpersonal qualities you need to partner effectively with others and to ultimately reach a shared goal. This includes the following:

• Define roles and expectations
• Allocate resources equally
• Prioritize conflict resolution
• Actively listen and communicate
• Manage time efficiently
• Be adaptable and enthusiastic
• Accept constructive feedback
• Make decisions inclusively
• Practice unity and alignment
• Treat one another with respect
• Finish tasks in a reliable manner

How does teamwork help collaboration?

If teamwork refers to a set of interpersonal skills, then collaboration is the process of mobilizing those skills into action. Whether employees are joining forces to brainstorm an idea, execute a project, deliver a presentation, retool a system, or land a new account, strong teamwork is one of the main ingredients for a successful collaboration.

According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, here’s how teamwork can help foster collaborative outcomes on the job:

• Builds social cohesion (or solidarity) in a group
• Creates valuable learning opportunities
• Reinforces personal initiative and motivation
• Introduces new ways of problem-solving
• Boosts goal orientation and task engagement
• Nurtures flexible and creative thinking
• Promotes radical (or revolutionary) innovation

Together, these results can boost productivity—both in your own workflow and on a macro organizational scale. Now that we’ve examined how collaboration is enhanced when you harness teamwork, let’s zoom into the influence of effective teamwork on your performance as a whole.

Teamwork and performance, the data

It may seem obvious that working as a team would make everyone more effective—two heads are better than one, right? Well, let’s look at exactly why that is. One great way to break this down is with the results from a 2024 report from Gitnux. They found several correlations between work environments that harness teamwork and elevate performance outcomes, including:

• 64 percent would rather work in teams because they feel it bolsters success.
• Companies that harness teamwork are five times as likely to be high performers.
• Projects that require 26 to 40 hours of teamwork every week generate more effective results than projects with 11 to 25 hours of teamwork.
• Team contributions outperform solo tasks more than 80 percent of the time, which increases job satisfaction and workplace morale.

When harnessed correctly, teamwork will equip your team with everything they need to level up, both individually and together. What’s more, teamwork benefits everyone now and down the line as well. Let’s dig in.

Learn, grow, and hone new skills

Partnering with others creates a unique opportunity to learn from them. This allows employees to build on their current knowledge base—while also developing new skills to further their career growth and support the company.

Teamwork contributes to both technical and interpersonal skill-building such as decision-making, leadership, communication, or adaptability, according to The Psychology: Research and Review Journal.

Encounter diverse points of view

Exposure to different outlooks from team members of various backgrounds can transform how employees approach a scenario. Diverse collaborations bring fresh perspectives to the table, which will spark creative, resourceful solutions and encourage new ideas to flourish.

According to research from McKinsey, diverse teams are more likely to radically innovate in response to business shifts and they’re also 39 percent more likely to outperform more homogeneous teams.

Accomplish goals more efficiently

When you set common goals as a team, and then work cohesively to pursue them, this can lead to collective and personal success. Another study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that teams, who establish a cooperative goal and a clear time frame to reach it, are more motivated to take initiative, share the workload, overcome challenges, and put effort into their own contributions. This will maximize efficiency and productivity.

Decrease the potential for burnout

About 8 in 10 employees consider themselves at risk for burnout this year, according to a 2024 Global Talent Trends Report. Burnout can lead to chronic stress, fatigue, pressure, absenteeism, frequent errors, and high turnover rates, all of which hurt productivity. However, another study in the Human Resources for Health Journal shows that quality teamwork can help reduce emotional burnout and exhaustion, boost morale and re-energize professional achievements.

For true wonders, harness teamwork!

A strong emphasis on teamwork will do more than teach your team how to collaborate with others. It will also make everyone a curious listener, an effective communicator, a flexible problem solver, an enthusiastic contributor, a trusted coworker, and a high performer. As everyone focuses on building new skills, don’t overlook the impact of teamwork in furthering that goal.

And keep reading this series every month. I’m gathering small, but powerful productivity hacks to help you work more efficiently. Stay productive!