Singing Off The Same Hymn Sheet: How To Better Align Your Employees

Even in this technology-obsessed world where gadgets and software are designed to make everything in the workplace more improved, employees are still the most valuable asset any business has. That is why it is so important you, the leader, keep them on the same page. It is what keeps your ship heading in the right direction. It is what ensures your business runs smoothly. And it is what encourages your staff to keep the company interests at heart when a major problem pops up.

Of course, aligning everyone one so that they are signing off the same hymn sheet takes more than just expecting this to happen. It requires a bit of leadership. So, to help you create an environment where everyone knows what their role is within the team and fosters the kind of collaboration needed to get the job done successfully, we have come up with a few pieces of advice that are guaranteed to help.

Clearly, Define The Mission

The most influential thing you can do is make the mission objective as clear as possible. That means explaining to everyone where you are aiming to go as a business, how you plan on getting there and, more importantly, what their role is in achieving this.

Get Everyone Involved In Planning

Yes, you and your line managers are responsible for the overall direction of a project, but by getting each member of the team involved can really get everyone aligned. That is because, by getting their input, you will not only enhance their commitment levels, you will be able to correct any misunderstanding too. Most crucially, though, you will have each employee invested in the outcome, while simultaneously reducing any feeling of separation between management and staff.

Be Consistent With Training

One of the most effective ways of getting your employees on the same page is to be consistent with all areas of your training. It doesn’t matter if it is technical training, compliance training,  workshops, seminars, mentoring, conduct or just project-specific training; by ensuring your training programs don’t deviate from one person’s experience to another you can rest assured that each person has been given the same education on how your business works.

Use Social Media Tools Too

Another way to completely up the sense of teamwork and collaboration is to encourage the use of social tools like chat, instant messaging and screen sharing. Not only will this encourage a more diverse means of communication, they will also help improve task completion. As a little tip, we recommend using this software in conjunction with project management tools. That way everyone will find it much easier to measure progress. Just make sure this form of communication doesn’t come at the cost of face-to-face.

Make A Road Map

There is no denying that every project requires different team members to pull their weight on different tasks, often in discretion. However, in order to make your team more aligned, it is imperative to put the entire plan in writing and make it available to everyone involved. That way everyone will have a visual roadmap to follow, which will help them stay focused on the destination.