How to Build Positive Team Culture

Every organisation has a team culture, but not every culture is positive. Learn how to build a healthier culture in your not-for-profit.

Authored by: iClick2Learn Team

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3 Ways to Build Positive Team Culture

Your organisation’s culture is the collection of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours that make up the broader atmosphere. Every organisation or workplace has a culture, but not every culture is healthy.

Signs of a healthy/positive team culture include:

Clearly stated values
Minimal organisational politics
High morale among staff/volunteers
Open lines of communication
Positive relationships
Strong leadership
High engagement
Emphasis on learning and developing

How people communicate, learn, resolve conflicts, and collaborate within a team depends a lot on work culture. Leaders can help build positive team culture by cultivating an atmosphere that encourages shared ideas and reminds people of their value.

Prioritise Communication

Open communication is vital to the success of any not-for-profit. A healthy team culture encourages questions, feedback, and discussions, so each member feels heard and supported.

Staff and volunteers thrive when they know they can share ideas and express concerns without fear of reprimand. While not everyone’s suggestions will be implemented, team members know their feedback is welcomed and thoroughly considered. And this encourages them to keep sharing.

Regularly Reinforce Your Values

Nothing kills morale quicker than a lack of direction. Though plans and goals might change, your not-for-profit’s values never do. When you reinforce positive values, your team feels safe, supported, and confident in the team’s direction.

Positive team culture values might be:

We step up to help each other in uncertain times.
We celebrate individual strengths and contributions.
We practice active listening to ensure all members are heard.
We always welcome feedback, ideas, and suggestions.
We value inclusivity and diversity.

No team culture is perfect, but having an idea of cultural goals helps keep everyone aligned and motivated. Regular reminders of your “dream team culture” will encourage positive evolution and growth within your organisation.

Get Together

Whether working remotely or in person, consistent engagement is vital to healthy team culture. There is no more excellent motivator than human connection. When your team feels comfortable and familiar, ideas flow more freely, and morale improves.

These tips can encourage positive outcomes in meetings/discussions:

Make sure everyone knows the meeting’s topic(s) beforehand.
Make sure everyone knows what the meeting is meant to achieve.
Leave space for people to ask questions, share ideas, and give feedback.
Start the discussion by reinforcing the topic(s) and agenda.
If the conversation goes off track, ask, “does this discussion achieve our desired outcome?” If not, table the discussion for another time.

Positive Team Culture: Conclusion

A healthy team culture leads to better outcomes for your organisation. It improves attitudes, increases productivity, and reduces turnover. When staff and volunteers feel supported, safe, and valued, they can focus their energy on advancing the mission/purpose of your not-for-profit.

If your team is working and meeting remotely, you might enjoy our video series Tips for Working Outside the Office. We go over setting up an optimal home office environment, systems and apps to get the job done, and much more.