Every team has challenges, whether that’s conflict, a lack of trust or poor engagement. But it’s the way that we deal with those challenges that ultimately determines our success.
It’s easy to look past difficulties and challenges in your team when you’re focusing on the job at hand, but these problems are unlikely to simply disappear on their own. If the challenges become too much, you could end up with a disjointed workforce that is noticed by your customers.
Understanding what are the key challenges that teams face can help you to identify issues within your own team and work to overcome them.
Here are the top 15 team challenges faced in the workplace, along with our top tips to overcome them.
1. Conflict And Tension
The way to overcome conflict and tension is to make sure everyone feels they are being heard. The source of the problem might be that your team members feel their voices are not being heard or cannot speak up without fear of repercussion.
Once you address this, encourage open communication about what makes people angry, annoyed or frustrated in the workplace – it could be anything from how they are addressed to the office temperature. Ask your staff what would help them do their jobs better, and listen when they offer solutions.
2. Resistance To Change
Change is not easy for everyone – especially if it’s forced upon people with little notice or preparation. However, if team members feel as though a change will make their lives better and take the company in a positive direction, they’re likely to be more willing to accept it.
When you do implement change, whether it’s a new initiative or bringing in a new policy, make sure that everyone has access to all of the information and can ask questions about how these changes will affect them. Encourage team members to offer suggestions for how things could go wrong so steps can be taken early on to avoid problems. If people know what is coming down the line and have been involved in preparing for it, resistance should not be something your staff struggle with when the change finally does come around.
3. Cynicism And Negative Attitudes
It’s amazing what a little praise can do when people start going into negative, cynical or defensive mode. If team members start to close themselves off from the rest of the group, they are likely to be less productive and have a detrimental effect on everyone around them. Make sure your staff know you are aware of their efforts and appreciate what they do.
If positivity does not seem to work, it’s important that managers address this negativity within the workplace head-on. Try to understand why these issues came about – whether there was something that triggered it or if the negative attitude has simply become ingrained over time – before getting down to business with problem-solving.
4. Lack Of Trust And Communication
Your team members might not feel like they can open up to one another because they don’t trust each other or feel as though they cannot communicate without being judged. This is a bad sign for teamwork and productivity, as people often work better together when they’re more open with one another about what makes them tick.
Tackle any lack of trust or communication issues by making sure your staff know that there are policies in place to protect their privacy and confidentiality – this will encourage people to bring up any problems so you can address them as soon as possible. It’s also important to create an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable giving feedback and offering suggestions, so make sure everyone knows how welcome debate and discussion is within the workplace.
5. Lack Of Respect And Trustworthiness
If your team members think that those running the company do not hold them in high enough regard or value their input, then they will not feel motivated – especially if their input is not taken into account.
This problem can be overcome by making sure that everyone knows their voice is being heard and they are able to provide feedback without fear of repercussion. If you take on board the opinions and suggestions of your team members, they will understand that their concerns have been taken seriously and resolved whenever possible.
6. Incorrect Priorities And Lack Of Focus
If your staff’s focus seems to be all over the place, it’s often because there are problems with colleagues or leadership within the company itself. An office full of gossipers could be distracting for those who simply want to get on with their work in peace – even if it disrupts other departments as well.
If you want to get your team back on track, the first thing you should do is make sure they know what their priorities are and encourage them to focus on these tasks only. This will keep everyone working together towards one goal, rather than having some people work towards something completely different that does not align with what others are trying to achieve.
7. Lack Of Feedback And Guidance
Some team members may feel as though they get no feedback at all or lack leadership, which can be dispiriting for those who would like to see some kind of guidance within the company hierarchy. If this becomes an issue, the best person to give feedback is often a manager or supervisor – so make sure they know how to offer this kind of input on a regular basis.
If you want to make sure that everyone knows how they are performing, it is important that managers and supervisors provide feedback as often as possible. This will not only keep your colleagues feeling motivated, but it will also ensure the team is constantly moving in the right direction.
8. Low Engagement
When people aren’t engaged and motivated, it doesn’t matter how talented members of staff are – they’re not going to want to put in their best efforts. There’s nothing worse than watching your employees sit around doing the bare minimum, but this can be one of the most difficult team challenges for leaders and managers to overcome.
Trying something new is often a good way to shake up a tired workforce and get them back on track. Whether you change tasks or introduce a new reward scheme, make sure your staff know why these changes have been put in place and what benefits they will bring about. It might not be easy at first, but if you keep an open mind and think outside the box, it could be just what the doctor ordered.
9. Lack Of Motivation And Professionalism
It’s easy for people to lose motivation if they feel like nothing around them is changing or progressing no matter how hard they work; or worse still, if anyone who questions the status quo is seen as unprofessional. If new members seem to be struggling with motivation levels more than anyone else – which can lead to boredom and poor performance – then there is likely to be a problem with the company’s policies.
If you want to keep your team feeling motivated, it is important that they are allowed to have input on any changes being made within the company itself. This way, everyone will feel valued for their opinions and suggestions. Your team members should also be able to come forward with ideas for what could improve the company, as this will encourage them to take responsibility if something goes wrong too.
10. Not Sharing Information
It’s not easy to know what everyone has been up to if you don’t have a clear idea of what everyone is working on. When team members hoard information and fail to let anyone else know about the work they’re doing, this can make it difficult for those around them who need that info in order to get their own jobs done and advance within the company.
This lack of communication can also create an “us and them” mentality between staff members – managers may feel as though staff aren’t sharing enough with them and staff may feel like management doesn’t care enough to bother asking. To avoid this problem from arising, always encourage staff members to speak up when something has happened or become an obstacle so you can all work together to overcome these barriers.
11. Lack Of Recognition And Appreciation
People perform better when they know that they have been acknowledged and appreciated for their efforts, so it’s no wonder that lack of appreciation can impact both motivation levels and professionalism within a workplace – especially among newcomers who don’t yet know how things work around the company.
If you want to make sure your team maintains motivation and the right atmosphere, it’s important that everyone receives recognition for their efforts at regular intervals – especially newcomers who are anxious to prove themselves. When people feel valued within a team, they are far more likely to work towards common goals without being negative or gossiping too much.
12. Lack Of Teamwork And Cooperation
Uncooperative coworkers can lead to feelings of frustration among those who try their best to get along with others, so it is no wonder lack of teamwork leads to problems within the workplace. This problem can be overcome by having regular conversations with your staff so you can pick up on any issues early enough. If you can resolve kinds of communication issues before they escalate, you’ll have a much more cooperative team.
If you want to make sure there are no issues with teamwork, it’s important that everyone feels free to come forward with their worries or concerns about what others are doing within the company. If people feel as though they can’t speak up or share any of their opinions for fear of being ridiculed, then it won’t be long before your staff starts slipping behind in terms of performance.
13. Joint Responsibilities And Accountability
Many businesses struggle with joint responsibilities and accountability because one or two people tend to overshadow everyone else, and this can lead to resentment among the staff who feel as though they aren’t being valued for their efforts. If these issues go unresolved, it’s likely that people will leave the company in order to find somewhere where their contributions are truly valued and appreciated within a team setting.
If you want your teammates to work together effectively, it is important that they all share joint responsibilities and accountability at some point. This will give them an opportunity to prove themselves even if they do not yet have much experience within the company itself – making sure that everyone feels like they matter regardless of what role they play.
14. Lack Of Clear Objectives And Goals
Lack of clear objectives and may seem harmless enough on paper, but this is a serious issue that can lead to problems within the company. This is because employees will not know what they ought to be focusing their attention on if you aren’t clear and specific about your goals as a business.
If you want your team members to work towards common goals, it is important that everyone knows exactly what those goals are from day one. When people have little or no idea of what they need to do within the company, then there’s always going to be an element of confusion as well as frustration – especially among those who might feel as though they could have achieved more in another setting.
15. Lack Of Transparency And Honesty
Transparency and honesty need to go both ways when comes to keeping morale high within a company. If you are not transparent with your employees, then they won’t feel as though they are being trusted to get on with the job at hand – even if it isn’t part of their main roles or responsibilities.
If you want to avoid problems within the team, it is important that everyone feels free to express themselves and share any ideas or concerns that they might have without fear of repercussion. When people know that negative opinions will be taken in the wrong way and used against them in some way, this can lead to resentment and a lack of motivation among those who no longer want to work towards common goals.
In Summary
The most important thing to remember when it comes to team challenges is that they are very common in the workplace, and there are always ways of fixing these issues.
If you want to make sure your company runs like a well-oiled machine, make sure your employees feel comfortable expressing any concerns with you at all stages. By listening carefully and paying attention to what people have to say about their role within the business, you’ll be able to put an end to many of the team challenges faced in the workplace.