In this blog we will talk about – ‘ Is cooperation the reason behind the success of a company?’. Research and surveys have shown that the employees from most enterprises around the world do not believe that they are able to cooperate with each other. They face a disconnect in the team they work with. This, basically, becomes the reason behind their dissatisfaction, job stress, low productivity, unhealthy competition and in extreme scenarios, a desire to quit. What exactly makes cooperation such an important pillar for success? Let us discuss this corporate attribute in detail.

In my previous blog, I talked about the importance of collaboration for a productive work environment. The most important question here is “What is cooperation, and how is it different from collaboration?”

Collaboration refers to working together towards a shared vision or goal. Each department putting in efforts to compile a project can be referred to as collaborative working. However, cooperation refers to working with each other, helping each other in induvial goals and tasks, and building a healthy work environment. Cooperation and collaboration are interdependent, since on one hand, without the cooperation and with friction, the employees shall find it difficult to work in one direction. Where, on the other hand, a requirement to work towards a shared vision instils cooperative spirit and camaraderie among the employees.

What are the advantages of a co-operative environment in the workplace?

1. Improved Communication: Instilling a cooperative spirit is directly connected to enhancing communication amongst themselves. Effective communication, as we have discussed it in previous blogs, pushes the growth of an individual towards success. Effective communication with one’s teammate at work, in turn, builds confidence in clearly putting your thoughts across in every instance.
2.  Better Decision Making: When the employees cooperate with each other, understand each other better, decision making for a team becomes easier and more effective. Division of work becomes smoother and the conclusion is reached smoothly, without friction.
3. Reducing Unhealthy Competition: As we have always read in the past, that healthy competition is very necessary for one’s growth. There’s as much truth in this fact as it lies in the fact that jealousy or unhealthy competition may lead to one’s quick downfall. Cooperative teams manage their time well, investing in growing together, helping each other out, rather than wasting time devising ways to outgrow each other. Cooperation builds a healthy relationship among team members.
4. Growth and Learning: Sharing enhances knowledge; a team which helps each other in completing their goals, grows exponentially in terms of knowledge and confidence. We’ve often mistaken jealousy as envy and vice versa. Being envious of other’s knowledge pushes you towards growth. Cooperation in a team makes member help each other without being jealous of their intellect or growth.
5. Increased Job Satisfaction: What better than a workplace where you’re recognized among your team, and there are friendship and constant work support. Cooperative environment instils positivity, reduces work stress and anxiety, and increases job satisfaction.
6. Instilling Collaborative Spirit: ‘No one has to lose for you to win!’ We have already talked about the importance of collaboration at the workplace. Cooperation is the basis of collaboration. When employees work for each other, they are more likely to work as a team towards a common goal.

How do we achieve a cooperative environment in the workplace?

The leaders in an organization are responsible to a great extent to make or break a team. If you are a leader, make sure that you work upon the following to build camaraderie at work:

Different ways in which cooperative environment can be encouraged at work:

1. Encouraging Team Building Activities: Team building is a skill which good leaders must learn to practice! The more united yet open to ideas the team is, the better it will perform.
2. Peer Review: Team members should be open to criticism, ready for debate as well as guidance. Peer review responsibility for every team member can be a great way to instil trust and confidence in the team.
3. Instilling Motivation: Effective communication with the team and conducting motivational exercises on a regular basis is the responsibility of a leader. Motivation pushes employees towards personal as well as professional growth as a team.
4. Open Opportunities: The basis of cooperation as well as collaboration lies in the fact that whether or not their work is being recognized. No individual member should feel left out or given lesser opportunities as compared to others. Fair chance and opportunity to succeed to everyone directly brings a difference in their productivity.
5. Know your Teammates: Before acquiring every bit of knowledge about your client, about their likes and dislikes, ask yourself, ‘Do I know my team well?’ The more you as a leader know your team, and the more they know each other, chances of friction are lower.
6. Fostering Commitment Over Compliance: What is the difference between commitment and compliance? A compliant employee will finish work in time and be extremely ethical at work, however, he/she may lack the x-factor a committed employ will display.  An extra edge by the employees of the company is the secret to its success. Commitment is only achieved when the employee feels included, recognized and satisfied at work. Encouraging members and building them into committed individuals is what instils a cooperative spirit in employees.

When each employee is well informed about a project at hand, he/she is able to cooperate and collaborate with the other employee to make the best out of the task. In this next blog, we shall talk about the last, but not the least pillar of corporate, coordination.

Till then, Stay Healthy and Happy!