Some people like to work as part of a team on a regular basis, whilst other people prefer to work alone.
Which do you prefer?
In many ways it comes down to personality, but there has long been a debate over which way of working is more stressful.
Do you believe that working as a team is more stressful, or working on your own?
There are pros and cons to both.
Let’s explore.
Working as a Team
Working closely with other people is a double-edged sword. Firstly, you have the support of your team members whilst you’re working together, either collaborating around the modern boardroom tables or carrying out your individual team tasks. That means that the team as a whole can be on the lookout for signs of stress and help out any team member who may be struggling.
On the other hand, regular collaboration can be loud and sometimes you just need a break!
There is also the possibility of team conflicts whilst working closely with other people, which certainly add to the amount of stress you may be under. However, despite all of this, teamwork has been shown to be a more productive and enjoyable way to work.
Working Individually
When you work individually, you are at the risk of feeling isolated, however if you are someone who prefers to work alone, this may not be a problem for you.
When you work on your own, you are responsible for your own workload, without support from other team members. This can be a good thing, because it means you know where you are and what you have to do, and you can manage your workload accordingly. For some, this helps them feel in control and therefore provides stress relief.
However, working alone means less support and less social interaction, which can be quite lonely over the course of a working week.
Most contemporary offices these days focus on teamwork and collaboration, with a little individual work thrown in for good measure. This is often viewed as the agile working model, which focuses upon the task at hand and allows the employee to decide the best way to approach it. This could mean working from an office booth, focusing on quiet work, or it could be collaborating around the breakout furniture. The choice is theirs.
Regardless of which option you prefer it’s a good idea to ensure that you are part of the team in a significant way, whether you like to work in peace and quiet or not. Team spirit is an integral part of ensuring the office has high morale, and having the support of other people is always preferable, especially when things go wrong, deadlines are hard to meet, or you’re simply feeling like you need a helping hand.
Perhaps neither option is perfect and it really does come down to preferences but maintaining a blend of both gives employees the option and it also means that help is around whenever necessary. For employers, that means higher morale, higher productivity, and of course, associated higher profits too.