The Value of Teamwork and Collaboration

Author: Jeanelle Johnson, Communication & Social Media Strategist

How Influential is Business Culture to the Success of a Business? 

According to a 2022 LinkedIn analysis provided by Content Marketing, Manager Greg Lewis and Analytics, D&I lead Joseph Soroñgon note that the Marketing Industry, after holding the highest turnover rate of all industries at 17% in 2021, still has one of the highest turnover rates for employees at 12.9% compared to the global average of 10.6%. What’s causing these turnovers?

You could say that the pandemic provided some perspective but, ultimately, the workplace as a whole is seeing a shift in tolerance and expectations when it comes to one’s work environment. Employees are no longer willing to put up with certain work environments and conditions. Nowadays, money is not incentive enough for employees to stick around. Establishing a healthy and collaborative business culture is essential to employee longevity and overall productivity.

What’s the value of a Collaborative Business Culture?

A study conducted by the Institute for Corporate Productivity found that companies with a collaborative culture are 5.5 times more likely to be high-performing than companies that don’t have one.

At Riggs Creative Group (RCG), our culture centers around collaboration, care, and creativity. Having built this company from the ground up, our managing partners Steven and Claire Riggs understand the value of what each individual brings to the collective and they consistently look for ways to acknowledge and empower our team members.

This collaboration happens every day and in every way. For example, onboarding new clients at RCG is truly a team effort. From research, to design thinking, planning and creative, collaboration is how we come out with the best outcomes for our clients.

Collaboration is also required in the Client Journey

After meeting with the clients and establishing what services they need, we work together using management tools like Trello, MavSocial, Dropbox, and Google Drive to ensure everyone involved is on the same page about where we are in the project. Working from the same document, each department (website development, creative, content development, social media, video/photography, etc) outlines its service offerings based on the client’s unique needs. These tools allow us to get things done in an efficient and timely manner, and also allow us to collaborate directly with the client.

There are times when a potential client may reach out for one service and, after talking with us, it becomes apparent that there are needs for other services as well. The systems we have in place allow us to pivot and make adjustments with ease.

Collaboration happens in and out of the office

As a team, we serve together and have fun together.

Volunteering as a team is a great way to further develop synergy and overcome challenges as a team, while also making an impact. Just last week, we volunteered together at a local soup kitchen. During the two-hour shift, as we lined up along the kitchen counter, slicing and dicing eggplants and watermelon, we were able to talk and laugh about life outside of the office as we worked together toward a common goal.

At the start of July, we had our summer retreat at a local bowling alley. It was refreshing to kick back for a few hours and spend time with each other outside of work. Doing so allowed us to collaborate in a different sense. It may come as no surprise that bowling wasn’t everyone’s strong suit, but being able to cheer each other on and offer words of encouragement —  whether the result was a strike or a gutterball — definitely boosted team morale.

In both of these interactions, we learned more about each other’s passions, likes/dislikes, strengths/weaknesses, and ultimately, that knowledge will help us better support each other. Because in a true collaborative environment, collaboration goes beyond contributing one’s established skill set. When you really get to know who you work with, and when you are in a work environment where each person wants to see the next thrive, you find new ways to empower and support each other.

Discover hidden skills and talents through collaboration

Take for example…

A few years ago, we had a new member join our team as a marketing administrative assistant. Not too long after, we learned that this individual had a passion for acting. In fact, we discovered she used to do voice acting for many years. Because of the culture at RCG, she was able to incorporate her talents into her position and now she routinely provides voiceover work for client commercials and corporate videos.

This may seem small, but in a world where many don’t feel seen or appreciated at work, this type of acknowledgment and adjustment goes a long way.

As a business, we must understand that what each employee brings to the table is not only valuable but necessary to continued business success.

Remember, a truly collaborative culture fosters creativity and growth, bringing out the best in everyone and, ultimately, makes up the difference between good and great outcomes.