According to Deloitte’s 2020 Human Capital Global Trends Report, 79% off companies claim that having teams committed to the ideals and objectives of the organization is critical to success. However, only 13% say they are prepared to tackle this trend.
This low percentage could be because achieving a high level of commitment of a team is a task that requires time and dedication, two resources that many organizations are reluctant to employ with its workforce.
Talking about commitment implies talking about a relationship between two parties, in this case, between the organization and employees and, like all relationships, there must be a process of maturity and growth, until reaching to a point where collaborators feel 100% integrated within the organization.
This is why the commitment of a team cannot be taken as a short-term or even medium-term objective.
Commitment requires to know employees and offer them a vision of what value their work has and how they are contributing in the proper functioning and development of the organization. And this is not something that can be done quickly. It is not a sprint.
Quite the contrary. Working on a team’s commitment is a long-distance race or a marathon. It is a long – term goal in which you have to work every day to go advance step by step.
Cultivating a team’s commitment
Numerous studies have already shown that a team’s commitment translates into multiple benefits that are highly appreciated by any organization:
- Improves performance.
- Boost motivation.
- Promotes innovation.
- Facilitates proactivity.
- Provides excellence in the quality of services.
In addition to this list, committed employees are the best brand ambassadors, becoming the ideal prosumers in order to speak well of the organization to others.
Undoubtedly, commitment is a differentiating factor that enables companies to stand out from the competition and serve as a powerful claim to attract the best talent.
Now… How to develop this commitment?
Traditionally, companies used their efforts to promote the commitment of the teams through respect, equality and fair treatment. Although this is still essential today, successful companies go the extra mile.
Companies look to establish a stronger bond, strengthening the connections of the collaborators with their team leaders and fostering a sense of belonging, as well as their contribution to the objectives established by the organization.
When workers become aware that their contributions help the development and growth of the organization, commitment increases.
And who should you manage this commitment? Who is the runner in this long-distance race?
According to a study by Gallup, 70% of a team’s commitment is determined solely by the team leader.
The leaders who run marathons
Managing the commitment of a team is one of the main tasks that a manager has to face in their day to day.
They are in charge of working on the relationship with their collaborators to transform it into an effective one. In this sense, leaders must work relationships based on honesty, transparency, justice and equity.
In fact, the Harvard Business Review magazine published an article in which it highlighted the most demanded competencies of a good leader, which are:
- High ethical and moral standards.
- Regular, clear and open communication.
- Be open to new ideas.
- Fosters group feeling.
Under these standards, the leaders who meet these skills and who happen to be the most demanded by organizations, are those who are concerned by knowing the members of their team, to understand their current state in which they are, and how they work.
What worries them? What tasks make them feel safe? What are they comfortable with? What do they think, as a company, could be improved?
They try to identify the specific variables that affect the development of a team’s commitment in order to create action plans and strategies that help promote it.
Therefore, you need to collect information, analyze, evaluate, take action, and start over. Having the right tools is essential to walk this path and pave the way.
Team Insights, your best ally
There is much talk about the “loneliness of the long-distance runner”. But at Team Insights we are here to help you travel all the kilometers of this journey.
Our tool uses eight key dimensions that critically impact on employees’ commitment, so Team Insights becomes an essential resource to measure and evaluate the commitment of a team in quick and effective way.
With Team Insights you will be able to know your collaborators in depth, know what motivates or pains them, and make decisions accordingly, fostering engagement while using reliable data.
Only then, step by step, as in a long-distance race, will the seed of commitment, a necessary ingredient to achieve the goal of success, be cultivated.
