“No man is an island,” or as the saying goes. In the workplace, work equates to cross-cultural teamwork. This is especially true in Singapore that has dynamic businesses. The country welcomes a vibrant talent pool from the world’s every nook and cranny.
People need help to get things done, and 82% of professionals agree to this statement. This simply shows that collaboration at work is a norm. Nonetheless, managing a team is not as easy as telling someone to do the dishes. It is a complex process involving a number of challenges.
Here are some of the team challenges encountered at the workplace:
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Virtual Rising
Despite providing a range of benefits, the rise of virtual workplace only made teamwork more challenging. Teamwork is at risk when you bring together people of different culture, location and time zone with only the digital world as their connection. Research suggests that a virtual team declines collaboration.
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Lack of Open Communication
No team will ever succeed without strong communication. Open communication encourages honesty, and honesty brings forward immediate solutions to dilemmas. Singapore’s organization culture, for instance, fosters this type of connection to drive performance. Big issues become smaller when teams are open with each other. They achieve real consensus over matters easily and provide constructive criticism.
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Weak Leadership
Great teamwork relies heavily on strong leadership. It works both for virtual and on-site teams. The leader sets the team’s direction toward a shared vision, while delegating tasks among key players. Leadership is an important factor in achieving project success.
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Member Disengagement
Disengaged members can hamper their own productivity. They also affect the overall performance of the team. Lack of motivation at work poses a deep problem, and teams should do something about it.
Unlike in relationships, teams do not always start with a common ground. Challenges will always be there, but there will always be a way to go around these and achieve success—as long as you work together in your team.
