Team Well-being: Why it matters for your team’s success.

Insights from the Workplace Well-being and Team Research Study 2023.

In 2023, my colleague Rich Thompson and I continued our work exploring the relationship between workplace well-being, personality, and teamwork. Building on our earlier studies, between 2016 to 2023, we used our Global Workplace Well-being Inventory (GWWI) to investigate trends in workplace well-being across a global workforce. Our goal for the most recent study was to deepen our understanding of interactions between a person’s psychological well-being, personality, and team functioning—topics that are increasingly important as workplaces evolve in the post-pandemic era. This was our first study focusing on how a person’s well-being relates to how well their team functions in the workplace.

Measuring Workplace Well-being

We developed the Global Workplace Well-Being Inventory (GWWI) to expand on previous work of leading researchers in the field, who found positive well-being, or “flourishing,” is more than just being “happy” (Seligman, 2011; Diener & Tay, 2012).

Our research identified six factors that make up workplace well-being:

1. Positive emotions—frequent feelings of happiness, contentment, pleasure

2. Relationships—mutual feelings of caring, support, satisfaction

3. Engagement—deep psychological connection and absorption in an activity or cause

4. Meaning—a sense of purpose and direction

5. Accomplishment—success or mastery for its own sake

6. Negative emotions—low levels of anxiety, pessimism, depression

Our research from more than 20,000 people since 2016 consistently found higher levels of employee well-being are associated with multiple workplace outcomes including high levels of organisational commitment, job satisfaction, co-worker support, psychological safety and lower levels of workplace stress (Boult, Thompson, & Schaubhut, 2019, Boult & Thompson, 2022). This led us to explore how well-being may be associated with team performance.

Evaluating Team Functioning

Our most recent study investigated whether people’s experiences within their team related to their well-being. To measure team functioning, we developed a set of survey items grounded in both research of team performance and feedback from client teams we’ve worked with in consulting projects.

The elements of team functioning we examined were:

• Team Trust: The confidence team members have in one another’s intentions, reliability and competence.

• Purpose: How motivated and aligned the team is towards a shared purpose and goals.

• Participation: The extent to which all members contribute to the team, beyond their individual responsibilities and follow through on team decisions.

• Constructive Team Communication: The ability of the team to openly share perspectives and engage in constructive debate to reach the best decision.

• Accountability: The shared responsibility team members have for holding each other accountable for setting and achieving goals.

• Team Practices: How effectively the team uses agreed-upon processes (e.g. meetings, planning tools, workflow measures) and resources.

• Adaptability: The team’s ability to challenge the status quo to make improvements and work together when facing unfamiliar situations.

Key Findings: The Correlation Between Well-being and Team Functioning

Our analysis revealed individual well-being and the quality of team functioning to be significantly correlated. The well-being factors of positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment were particularly associated with positive team behaviours. People who viewed their team as high-functioning—especially in terms of trust, accountability, and adaptability—also reported higher levels of well-being. What does this mean for teams and their leaders?

Employees who work in well-functioning teams experience greater well-being, including more positive emotions and higher levels of engagement and meaning in their work. They are also more likely to feel a sense of accomplishment and are less likely to experience negative emotions.

Importantly, these results reinforce that team dynamics and well-being are not isolated factors—they influence one another in a mutual relationship.

Evidence from Other Studies

Our findings align with previous research, such as work by Kozlowski and Ilgen (2006), which highlighted the centrality of teamwork in modern organisations and its impact on employee satisfaction and productivity. Similarly, Hackman’s (2002) team effectiveness research underlined that teams with strong communication, trust, and accountability systems create environments where individuals can thrive both personally and professionally.

Our findings also supported research by Salas, Cooke, and Rosen (2008), which identified the importance of psychological safety and team cohesion for fostering both well-being and team performance.

Strategies for Enhancing Team Well-being and Performance

Looking at our research findings, there are several actionable strategies I recommend for organisations wanting to improve both team functioning and employee well-being:

• Invest in team building and development: Organisations that prioritise team development which fosters trust, collaboration and clear communication, create a foundation for team effectiveness. However, these essential elements don’t develop without attention and effort. I have seen how intentional team-building in executive to operational teams, creates and maintains cohesion, engagement and performance.

• Establish psychological safety: Creating a work environment where employees genuinely feel safe to voice opinions, share ideas, and engage in open dialogue is key to both well-being and team success. The most effective team leaders model and promote, inclusion, openness, opportunities for feedback and constructive debate within their team.

• Have a motivating team purpose: Teams that share a clear motivating purpose are more engaged and report higher levels of well-being and commitment. The purpose gives teams a focus and reason for persisting when inevitable challenges or setbacks occur. Leaders need to ensure all members contribute to shaping the purpose and how their individual contributions support the larger organisational goals. I have found reinforcing the purpose in team activities keeps them focused on the priorities and tasks that matter.

• Build adaptability and innovation mindsets and skills: The ability to adapt to change and unexpected events is critical for teams. Encouraging your team to experiment with new tools, processes, and methods, and providing them with the resources to do so, is associated with better well-being and team performance. A highly innovative team I worked with created regular opportunities to test ideas and new ways of working on every project. This enabled all team members to be authors of change rather than passive bystanders.

• Make accountability the team norm: Accountability fosters trust and ensures everyone is contributing to the team’s success. When I see team members holding each other accountable for progress and outcomes, they also experience higher well-being and productivity. Leaders can foster this by setting clear expectations and consistently undertaking progress checks of the agreed goals.

• Strengthen hybrid teamwork practices: When I consult with teams who work in a hybrid or fully remote format, there is a greater need for them to build team cohesion before they make decisions or attempt to solve problems. This requires clear communication protocols, regular team check-ins, and tailored team-building activities designed to foster belonging. It is also essential to consider what are the best methods for collaborating for a given issue or situation. Aim for collaboration methods that allow maximum participation and avoid the temptation to rely on one method (i.e. online or in-person) for the sake of convenience.

Final Thoughts for Maximizing Team Well-being and Performance

The key takeaway from our latest well-being research is that people’s well-being and team functioning are deeply interconnected. Employees who are part of a high-functioning team experience greater well-being by being more engaged, more emotionally positive, and view their work as meaningful. In return, teams made up of individuals with higher levels of well-being are more adaptable, accountable, and effective.

As teamwork continues to evolve where hybrid work and collaborative projects are increasingly the norm, fostering well-being through strong team functioning is more critical than ever. Organisations investing in building supportive, high-functioning teams benefit from higher employee satisfaction, commitment, engagement, and improved performance across the board.

By taking deliberate steps to enhance teamwork, you provide a foundation for elevated well-being and team performance. Try the strategies I’ve shared to help you, and your team thrive.

References:

• Boult, M. & Thompson, R. (2023) 2023 Global Workplace Well-being Summary.

• Boult, M. & Thompson, R. (2022) 2022 Global Workplace Well-being Summary.

• Boult, M., Thompson, R. C., & Schaubhut, N. A. (2019). Well-being in the workplace: Why it matters for organizational improvement and how to improve it. The Myers-Briggs Company: Sunnyvale, CA. 

• Diener, E., & Tay, L. (2012). A scientific review of the remarkable benefits of happiness for successful and healthy living. www.researchgate.net/publication/236272980_A_scientific_review_of_the_remarkable_benefits_of_happiness_for_successful_and_healthy_living 

• Kozlowski, S. W. J., & Ilgen, D. R. (2006). Enhancing the Effectiveness of Work Groups and Teams. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 7(3), 77-124.

• Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances. Harvard Business Press.

• Salas, E., Cooke, N. J., & Rosen, M. A. (2008). On Teams, Teamwork, and Team Performance: Discoveries and Developments. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 50(3), 540-547.

• Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York City: Atria Books.