If the title intrigued you, here's the gist: teamwork is a science. We can enhance it by transforming team collaboration into a disciplined practice leveraging the game-changing power of data-driven insights to equip our managers and leaders in cultivating top-tier teams. To pinpoint what works and what doesn’t, we created a continuous employee listening system comprised of data points from over 4,000 teams working worldwide at any given moment, and use advanced data science methods to analyze how these teams operate and what makes them successful. This helps us continually upgrade our team practices and tools, using live inputs from team members, to improve the experience of our managers and teams and to maximize the impact we have with our clients.
Digital tools, advanced analytics, and AI are meaningfully transforming how we work. These technologies are making our workspaces more adaptable and collaborative, enabling us to react in more agile ways to improve our performance and client service. For example, had we simply relied on pre-pandemic intuition, we might have reverted to a mandated four-day (80%) in-office week. Instead, our data-driven strategy allowed us to optimize our work model, enhancing our ability to deliver top-notch client service while attracting and retaining the best talent. We ultimately found that for our teams, there is a sweet spot for hybrid work: spending roughly 50% of the time working in person at a client site or co-locating with team members in an office.
Key insights and practices to help you and your organization bolster teamwork and employee performance:
Foundational Elements
- Data-Driven Insights: Assess your data collection strategy—are you gathering data just to have it, or to solve a specific problem?
- Tech Innovation: Integrate data science, advanced analytics, and AI to enhance collaboration efficiency and adaptability.
- Constant Evolution: Use data insights to continually refine team rituals and tools for peak efficiency and effectiveness.
Tools and Methods
First, consider developing a comprehensive employee listening strategy. At McKinsey, we use annual engagement surveys, bi-weekly team surveys, the Organizational Health Index, and more frequent pulse surveys to monitor team dynamics, employee experience and performance, and client satisfaction. Even simple surveys that consist of two or three questions to efficiently gauge employee sentiment can be very effective. Utilizing a combination of quantitative analysis from multiple-choice questions combined with qualitative analysis of free-text questions at various points throughout the duration of a project allows you to generate deep insights on a variety of topics important to team members that are either enabling or detracting from their ability to perform at their peak.
However, developing these listening tools doesn’t just happen. Such an approach requires rigorous data management, deep analytical expertise, and leaders’ time and attention. Critical to this are analytics translators, a role we use effectively at McKinsey to collaborate closely with business leaders, and to work with deep technology experts to craft and interpret surveys and generate insights from other data points. These professionals are crucial for navigating complex dynamics, acting as intermediaries between analytics teams and broader business units, and synthesizing data into actionable insights that address relevant business concerns and opportunities.
The data and analytics strategy we’ve developed at McKinsey allows for targeted interventions that are most effective while maintaining employee privacy. For example, we were able to identify a small set of core practices that are scientifically proven to support team effectiveness, including:
- Powerful Kickoffs: Establish clear goals and roles at the outset.
- Regular 1:1s: Maintain open communication channels between team members.
- Frequent Retrospectives: Reflect on what's working and what's not, fostering openness and continuous improvement.
- Seamless Handovers: Ensure smooth transitions in team responsibilities.
What’s in it for leaders and all colleagues?
Regular surveys and assessments offer a structured way to evaluate team dynamics, spotlighting effective strategies and identifying areas for improvement. For managers, this ongoing feedback loop leads to enhanced team performance and job satisfaction, as team members feel valued and heard in shaping their work environment.
For all colleagues, the insights from these surveys provide access to actionable data, enabling them to refine team practices. This data-driven approach allows teams to make informed decisions about work models, like optimizing hybrid work schedules. By relying on empirical evidence rather than intuition, teams can boost work-life balance, improve mentorship quality, and increase both client and team satisfaction.
In essence, McKinsey's approach of treating teamwork as a science offers a powerful, data-driven pathway for strengthening team dynamics and performance. It empowers colleagues through continuous feedback and actionable insights, fostering a more effective, satisfying, and balanced work environment. This strategy benefits not only the individuals involved but also the organization as a whole, aligning team efforts with McKinsey's strategic goals for success.
Here are further sources to get you closer to teamwork as a science and how we live this approach at McKinsey: