Why Teamwork is a Great Way to Help Employees Feel Supported

Do you prefer to work as a team or as an individual?

Most people have a preference, but many say that working with other people is more enjoyable, compared to working completely alone. Of course, it’s possible that it depends  upon your mood - some days you might prefer to sit at your office desk and just get on with your work. You don’t want to collaborate with other people and you just want to hit your deadline and then go home. 

That’s fine, but when you work that way all the time, doesn't it become a little isolating and even lonely?

Every workplace needs to focus on mental health awareness. As a society, we’re working hard to knock down the stigma but we’re not quite there yet. Within any office environment, at any one time, you could have several employees who are struggling with workplace stress, worries at home, anxiety conditions, or even depression. Some of those people may choose to keep it all to themselves and not speak out about it. The main reason for this is because they fear being judged.

When you work within a team, you get to know each other and you can spot signs that someone may be struggling. Then, you can offer help, listen, encourage them to talk, and take a little of the pressure off them, whilst they work things out. For that reason, teamwork is a great way to help employees feel supported by one another, and by their manager. 

A high pressure environment with very little mental health support is a breeding ground for problems. In that type of situation, it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and unsupported. You feel as though you’re completely on your own and you need to high the high notes every day, or you’re somehow failing. It’s not possible to work 150% every single day, and sometimes you might have worries and issues in your life that spill over into your time at your office chair. 

When you work within a team, you’re able to share the workload and it’s also possible that you can throw yourself into the uplifting and more enjoyable way of working, as a distraction from whatever is causing you to feel a certain way. That’s not going to solve it, of course, but it does allow you to feel better and helps you to feel strong enough to reach out and ask for help.