Working agreements are a set of guidelines that teams use to establish a clear and inclusive working environment. These agreements establish mutual expectations and navigate the behavior and attitude of the team members, defining the team`s goals, processes, and tools with a focus on productivity and collaboration.
Here are some examples of working agreements that can help teams work together effectively:
1. Respect and empathy: No matter how different team members are, respect and empathy are mandatory to make a team successful. This agreement shows how you want to be treated and how you`ll treat others.
2. Time management: Time is of the essence in most work environments. This working agreement focuses on setting boundaries, establishing deadlines, and managing time to optimize productivity.
3. Prioritization: Prioritization is crucial to stay on track with your goals. With a prioritization agreement, team members agree to prioritize tasks and work together to deliver the most important ones first.
4. Communication: Communication is critical to a team`s success. It is essential to establish a clear and transparent communication channel to avoid misunderstandings that may lead to conflicts.
5. Feedback: Feedback is an important part of the growth process, and it helps teams improve and learn from each other. This agreement emphasizes the importance of giving and receiving feedback in a constructive and supportive manner.
6. Accountability: Accountability is the key to a successful team. This agreement enables team members to take personal responsibility for their actions and deliverables.
7. Inclusivity: Inclusivity is fundamental to create a diverse and inclusive work environment. This agreement outlines the team`s commitment to inclusivity and the actions the team members can take to achieve it.
8. Confidentiality: Confidentiality is vital for sensitive information to remain protected. This agreement establishes how sensitive information should be handled and what measures should be taken to maintain confidentiality.
In summary, working agreements are vital to the success of a team. They establish clear guidelines and expectations to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. The above examples are just a few of the working agreements that your team may use to create a more productive, collaborative, and inclusive work environment.