Various studies have been conducted into teams with a large and less great diversity. Time and again it appears that teams with greater diversity generally achieve better results. Diversity is then about age, gender, origin, character, competencies, etc. Teams that have a healthy mix of these ingredients generally appear to score better. At the same time, it is more difficult for the employees in that team to work together. Precisely because they are so different. Because it actually costs more energy to find each other. Just think about a partner who is very similar to you: it feels very comfortable because it clicks. While a partner who is different often costs you more energy because it takes more effort to understand each other. Yet those are often the friendships that teach you something because this person sees the world in a different way. And that, in addition to being difficult, can often also be very refreshing.
Less comfortable, more results
At Catalyst Netherlands we often work together with people from different countries. And then you notice, also because these kinds of meetings are often held online, that it is precisely the differences that make people learn from each other. During the games we offer, such as Beat the Box, Chain Reaction TableTop or Flat out: Formula 1, teams work on effective communication, management, team dynamics, risk management, collaboration and competition. Because it all comes about very naturally, there is a playful way of achieving a certain result together. And then you see that diversity within a team works very well because everyone makes a certain contribution to the end goal based on his or her own competencies. Where one person is introverted, the other is more in the foreground and where one colleague is very strong in monitoring processes, the other mainly stands out through creativity. It's about learning to see, appreciate and respect each other's differences and build from there.
A playful setting, best results
Because the setting, online or physically on location, is playful and relaxed, people are also invited to be themselves. Because there is time and space, valuable insights often arise. For example, about collaboration: what do people think of that term? What is collaboration? And how do you shape that? By being in contact with each other in this way, the team becomes much stronger. And that benefits the results in the workplace. Especially if you have the luxury of a team that is diverse in composition. Do you want to know more about it? Please contact us. Or visit our website. We would love to hear from you and think along with you without obligation. For example, about keeping people connected to your company. About how to achieve results with virtual teambuilding. Or about how to develop better teamwork, especially in this time when so much is working together remotely.
You might be curious about our other articles about strengthening trust between employees, the top 5 team building activities for back to live or 3 ways to make online meetings more informal from tomorrow. Then take a look here. You can also read how to keep your colleagues intrinsically connected to your company. Good luck!
