Teamwork Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on teamwork.

Teamwork is working together of people to achieve a certain goal. Teamwork is the basic need for an organization to function. Furthermore, every organization has a division of several teams to perform specific tasks.

Without teamwork nothing is possible. Moreover, if any organization lacks teamwork. Then it will hamper its success rate. Thus the organization will fall. Also, it will affect the environment the people are working in.

Furthermore, the organization has a different hierarchy of teamwork. So that the workload gets divided. And each team has an expert who guides different team members with his prior experience

Teamwork Essay

Hierarchy of Teamwork in an Organization

The organization has a division of three teams – Top Level, Middle Level, Lower Level

The Top Level: This team of the organization decides the goals of the company. Furthermore, they understand the need for different sectors of society. And makes policies to maximize the profit of the company. Moreover, it also works on the development of the company and its employees.

Every company has a certain goal in mind before making any policy. This part of the organization analyzes the goal. So that the company should be certain whether the approaching of this goal is profitable or not. For instance, this part of the organization consists of the Board of Directors , Chief Executive Officers Etc.

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The Middle Level: The middle level consists of the manager and the Supervisors . This team of workers focuses on the implementation of the policies made by the Top-level. Furthermore, the team assigns various tasks to the employee sector, so that they may work towards the goals of the company. Moreover, the Middle level inspects and keeps a regular check on their work.

In short, they bridge the gap between the top level and the middle level. In order to be a part of this team, a person should be qualified enough. Because this ensures that the person is having the knowledge of all the work he is assigning to the employees.

Only then the person would be capable enough to guide the lower level. Above all the main work is to meet the demands of the employee, so that the organization can work in a better way.

The Lower level: The Lower Level consists of the employees. They work on the tasks assigned to them by the Middle Level. The coordination of teamwork is much needed in the employment sector. As the need to submit each task within a period of time.

So that the organization may run smoothly. The base of the organization is the employment sector. As without them, the application of policies isn’t possible.

Importance of Teamwork

Teamwork has the greatest importance in any part of the world. Whether it be an organization or a small business. Teamwork is the key to success. In our schools, we play many sports that enlist teamwork.

Thus from our childhood only we knew about teamwork. Because our mentors understood the importance of teamwork. That is the reason they always guided us on the right path.

At last, the teamwork team generates a relationship between two people. As we all know that human is a social being, so it is beneficial for the environment of a person.

Q1. What is Teamwork?

A1. Teamwork is the working together of a group of people to accomplish a certain goal.

Q2. What is the importance of teamwork?

A2. Teamwork enlists a level of enthusiasm in a person. Moreover it essential to save time, as groups of people work on specific tasks. Which as a whole saves time to a higher extent. Also, it boosts the confidence of a person working in any organization.

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Essay on Teamwork

The word ‘teamwork’ means working together as a team to achieve a particular goal. Humans are social animals. We tend to stick together and work alongside others in almost every phase of life. Be it in an office or home, everyone has his responsibilities to meet. Performing these responsibilities every day makes us a part of the team we are in. Upon doing their assigned work with proper coordination, a team always wins in achieving its goal.

Teamwork can be seen in a company, in the agricultural field, or any environment, you can name. Even the animals also perform as a team to survive in this competitive world. Cheetahs hunt together, wild dogs stay together avert danger, bees make their hives being united, and so on. It means that the success of a team depends on the performance of each member. They are called teammates.

In a team, there is a hierarchical system where one leads the others to follow. The leader has more experience than the other teammates. It is his experience that helps him to lead a team with proper supervision. If you look at an organisation, you will find that leaders show the path to the teammates to follow and complete their respective assignments. Every assignment is a small piece to a big puzzle. This puzzle will only take the right shape when all the pieces fall in the right place. Hence, the contribution of each team member is extremely crucial for the success of a team.

As time changed, the hierarchical system transformed. With the increase and diversification of responsibilities, the structure of a team changed drastically. It helps the companies to designate work and distribute the load. This helps in the proper management of workflow. As a person gains experience, he moves up the ladder and holds a more responsible position in the team.

In an organisation, the top-level comprises the managers who have immense experience in a particular field. With their experience and expertise, they control the productivity and outcome of a team. The middle-level managers carry on the orders given by the top level. This personnel has less experience than the top-level but more than the lower level of the team. The lower level comprises the frontline soldiers who execute what they have been ordered.

If you look at a family, there is no such level distribution. This distribution is done in a different way. The parents are those who take care of all the other family members. The rest of the members do their own work as assigned. This is where cooperation comes into the picture. If any of the family members do not cooperate with the rest, the entire system will crumble eventually.

Teamwork is extremely important. Whether it is a small business or a huge organisation, teamwork is important. The prime elements of teamwork are coordination and cooperation. Every element in a team will need to coordinate and cooperate with the rest of the team so that the workflow is maintained aptly. All the members should understand the importance of teamwork and contribute to it as per the directions given. A well-coordinated team is more productive. The outcome is extremely constructive. Companies design a team by filling the positions with the most suitable team players with apt experience in their particular fields.

Working as a team also makes new relationships. People come close to others and bond. They learn the strengths and weaknesses of others. In fact, we all start to bridge the gap and find our complementary strengths to cover the weaknesses of the others. This is how a team functions. We all should understand the importance of a team and stick to the values to give the best and contribute to a beautiful outcome.

 Short Essay On Teamwork

Teamwork means to work together with several people to achieve a goal that is common to all. We can say that teamwork is crucial for the functioning of an organisation. Without teamwork an organisation or company won’t be able to achieve its goals on time and this can lead to loss of energy and manpower. Every organisation or company has a division of many teams which perform specific tasks and without it the functioning of the organisation or company may get disrupted which will ultimately hinder the achievement of success and the goals set by them. This can affect the organisation or company and even the people working there. Every organisation or firm has a different hierarchy of teamwork too where the workload is evenly divided. This helps in maintaining the work balance and also equality among the members. Every team has a team leader or an expert that guides the whole team with their prior knowledge or experience. Humans are social beings and we are surrounded by one another in every stage of our life whether it is in home, school or office. All of us have certain goals and responsibilities we aim to achieve. All of this makes us part of the team. When we are assigned some work, then with proper coordination and planning we can always achieve the goal easily.

Teamwork can be seen in many environments. For example, it can be seen in the company, agricultural field and many other places. In wildlife, we can see how animals hunt together to capture their prey, this is to achieve their food and their source of survival. This is achieved by teamwork. We can also consider the examples of honeybees that live in a social organisation where each type of honeybee has different work to do and all perform together as a team for sustaining their hive. Thus, we can see examples of teamwork everywhere and we can understand how imperative it is to achieve goals.

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FAQs on Teamwork Essay

1. Where can you find examples of Teamwork?

You will find teamwork anywhere in the world. Even in the deepest part of a jungle, you will find ants finding their ways to survive by sticking together as a team. The hyenas also stay together and even muster the courage to steal food from a pride of lions. We have also heard many fables and stories related to teamwork. The pigeons flew away with the trap and let the bird-catcher feel distressed. This would not have happened if the birds did not unite and use their cumulative strength to get rid of the catcher.

2. What makes a Team strong?

The team comprises members with different levels of experience. It is the diversity of experience and strengths each team member has that makes a team stronger. In a team, the different strengths make a cumulative strength and deliver unity. The team members complement each other’s weaknesses and emerge as a formidable unit to overcome all the hurdles on the way. The two most important elements of a team are coordination and cooperation. When all cooperate and coordinate with the rest, the team becomes one single entity.

3. Why Teamwork is important?

Not everyone is adept at handling all kinds of work. Hence, a team is formed to meet with different responsibilities at different levels. This is why a team is formed where every member is designated with particular responsibilities. This makes a team very important for achieving success. It also boosts the confidence among all team members and let everyone do the part perfectly. This is why teamwork is important. 

4. What is the importance of teamwork? Explain?

Teamwork is important all over the world. It is important in a small business or a big organisation too. In our schools, we can see sports which can be won only by teamwork and effort. We saw how the mentors told us about teamwork and how important it is to achieve goals. Teamwork also improves the relationships between people working in the team which can motivate the people to work together and harder. This can lead to a high chance of getting successful.

5. Why is teamwork important for success?

Teamwork is always said to be the key to success. That is because when we work together as a team then it helps us learn from one another and also improves our knowledge. This in turn, makes us more creative, increases our knowledge and we can also expand a new skill set. When the team works towards a certain goal then this motivates everyone towards learning from one another and also having creative ideas which can be lacking when one works in solitude.

6. Why is teamwork considered effective?

It can be quite exhausting when we have to do tough work all by ourselves. It can lead to delays and also reduce our productivity. However, in a team, everyone has a common goal and shares similar visions and this can motivate the members present in the team. This leads to divided workload and also helps everyone to perform their best naturally.  Thus, teamwork is considered effective as it helps achieve goals easily and on time.

7. What is top level teamwork?

There are certain hierarchies that are related to teamwork where the workload is divided to different hierarchies so that only one part of the team is not working towards the goal alone. Top level hierarchy is the highest level of teamwork hierarchy present in the organisation or firm. This is the level where the team members set the goals that are needed to be achieved by the organisation or firm. They work towards increasing profits for the firm or organisations. Furthermore, they focus on understanding the needs and queries of the consumers of their organisation’s products or services.

8. What is the middle level of teamwork?

There are different hierarchies when we talk about teamwork and each group has different work and goals to achieve. Middle level hierarchy is the second level in an organisation or firm which comes after the top level hierarchy. It is mostly composed of supervisors and managers. They mainly work on the objectives or goals set by the top level team members and allot these goals to the employees or members working in the organisation or firm. They regularly check the work being done by the team members, supervises them and check whether the deadlines are met or not.

Examples

Essay on Teamwork

Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal or complete a task in the most effective and efficient way. It is an essential element in both the academic and professional worlds, playing a critical role in achieving success and fostering innovation. This essay explores the significance of teamwork, its benefits, challenges, and strategies for effective collaboration among team members, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding for students participating in essay writing competitions.

Teamwork is more than the sum of individual efforts; it embodies unity, collaboration, and the synergy that emerges when people work together towards a common objective. It is the foundation upon which organizations and societies build their success. Teamwork is not confined to businesses or projects but is a life skill that enhances interpersonal relationships and community participation.

Benefits of Teamwork

  • Enhanced Efficiency:  Teamwork accelerates the completion of tasks by dividing the workload among members, allowing tasks to be completed faster and more efficiently than if done individually.
  • Increased Innovation: Collaboration within a team generates a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and solutions, leading to greater creativity and innovation.
  • Improved Problem-Solving: Teams can leverage collective knowledge and varied skill sets to find solutions to complex problems more effectively than individuals working alone.
  • Personal Development: Working in a team fosters personal growth, as members learn from each other, develop interpersonal skills, and gain insights into their strengths and weaknesses.
  • Stronger Relationships: Teamwork builds trust and mutual respect among members, strengthening relationships and fostering a supportive and encouraging environment.

Challenges in Teamwork

  • Communication Barriers :Effective communication is crucial for teamwork, and its absence can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and inefficiency.
  • Free-Riding: The issue of some team members not contributing their fair share, relying on others to do the work, can create imbalance and resentment within the team.
  • Conflicts and Clashes: Differences in opinions, personalities, and working styles can lead to conflicts, which, if not managed properly, can hinder teamwork and productivity.
  • Decision-Making Delays: Reaching consensus in a team can sometimes be time-consuming, leading to delays in decision-making and project progression.

Building an Effective Team

Clear Goals and Roles:Establishing clear, achievable goals and defining specific roles and responsibilities for each team member are crucial for effective teamwork.

  • Open and Honest Communication: Encouraging open, transparent communication helps in resolving conflicts, building trust, and ensuring that all team members are aligned with the team’s objectives.
  • Mutual Respect: Recognizing and valuing the contributions of all team members fosters a culture of respect and inclusivity.
  • Flexibility: Being adaptable and open to new ideas and approaches can enhance team collaboration and lead to better outcomes.
  • Supportive Leadership: Effective leadership is key in motivating the team, guiding them through challenges, and ensuring that the team works cohesively towards its goals.

The Role of Teamwork in Education

In the academic setting, teamwork plays a pivotal role in enhancing learning experiences. Group projects, discussions, and activities encourage students to collaborate, share knowledge, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Moreover, teamwork in education prepares students for the collaborative nature of the workplace, where teamwork is often essential for success.

Teamwork in the Professional World

In the professional arena, teamwork is indispensable for achieving business objectives, driving innovation, and maintaining a competitive edge. It enables organizations to pool resources, tackle complex projects, and adapt to changing market demands. Companies that foster a culture of teamwork are more likely to attract and retain top talent, ensuring long-term success.

The Global Perspective on Teamwork

In an increasingly interconnected world, teamwork extends beyond local and national boundaries. Global teams bring together diverse perspectives, skills, and expertise, offering unique opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration and learning. However, they also present challenges such as cultural differences and time zone discrepancies, requiring additional layers of communication and understanding.

In conclusion, Teamwork is a fundamental aspect of human interaction that enhances efficiency, innovation, and problem-solving. While it presents challenges, the benefits of teamwork far outweigh the difficulties, making it a critical skill for success in both academic and professional settings. By fostering clear communication, mutual respect, and supportive leadership, effective teamwork can be achieved, leading to improved outcomes and personal growth for all team members. As we move forward, let us embrace the spirit of teamwork, recognizing its power to transform challenges into opportunities and individual efforts into collective achievements. For students entering essay writing competitions, this exploration of teamwork offers a comprehensive overview, highlighting its importance in shaping a collaborative, innovative, and successful society.

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Essay on Importance of Teamwork

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Teamwork in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Importance of Teamwork

Introduction.

Teamwork is the combined effort of a group to achieve a common goal. It is crucial in school and beyond.

Learning Together

Teamwork promotes learning. When we work in a team, we learn from each other’s strengths and improve our weaknesses.

Developing Skills

Teamwork helps develop important skills like communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. These skills are useful in life.

Building Relationships

Working in a team fosters relationships. It promotes understanding, respect, and friendship among team members.

Teamwork is not just about achieving goals, it’s about growing and learning together, developing skills, and building strong relationships.

250 Words Essay on Importance of Teamwork

The essence of teamwork.

Teamwork is a critical factor that drives success in various aspects of life, including academia, sports, and the workplace. It involves the combined efforts of individuals to achieve a common goal. By fostering a culture of cooperation, teamwork harnesses the diverse skills, experiences, and perspectives of its members to create a powerful synergy.

Enhancing Productivity

Teamwork significantly increases productivity. When tasks are divided among team members, work is completed faster and more efficiently. It also allows for the delegation of tasks based on individual competencies, leading to higher quality outputs.

Promoting Learning and Innovation

Teamwork fosters a conducive environment for learning and innovation. By working together, team members share knowledge and ideas, promoting creativity and problem-solving. This collaborative learning experience enhances personal growth and contributes to the overall success of the team.

Building Strong Relationships

Teamwork cultivates strong relationships and a sense of belonging. It builds trust, encourages open communication, and reduces conflicts. These positive relationships not only enhance the team’s performance but also improve the social well-being of its members.

Developing Leadership Skills

Teamwork provides an excellent platform for developing leadership skills. It allows individuals to take on leadership roles, make decisions, and learn how to motivate and inspire others.

In conclusion, teamwork is a powerful tool that drives success. It promotes productivity, fosters learning and innovation, builds strong relationships, and develops leadership skills. Embracing teamwork is crucial for personal growth and the achievement of collective goals.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Teamwork

Teamwork is a term that refers to a group of individuals working together towards a common goal. In a world that is increasingly interconnected and complex, the importance of teamwork cannot be overstated. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or even in the broader societal context, teamwork enables us to achieve more than we could alone.

The Power of Collective Intelligence

The concept of collective intelligence underscores the importance of teamwork. When individuals come together to work as a team, they bring their unique knowledge, skills, and perspectives to the table. This diversity can lead to innovative solutions that a single person might not conceive. Furthermore, when team members engage in open and respectful dialogue, they can challenge each other’s assumptions and push the boundaries of their thinking, leading to a deeper understanding of the problem at hand.

Teamwork as a Learning Experience

Teamwork also provides a valuable learning experience. It encourages individuals to adapt to different working styles, to appreciate diverse viewpoints, and to develop empathy. These are critical skills in today’s multicultural and fast-paced world. Moreover, teamwork can foster personal growth. As team members share responsibilities, they learn to trust each other and to be accountable for their actions. This can boost their self-confidence and enhance their leadership skills.

The Role of Teamwork in Problem-Solving

In problem-solving contexts, teamwork is vital. Complex problems often require a multidisciplinary approach. By bringing together individuals with different areas of expertise, teams can tackle problems from various angles, increasing the likelihood of finding effective solutions. Additionally, teamwork encourages resilience. When faced with setbacks, a team can regroup and draw on its collective strength to overcome obstacles.

Teamwork in the Digital Age

In the digital age, teamwork has taken on new importance. As technology breaks down geographical barriers, teams can now comprise individuals from across the globe. This presents opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration and the exchange of ideas on an unprecedented scale. However, it also presents challenges, such as coordinating across time zones and navigating cultural differences. Thus, effective teamwork in the digital age requires not only technical skills but also intercultural competence and strong communication skills.

In conclusion, teamwork is crucial in our interconnected world. It fosters innovation, facilitates learning, enhances problem-solving, and enables us to navigate the complexities of the digital age. By valuing and promoting teamwork, we can harness the power of collective intelligence, enrich our learning experiences, tackle complex problems, and build a more inclusive and collaborative society.

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Teamwork Essay

Teamwork is an essential part of workplace success. Every team member has a specific role to play in accomplishing team tasks. Organisations look for people who not only know how to work well with others but who understand which team member can perform which task perfectly. When everyone in the team works together to accomplish goals, everyone achieves more. Successful teams are characterised by a team spirit based on trust, mutual respect, helpfulness and friendliness. This teamwork essay will help students understand the importance of working as a team and how effective teamwork is. Also, it has been explained with the help of a short story.

Students can go through the list of CBSE essays comprising different topics to practise essay writing. Doing so will help them to score higher marks in the writing section. Moreover, they will be able to participate in essay writing competitions conducted at their schools.

500+ Words Essay on Teamwork

Teamwork means the ability of people to work together. It occurs when the members of a team work together and utilise their individual skills to achieve a common goal. It is a cooperative process that allows ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results. A team has a common goal or purpose where team members can develop effective, mutual relationships to achieve team goals.

Successful teamwork relies upon synergism existing between all team members. Team members create an environment where they are all willing to contribute and promote and nurture a positive, effective team environment. Team members are flexible enough to adapt to cooperative working environments. The goals are achieved through collaboration and social interdependence rather than individualised, competitive goals.

Importance of Teamwork

It is rare that a piece of work is successfully completed by a single individual working alone without interacting with anyone. With teamwork, the work gets done more quickly and with higher quality. Teamwork helps to promote deep learning, which occurs through interaction, problem-solving, dialogue, cooperation and collaboration. Shared goals can easily be achieved by working together and pooling experience and expertise.

Teamwork has emerged in recent years as one of the most important ways of organising work. Many organisations have realised that teamwork enables employees to perform better, hence resulting in good organisational performance. Teamwork has the potential to improve the performance of individual employees and the organisation. Teamwork helps in developing the skills and perspectives of the employees through positive opinions, feedback, experiences and viewpoints. Teamwork is an important tool that is used to carry out varied functions accurately and efficiently. The core value of teamwork is the reduction of workload, which helps the employees perform better without any kind of work pressure because the tasks are distributed equally among all the members.

The Magic of Teamwork

Here is a short story that will help you to understand the importance of teamwork. Once upon a time, in a jungle, there was a monkey and an elephant who were good friends. One day an unusual quarrel happened between the two about who was better. Each one thinks of himself to be better than the other. While the elephant advocated it was better to be strong, the monkey was adamant that being fast and agile was better.

Unable to resolve the matter, they headed to the wise owl and posed the same question to him. The owl promised to answer the question provided they had to take a challenge. They had to go far away across the river, where a golden fruit was hung on a tall tree. Whosoever will bring the fruit will be the best.

So, the monkey and the elephant set out on their journey to bring the fruit to the wise owl. When the monkey reached the banks of the river, he realised that the river was too deep for him and the currents too strong. The elephant saw his friend and asked the monkey to climb on his back, and together they crossed the river. When they reached the tree, the elephant tried to push the tree. But the tree was huge and wouldn’t budge. So the monkey climbed up the tree and plucked the fruit. He climbed down, sat on the elephant’s back, and they reached the wise owl.

The owl then asked, “Of the two of you, who brings this fruit to me?” The monkey said he did because he plucked the fruit from the tree and the elephant said he did because he helped the monkey get onto the other side of the river. At this point, the wise owl stopped the argument and said, “Each one of us has unique abilities and strengths. Collectively as a team, we can achieve the impossible. All because we used your strength at the right time to do the right thing.”

Teamwork is the collective effort made by each member of a team to achieve the team goal. Individually, we all have certain skills, and we are good in one area. If all of us come together and use our strength and expertise in the right direction, then it will give the best result. Also, it gives an opportunity to each member to learn something new from each other.

Students must have found this teamwork essay useful for improving their essay-writing skills. They can get the study material and the latest updates on CBSE/ICSE/State Board/Competitive Exams at BYJU’S.

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Teamwork College Essays

Teamwork is a crucial aspect of success in various fields, including sports, business, and academics. When it comes to writing an essay on teamwork, it requires a deep understanding of its importance and how it applies to different areas of life. It is a popular topic in college and an opportunity for students to reflect on their experiences and share their perspectives on the topic.

Sample essays on teamwork typically discuss the importance of teamwork in achieving common goals and objectives, as well as the benefits of working together. To write a compelling essay on teamwork, it is essential to showcase how it has impacted your life positively. You can start by outlining how teamwork has helped you achieve your goals or overcome obstacles. Additionally, highlight how working in a team has improved your communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.

A great teamwork college essay example could be a personal experience where you worked collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal. It could also be an analysis of a successful team’s dynamics and how they work together to achieve success. Alternatively, an essay on teamwork could explore the challenges of working in a team and how they were overcome.

If you’re struggling to find a suitable topic for your essay, consider exploring how teamwork affects employee productivity, how to build effective teams, or the role of teamwork in sports. These topics can provide a fresh perspective on the subject and make your essay stand out.

In conclusion, teamwork is a critical aspect of achieving success in various areas of life, and writing an essay on it can be an insightful and meaningful experience. By using teamwork essay example and analysing various essay topics, you can develop a comprehensive understanding of the concept and write an excellent essay. Check out WritingBros for inspiration and guidance on writing your essay on teamwork.

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8. The Primary Model of the United Nations

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Teamwork Essay

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English Compositions

Short Essay on Importance of Teamwork [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF 

In this session, you will learn to write short essays on the Importance of Teamwork. Here I will write three sets of short essays on the importance of teamwork covering different word limits. 

Table of Contents

Short essay on importance of teamwork in 100 words, short essay on importance of teamwork in 200 words, short essay on importance of teamwork in 400 words.

Feature image of Short Essay on Importance of teamwork

Teamwork is when a team or a group of people work together towards a common goal. Teamwork makes a task simpler and easier. Teamwork is needed among students working on an assignment together, players playing for a particular sports team as well as employees of any organisation working together to fulfil a task.

When a group of people work together, if everyone wants to do the task his way rather than listening to each other, the task will never be finished. That is why teamwork is important. When people listen to each other’s opinions, help each other and put their common goal before personal gain, they have great teamwork. Teamwork helps us achieve goals that can not be achieved alone. 

Teamwork is the combined action taken by a group of people to achieve a common goal. We cannot always work alone. Sometimes, to fulfil a larger goal, many people need to come together and take combined action.

In school, students work as a team to finish group projects. In sports, members of a team must work together if they want to win. In corporations, if every employee is only focused on his personal goals, the corporation wouldn’t be able to function. When a group of people work together, if everyone wants to do the task his way rather than listening to each other and choosing the best way, the task will never be finished. That is why teamwork is important. 

When people work as a team, they communicate with each other. They are free to express their views and opinions and others listen to them. Everyone has a duty assigned to them which they so diligently. It is their responsibility to make sure they are doing their part well or else the entire team will stop functioning well.

When a team has a good leader who is capable of encouraging, motivating, guiding and helping others in the team, teamwork becomes much easier. With good teamwork, a huge task may be finished in no time. Teamwork helps us achieve big goals which cannot be achieved individually.

Not all tasks can be done by a single person. Sometimes, to fulfil a larger goal, many people need to come together and take combined action. In school, students need to work together with their classmates to finish a group project. In sports, be it cricket, football or hockey, all the members of a certain team must work together and support each other in order to win a match.

No organisation can function without teamwork. If every employee is only focused on his personal goals and gains, the corporation wouldn’t be able to finish any of its projects. At home, if family members don’t understand and help each other, it will cause unnecessary issues and create tension.

We can see examples of teamwork even in the wild. Many animals display teamwork by hunting together as a group. While some members of the group distract the prey, others surround it, jump on it and kill it. Many wild animals also stay together to protect themselves and each other from danger as well as to raise their young. 

When we look at large organisations, all the work there is divided and given to different departments. Even in those departments, hundreds of people do different work which is assigned to them by the head. Only when everyone is doing their work well, a department can finish the work assigned to them and in turn, the organisation can flourish. If any one department stops functioning, all other departments have to stop and wait as well.

It is not quite easy to keep working hard, matching the pace of everyone else. One can often get demotivated and slow down. That is why a good leader is very important in every team. A good leader is one who is capable of encouraging, motivating, guiding and helping others in the team. He makes working as a team easier. 

It is very important for children to learn teamwork as it will help them throughout their lives. Teamwork also teaches about discipline and responsibility. When people work as a team, they communicate with each other about their problems. They are allowed to freely express their views and opinions and the other members listen to them.

Everyone has a duty assigned to them which they do very diligently. It is their responsibility to make sure they are doing their part well so that the team can keep functioning smoothly. With good teamwork, a huge task may be finished in no time. Teamwork helps us grow in every field of life and is the key to our success. 

In this lesson, I have adopted a simplistic approach for a better understanding of all kinds of students. If anyone has any doubts regarding this topic, they can post them in the comment section below. I will try my level best to clarify those doubts. 

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Essay On Teamwork For Students in English

teamwork essay pdf for students

Table of Contents

Essay On Teamwork: Teamwork is the art of people coming together, pooling their strengths, and achieving something collectively that would be difficult or impossible to do alone. It’s like the pieces of a puzzle fitting together perfectly to create a complete picture. In teamwork, every member plays a crucial role, contributing their skills and ideas to reach a common objective. Whether it’s in sports, school projects, or the workplace, teamwork helps us accomplish more and learn from one another. In this blog, we’ll explore the concept of teamwork, and its significance, and provide sample essays of various lengths (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 words) to help you understand the importance of working together effectively.

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Long and Short Essays On Teamwork

Short essay on teamwork in 100 words, title: the essence of teamwork.

The essence of teamwork lies in the power of individuals coming together to achieve a common goal. It’s a symphony of collaboration, where each member contributes their unique strengths, skills, and ideas to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Teamwork is about sharing responsibilities, working towards a shared vision, and supporting one another through challenges. It fosters trust, open communication, and mutual respect among team members. Just as a well-coordinated orchestra produces beautiful music, effective teamwork leads to remarkable achievements, whether in school, the workplace, or any endeavor in life. It embodies the notion that together, everyone achieves more, making the impossible seem attainable.

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Teamwork Essay in 200 Words

Title: the importance of teamwork.

Teamwork is the cornerstone of success in various aspects of life. It’s the concept of individuals with diverse skills, knowledge, and backgrounds collaborating to achieve a common goal. In teamwork, each member brings their unique strengths to the table, creating a synergy that leads to better results than individual efforts.

One of the key advantages of teamwork is the sharing of responsibilities. When people work together, tasks are divided based on each person’s strengths and expertise. This not only ensures efficiency but also fosters a sense of accountability.

Teamwork also promotes creativity and innovation. Different perspectives and ideas emerge when people brainstorm and problem-solve together. This diversity of thought often leads to better solutions and breakthroughs.

Moreover, teamwork enhances interpersonal skills. It requires effective communication, active listening, and conflict resolution, which are essential life skills. Team members learn to respect each other’s opinions, work through disagreements, and build strong relationships.

In the workplace, teamwork is highly valued by employers. It enhances productivity, boosts employee morale, and leads to a more harmonious work environment. Many successful projects and companies attribute their achievements to effective teamwork.

Teamwork Essay in 300 Words

Title: the power of teamwork in achieving success.

Teamwork is the foundation of many great achievements in human history. From building the ancient wonders of the world to landing a spacecraft on Mars, teamwork has played a vital role. It is the collaborative effort of individuals with diverse skills and expertise coming together for a common purpose.

One of the significant advantages of teamwork is the ability to leverage each team member’s strengths. In a team, individuals with different backgrounds and talents complement one another, filling in the gaps and enhancing overall performance. This synergy leads to greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Teamwork also promotes innovation. When people from various disciplines collaborate, new ideas emerge, and problems are approached from multiple angles. This diversity of thought often results in creative solutions and breakthroughs that may not have been possible with individual efforts.

Effective communication is a hallmark of successful teamwork. Team members must convey their ideas, listen actively, and provide constructive feedback. This fosters an environment of trust and open dialogue, enabling the team to make informed decisions and navigate challenges together.

Moreover, teamwork teaches valuable life skills. It requires patience, compromise, and conflict resolution. Team members learn to respect each other’s viewpoints, work through disagreements, and build strong relationships based on trust and mutual support.

In the workplace, teamwork is highly sought after by employers. It leads to increased productivity, improved employee morale, and a more positive work environment. Companies that promote a culture of teamwork often see higher levels of innovation and greater success in achieving their goals.

In conclusion, teamwork is not just a concept; it’s a powerful force that drives progress and achievement. Whether in academics, sports, business, or everyday life, working together allows us to accomplish more and reach heights that would be unattainable on our own.

Essay on Teamwork in 400 Words

Title: teamwork: the key to success in a collaborative world.

Teamwork is the backbone of human progress. It is the art of individuals with diverse skills, knowledge, and backgrounds coming together to achieve a shared objective. From building monumental structures like the Great Wall of China to advancing cutting-edge technology in Silicon Valley, teamwork has been the driving force behind some of the greatest achievements in history.

One of the fundamental strengths of teamwork is the ability to combine different talents and expertise. In a team, each member brings their unique set of skills to the table, creating a synergy that propels the group forward. This collaborative effort leads to greater efficiency and effectiveness in achieving goals.

In addition to leveraging individual strengths, teamwork fosters innovation. When people from various disciplines collaborate, they bring different perspectives and ideas to the forefront. This diversity of thought often results in creative solutions and breakthroughs that may not have been possible with individual efforts.

Effective communication is at the heart of successful teamwork. Team members must convey their ideas clearly, actively listen to one another, and provide constructive feedback. This open and transparent communication builds trust and cohesion within the team, enabling them to make informed decisions and navigate challenges effectively.

Teamwork also imparts valuable life skills. It demands patience, compromise, and conflict resolution. In the process of working together, team members learn to respect each other’s viewpoints, resolve disagreements amicably, and build strong relationships based on trust and mutual support.

In the workplace, teamwork is highly valued by employers. It leads to increased productivity, improved employee morale, and a more positive work environment. Companies that foster a culture of teamwork often experience higher levels of innovation and greater success in achieving their objectives.

Teamwork is not limited to professional settings; it plays a crucial role in education, sports, and countless other areas of life. In schools, group projects teach students the importance of collaboration and the value of diverse perspectives. In sports, teams work together to achieve victory, relying on each other’s strengths and strategies.

In conclusion, teamwork is not just a concept but a powerful force that drives progress and achievement. Whether in academics, sports, business, or everyday life, working together allows us to accomplish more and reach heights that would be unattainable on our own. As the saying goes, “Together Everyone Achieves More,” and that embodies the essence of teamwork.

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Long Essay on Teamwork in 500 Words

Title: the power of teamwork: unleashing collective strength.

Introduction:

Teamwork entails a group of individuals uniting their talents, strengths, and skills towards achieving a common goal. The essence of teamwork lies in the unique ability to harness collective intelligence, creativity, and diversity. Complementing individual efforts with a shared vision, effective communication, collaboration, and trust, teamwork unfolds as a potent force that yields remarkable outcomes. This essay delves into the significance of teamwork in both personal and professional realms, highlighting its transformative power and benefits.

1. Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity:

One of the primary advantages of teamwork is its ability to enhance efficiency and productivity. By dividing tasks and leveraging individual strengths, team members boost efficiency and achieve results more swiftly than if they were working individually. Moreover, collaborative problem-solving and brainstorming sessions generate innovative ideas, leading to improved quality and faster decision-making processes.

2. Encourages Diversity and Balanced Perspectives:

Teamwork brings individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives together. This diversity enriches the team’s collective knowledge and enhances the quality of outcomes. Each team member brings their unique perspective to the table, fostering a balanced view of situations and facilitating comprehensive problem-solving. This variety of viewpoints refines ideas, prevents groupthink, and ultimately leads to more well-rounded decisions.

3. Fosters Skill Development and Learning:

Teamwork provides an ideal platform for skill development and learning. Collaborating with others exposes individuals to new ideas, approaches, and expertise, enabling them to learn from their teammates. By observing and sharing knowledge, team members can sharpen their skills and acquire new ones. Furthermore, teamwork encourages continuous professional growth through mentorship, feedback, and mutual support.

4. Strengthens Relationships and Builds Trust:

Effective teamwork cultivates strong relationships among team members and builds trust. Collaborating towards a shared goal fosters a sense of camaraderie, unity, and shared responsibility. Open communication, active listening, and mutual respect are fundamental components that promote trust and psychological safety within the team. This, in turn, results in higher morale, increased satisfaction, and improved well-being.

5. Enhances Creativity and Innovation:

Collaboration and teamwork liberate the potential for creativity and innovation. The diverse perspectives and collective intelligence of the team fuel the generation of novel ideas and unconventional solutions. Brainstorming sessions, where team members freely share and build upon each other’s suggestions, encourage innovative thinking. The synergy created by this process often yields breakthrough innovations and unparalleled results.

6. Builds Resilience and Overcomes Challenges:

Teamwork empowers individuals to overcome obstacles and challenges more effectively. In times of difficulty, teams that work together cohesively and support one another demonstrate exceptional resilience. Problems are addressed collectively, allowing for multiple strategies and resources to be applied towards finding solutions. The collective strength of the team ensures setbacks are overcome, fostering a positive, can-do attitude.

Conclusion:

The power of teamwork is undeniable, both in personal and professional spheres. Harnessing diverse talents, promoting open communication, and fostering trust are essential to unlocking the collective strength and potential of a team. From enhanced efficiency and productivity to creativity and resilience, the benefits of teamwork are bountiful. By recognizing the value of collaboration and embracing teamwork, individuals and organizations can unleash their true potential and achieve remarkable success.

FAQs on Essay on Teamwork

What is teamwork.

Teamwork is the collaborative effort of individuals with diverse skills and backgrounds coming together to work towards a common goal or objective.

Why is teamwork important?

Teamwork is vital because it leverages individual strengths, fosters innovation, improves communication, and teaches valuable life skills like compromise and conflict resolution.

Where is teamwork essential?

Teamwork is essential in various aspects of life, including education, sports, business, and everyday tasks that require collaboration to achieve success.

How does teamwork benefit the workplace?

Teamwork in the workplace leads to increased productivity, improved morale, and a positive work environment. It often results in higher levels of innovation and goal achievement.

What are the key components of effective teamwork?

Effective teamwork relies on clear communication, active listening, the leveraging of individual strengths, open dialogue, and mutual trust and support among team members.

What is the importance of teamwork?

Teamwork is crucial because it leverages individual strengths, fosters innovation, improves communication, and teaches valuable life skills like compromise and conflict resolution. It leads to greater efficiency and success in achieving common goals.

What is teamwork in brief?

Teamwork is the collaborative effort of individuals with diverse skills and backgrounds working together to achieve a shared objective or goal. It involves cooperation, effective communication, and mutual support among team members.

What is teamwork speech?

A teamwork speech is a presentation or address that focuses on the significance of working together collaboratively in achieving success. It often emphasizes the benefits of teamwork in various aspects of life.

What is teamwork work?

Teamwork work refers to the actual collaborative efforts and tasks performed by a team working together towards a common goal. It involves combining individual contributions to achieve a collective outcome.

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Teamwork Essay: Examples, Tips, & Ideas

These days, leadership and ability to work in a team are the skills that everybody should possess. It is impossible to cope with a large educational or work project alone. However, it can also be challenging to collaborate in a team. You might want to elaborate on importance and difficulties of such collaboration in your teamwork essay.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

In the article, you’ll learn:

  • Pros and cons of working in a team;
  • Teamwork college essay prompts;
  • Tips for writing your paper’s introduction, body, and conclusion;
  • Ideas for writing about teamwork;
  • Short teamwork essay examples for students.

Have you already decided on the main idea and an excellent way to complete your essay? If not yet, then do not waste your time and check several suggestions from our writers .

  • ☝️ Pros and Cons
  • 🏆 Its Importance
  • 🤔 What Makes a Team?

📝 Teamwork Essay Examples

  • 🔥 Essay Topics

🔗 References

☝️ writing about teamwork: pros & cons.

Considering the benefits and drawbacks of working in a group is essential for writing any paper on the topic. You have to understand what makes the issue multifaceted. In particular, if you’re going to compose the advantages and disadvantages of a teamwork essay, research on the subject is crucial.

📋 Teamwork Essay Outline

A well-crafted essay outline makes it easier to organize thoughts and stay focused while writing your essay. It also ensures that your text has a logical structure.

Keep reading to learn about different essay parts and their components.

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Teamwork Essay Introduction

One effective way to engage the reader is to start your introduction with a hook . A hook is a captivating opening line or statement that can be an interesting fact , a thought-provoking question , or a powerful quote . You should also provide some background information on teamwork to give the reader context.

Here are some ideas on what to include in your teamwork essay introduction:

Thesis Statement about Teamwork

A thesis statement in an essay is a concise, arguable claim or central point that sets the tone for the entire paper. A good thesis statement is debatable , specific , and provides a clear focus for the essay. Remember that it should also be supported by evidence relevant to the topic.

Have a look at these ideas for a thesis statement about teamwork:

Teamwork Essay: Main Body

Here’s how to structure your essay’s main body:

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  • Each body paragraph typically begins with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea or argument of the paragraph.
  • This is followed by evidence , such as quotes, statistics, or examples, which support the topic sentence.
  • After presenting the evidence, you should provide an analysis by explaining how the evidence supports the thesis statement.
  • A paragraph should end with a sentence that summarizes it and transitions to the next paragraph.

For more information about writing the main body, check out our 5-paragraph essay guide and the essay length guide .

Teamwork Essay Conclusion

At the conclusion of an essay, you should restate your thesis statement and summarize the essay’s ideas. It’s also essential to leave the reader with a lasting impression by offering a thought-provoking insight, a call to action, or a suggestion to explore the topic further.

Consider these ideas for a teamwork essay conclusion:

🖊️ Teamwork College Essay: How to Write

If you’ve been assigned to write an essay on teamwork, there are some of the most common approaches you can use. So, when thinking about essay topics, take a look at these. In the following sections, we will break them down separately.

Besides, you can see some points explored in detail in teamwork essay examples.

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🏆 The Importance of Teamwork

You may have to elaborate on teamwork in a college essay, though it may concern its different types. Dealing with tasks in groups can be an option both in educational institutions and workplaces. We’ll look at them separately in the following sections.

See how to write an essay about the importance of teamwork here.

Teamwork in School and College

You can introduce various points while explaining the importance of teamwork in an essay when it concerns educational institutions.

  • It helps learn essential social skills. Working in a team can teach you necessary social skills, such as listening and speaking. You’ll have to act cohesively to get anything done. Additionally, teamwork experience will make you learn how to communicate information to others effectively.
  • It enhances self-confidence . Teamwork in school and college teaches individuals that their voices are heard and valued. That helps people improve their self-esteem and enhance the working process.
  • It diminishes bullying . Improved self-confidence will help a student to rise above the bully. Moreover, team members are more willing to support each other than other classmates. Discussing it in a student teamwork essay can be quite profound.
  • It establishes the ground for student’s success in the future. Effective teamwork may contribute to breakthroughs outside the classroom. An early introduction to such experiences creates more opportunities for people to be productive and satisfied as a part of the group. When looking between teamwork and individual work experience, hiring companies value the former more.

Teamwork in the Workplace

You may be assigned to write an essay on teamwork in the workplace and its importance. In that case, you should consider the following arguments:

  • Teamwork is crucial for the project’s success. The ability to work within a group increases your chance of getting and keeping the job. Moreover, the capacity to cooperate with colleagues can help you achieve better results. That’s the reason why companies have team-building activities. They can help improve the teamwork in the workplace and thus improve effectiveness.
  • Teamwork is critical for personal growth. Working with different people in one group can enhance the personal strengths of each person. For instance, the team’s cultural diversity can help you learn how to communicate with people from different backgrounds. You can see this argument explored in various teamwork essay examples .

🤔 Writing about Teamwork: What Makes a Good Team?

For some reason, you need to compose a paper on creating or managing a team. Describe the whole process in your essay about teamwork. The main question you should answer is, “What makes a good team?”

To do that, discuss the following points in your paper:

  • primary goals and purposes of your team;
  • members of the team and duties of each member;
  • a leader of your team;
  • ways of achieving good relations and agreement between all members of the group.

The overall success of a team depends on each particular member. So, what a team member should be like? It is another good question to answer in essays about teamwork.

You may consider the following characteristics of a team member:

  • an ability to meet the deadlines;
  • an ability to adapt to changes quickly;
  • good communication and diplomatic skills;
  • optimism and a positive attitude, etc.

Explain the importance of each trait in your essay on teamwork. Add other personal features that you believe are significant.

Looking for some teamwork essay examples? Find a collection of links below! You are welcome to use these samples for inspiration. We ho hope that you will write an A+ paper!

  • Mattel’s Workforce Strategy: Fostering of Teamwork
  • Applied Teamwork Plan Review
  • Cultural Diversity in Teamwork: Research Process
  • Teamwork and Conflict Management in Nursing
  • Teamworking Skills in Healthcare
  • Teamwork During Product Design and Launch Process
  • Diversity in the Workplace, Teamwork and Leadership
  • Teamwork Organization and Experiences
  • Measuring Teamwork in Workplaces
  • Team Communication’s Importance for Successful Teamwork
  • Trader Joe’s Stores’ Teamwork and Motivation
  • Apple Company’s Teamwork Benefits
  • The Teamwork Approach and the Customers Satisfaction
  • Management: Effective Teamwork Role for Organizations Performance

Short Essay on Teamwork: Example

For your inspiration, we have prepared a short example of a teamwork essay. Check it out to gain ideas on how to effectively structure your paper.

Teamwork essay introduction

Over the last few decades, effective teamwork has become a key factor in business success. Companies hire diverse employees with unique skills to work together toward a common goal. The synergy created by such teamwork can lead to amazing achievements.

Thesis statement about teamwork

Effective teamwork helps achieve organizational goals by fostering collaboration and enhancing productivity.

Teamwork’s first advantage is improved collaboration among team members. When people with different perspectives work together, they can use their collective knowledge to address challenges, make better decisions, and come up with innovative ideas. For example, research and development teams have scientists and engineers collaborate and develop new technologies. Important inventions and breakthroughs can only be possible with their combined efforts.

Teamwork also enhances productivity by combining the team members’ strengths. Teams can optimize their performance and achieve better results when they assign tasks based on each member’s skills. For instance, in a marketing team, one member may excel in creative design while another is skilled in data analysis. The team can combine their skills to create memorable campaigns that resonate with their audience.

Teamwork essay conclusion

Teamwork is crucial for organizational success because it promotes collaboration and enhances productivity. Only by working together can companies overcome challenges and achieve their strategic goals.

🔥 Teamwork Essay Topics 

  • Importance of teamwork for medical social workers.
  • Describe the cooperation challenges of teamwork.
  • Examine the relation between the effectiveness of the teams and the performance of the organization.
  • Analyze what challenges the leader of a change team meets.
  • Essential role of interprofessional team development in healthcare .
  • Explain who are leaders from behind and how they affect the teamwork.
  • Describe the key elements of positive teamwork .
  • Is teamwork more productive than individual work?
  • How to achieve successful collaboration and teamwork within a unit.
  • The advantages of military mindset for business team.
  • Discuss how different leadership styles affect teams.
  • Describe your experience of group work .
  • The importance of successful managing of team members’ capabilities .
  • Why it is essential to learn the teamwork from the childhood.
  • Lessons of the Marshmallow Challenge as a model of teamwork .
  • Explain why collaboration is the essence of teamwork .
  • How to avoid social loafing in teamwork.
  • Analyze the methods of managing the team resources .
  • Discuss the pros and cons of team-based approach .
  • The crucial role of emotional intelligence in successful teamwork.
  • Appraisal system and its impact on team performance.
  • What are the stages of team development ?
  • Is it difficult to build trust between team members?
  • How to create an effective team .
  • Describe the most effective strategies for virtual team communication.
  • The role of strategy in team development.
  • The main aspects of effective teamwork .
  • Explain the difference between a work group and a team .
  • The essential role of cultural literacy for managing a global team .
  • Analyze how proper motivation affects the team performance.
  • Is psychology important for formation of a sports team ?
  • Discuss the principal elements of group management.
  • Transitional leadership and its importance for teamwork .
  • Describe the ways to improve teamwork within an organization.
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Student Teamwork During COVID-19: Challenges, Changes, and Consequences

Jessica l. wildman.

1 Institute for Cross Cultural Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, USA

Daniel M. Nguyen

Ngoc s. duong, catherine warren.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected all of society, including teams in organizational settings. Collaborative teamwork is particularly susceptible to pandemic disruptions, as coordination across individuals becomes challenging in socially distanced and virtual contexts. Unfortunately, COVID-19 research thus far has primarily studied individual health and performance. Analysis of 90 open-ended survey responses gives voice to students working in project teams during the pandemic and provides future research directions regarding the multilevel impacts of the pandemic on teamwork. Results reflect three themes: (1) challenges experienced; (2) changes to team communication, tasks, and roles; and (3) consequences to team progress and outcomes.

Global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic affect all aspects of society, including collaborative educational and organizational settings. Research suggests that the unexpected but nearly ubiquitous shift online in both employment ( Brenan, 2020 ; Brynjolfsson et al., 2020 ) and educational settings ( Means & Neisler, 2020 ) has serious impacts on stress, wellness, and satisfaction for individuals attempting to achieve their goals online. However, the focus of most research thus far has been on the individual consequences of the pandemic in terms of work productivity and mental health (e.g., Gao et al., 2020 ; Luchetti et al., 2020 ; Rettie & Daniels, 2020 ; Sun et al., 2020 ). What has received less research attention is how crisis-induced shifts to virtual work impact the processes of collaboration and teamwork, despite calls for research focused on the pandemic’s impact on the dynamics and performance of what are now almost exclusively virtual teams (e.g., Kniffin et al., 2020 ).

The lack of research examining the impact of the pandemic on teamwork is problematic because team-based work structures are increasing in prevalence and importance in today’s organizations. Organizational teams are used to address complex problems ( Kozlowski & Bell, 2013 ), and often used in educational settings to improve learning outcomes and ultimately prepare students to engage in effective teamwork in the workforce ( Haller et al., 2000 ; Kalliath & Laiken, 2006 ). Additionally, teamwork is especially susceptible to the impacts of a pandemic, as teamwork often involves face-to-face interaction and coordination across people, time, and space, making social distancing and virtual work a dramatic shift away from typical teamwork contexts. Accordingly, the current qualitative study aims to give voice to individuals working in teams who experienced the rapid shift to online work triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to use these perspectives to develop directions for future research in this area. To accomplish this objective, we analyze open-ended responses from a sample of undergraduate students working in long-term project teams within upper-level undergraduate courses to answer the following research question:

  • RQ: What are the perceived impacts of an unexpected pandemic-induced transition to online-only work on team processes and performance in long-term student project teams?

Sample and Procedure

We solicited responses from student team members working in long-term (i.e., sixteen or more weeks) project teams within upper-level undergraduate courses. Projects included capstone engineering design projects that involved multiple phases such as developing requirements, iterative design reviews, physical fabrication of systems, and testing of systems against requirements, as well as psychological research projects. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all in-person classes and interactions were suspended following Spring Break in March of 2020, after which teams worked virtually through the conclusion of the semester in early May of 2020. Embedded within a larger ongoing data collection effort, the following open-ended question was asked both in March and May of 2020: “Given the recent shift of classes from face-to-face to online formats, how have interactions and work processes for your team changed? For example, have you changed how you meet? When you meet? How you communicate? Please describe any changes in as much detail as possible.”

The survey was sent to 259 team members; responses were deleted for any participants that did not respond to the question in either survey, resulting in 95 participants that responded at least once. We then deleted any responses that did not provide substantive information beyond stating modes of communication (e.g., “we use Zoom now”) resulting in a final dataset of 90 responses from 65 participants. Initially, responses were sorted by date in order to explore the extent to which individual’s responses changed between March and May, but there was little discernible change within persons over time, so data were considered holistically. The final sample included 65 participants, with 29 men, 21 women, and 15 participants who did not identify their gender. Participants identified themselves as White ( n   =  33), Black ( n   =  6), Latinx ( n   =  6), Asian ( n   =  7), and Native American ( n   =  1), while 12 participants did not identify their race. The participants’ average age was 21.88 years old ( SD   =  2.83), ranging from 18 to 33 years of age, with roughly a quarter of the participants being international students originally from outside the United States ( n   =  15).

Thematic Analysis

For analysis, we followed Braun and Clarke’s (2006 ; 2012 ) thematic analysis steps, including the 15-point checklist of criteria for good thematic analysis. The first author read all comments to get familiar with the data, then went through all comments and made broad initial codes (notes) before iteratively reviewing, grouping, comparing, contrasting, and clarifying the labeling on those initial codes to form larger themes that best represented the responses. Once a set of interpretable and distinguishable themes was identified, each response was revisited to connect them back to the newly formed themes. Also, during this stage, the first author made decisions on what themes to combine, separate, and adjust. For example, the initial codes of progress slowed and progress halted were combined into the progress disruptions theme. In another example, it was determined that all responses could be coded in terms of whether the overall impact on the team was described as negative, neutral, or positive, even though this code was not initially made on all responses. Several initially distinct codes identifying changes in how team members communicated (e.g., less efficient communication, communication perceived as equally effective) were combined into sub-themes within a broader communication change theme. The initial code of task chang e was separated into task chang e and role change to differentiate between changes to the required taskwork of the team versus changes to the roles filled by each of the team members. Motivation loss and morale loss were combined into one category.

The comments analyzed reflect three themes aligned with the initial research question: (1) challenges, or specific obstacles or problems, experienced by teams as a result of the shift to online teamwork during the pandemic, (2) changes, either forced or discretionary, that the team experienced either as a result of the shift online or due to the challenges encountered, and (3) consequences of the shift online to the overall progress and outcomes of the team ( Figure 1 ). Next, we describe the sub-themes within these three categories in more detail and discuss the interrelated implications, limitations, and future research directions drawn from these themes.

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Challenges, changes, and consequences for student teamwork during COVID-19.

Not unexpectedly, many team members reported a variety of challenges that came about during the pandemic that made it difficult to engage in effective teamwork. The first set of teamwork challenges stemmed from the impact of outside influences . In other words, these were challenges that impacted the team’s ability to coordinate, communicate, and collectively achieve shared goals, but the primary source of the challenge was external to the team. For example, one participant mentioned increased distractions diverting attention away from the team’s goals caused by working in a home environment:

This is also especially difficult because I am sharing my computer with my mom who is also a teacher and needs to teach her classes, and with my sister who is in high school and needs to meet with her teachers as well. I am extremely worried about my grades now and being able to complete the project in general.

Similarly, another participant mentioned being distracted because of competing demands stemming from other classes (e.g., “but we are also facing plenty of difficulty with other classes which is affecting how much we can put into this”).

Additionally, participants mentioned two other types of challenges. The first is geographical differences , which describes some team members’ inability to travel back to campus from various geographical locations due to stay-in-place orders. These changes in the physical context of the team can affect the temporal context (e.g., meeting schedules, project timelines) as well. For example, one participant reported having to change meeting times because team members were now spread across multiple time zones: “We have had to find earlier times to meet which accommodate people being in different time zones.” This is a uniquely team-level challenge in that individuals working independently in different time zones do not need to coordinate as much across time zones. However, because teamwork often requires synchronous meetings and communication, teams are forced to find meeting times that allow all team members to attend, or in some cases, that require some portion of the team to be working during non-business hours. Although this is a challenge that has been well documented in global virtual teams (e.g., Nurmi, 2011 ), what is notable here is that the pandemic forced a rapid shift from working in collocated face-to-face teams to working in virtual team contexts, which those teams were unlikely to be prepared for.

The second challenge mentioned was team member performance issues , which included examples such as perceived increased forgetfulness of team members, increased procrastination within the team, exacerbated issues surrounding social loafing, and an increased need for self-management of the team since there were no longer regularly scheduled class times that forced a minimal level of interaction. For example, one team member described (e.g., “One of our members was non-responsive for 3 weeks so we had to adjust to that.”) In another example, a team members stated, “People seem to forget meeting times more often than when it was face to face.” Performance issues like forgetfulness are not unique to teams, in that research has already highlighted the negative impacts of the pandemic on individual stress and mental health (e.g., Rettie & Daniels, 2020 ). However, the current research emphasizes that issues caused by suddenly changing to working remotely impact all team members, which will have an impact on the team’s ability to achieve shared goals. Thus, it is important to consider the negative impacts of the pandemic, which can have bottom-up emergent influences not just on the individual directly experiencing the challenge, but on the rest of their team as well.

A common change that occurred in response to the rapid shift online, other than utilizing new modes of communication (e.g., Slack, Zoom, WhatsApp), were communication changes in terms of both quantity and quality. What is most striking regarding changes to communication is that the changes spanned the continuum: some teams communicated more, some less, and some had no or little change. Some team members mentioned perceiving little impact on their team’s communication, especially if they were already using virtual communication modes prior to the pandemic, such as in existing geographically dispersed teams or multidisciplinary teams: “Even when face to face mainly the group communication was through WhatsApp. I am from a different major, so I didn’t see my group if it wasn’t for meetings. Therefore, communication through WhatsApp was crucial.” Another team appeared to not be taking advantage of classroom time for face-to-face interaction even though they could have, and instead had been relying on texting from the start: “However our communication has not changed, we never really talked in class and just texted which is what we still use.” This example is intriguing because it highlights the fact that teams that are technically co-located, if self-managed, can and do opt to interact using virtual means anyways. While it is possible that this choice could have put the team as a disadvantage compared to teams meeting face-to-face at first, it became an advantage in terms of adapting to the pandemic because shifting online was not a disruption to this team’s workflow.

Some team members described having less communication during the pandemic. Some teams lost communication with all or part of the team: “The change to online classes has been very rough. Currently there are minimal meetings with team members and communication is low at the moment.” Other teams described having more communication , usually because more communication was determined to be necessary to clear up ambiguity: “I think we communicated more because we had to make sure everyone knew what the project was, who did what, and reviewing the weak and strong points of the project without being able to physically meet.” Moving beyond the frequency of communication, many team members describe more difficult communication . For some teams, communicating with the entire team became difficult because certain members were hard to get a hold of: “With some group members, it has been easy to communicate, but since we do not see each other in class it is hard to get other group members to respond and contribute to the project.” For other teams, even when communication occurred, clarity was harder to establish: “it is a lot harder to communicate clearly,” or the communication now seemed to be a waste of time: “Communication is not great at this point, meetings seem to be a waste of time in that they all seem to not accomplish anything.”

Finally, some team members experienced improved communication as compared to pre-pandemic. These participants perceived that online communication was more efficient or effective than their previous face-to-face communication had been. For example, one participant described the following improvements after shifting online: “Our meetings became more scheduled instead of whenever we were all free which gave more rhythm than before.” Another participant felt the online format was more efficient: “Personally speaking, the online meeting is more efficient than the face to face meeting.” Taken together, the variety of communication changes that occurred in response to the pandemic suggest there may be some unexplored boundary conditions that determine when a team is most likely to respond to external stressors and a sudden shift to online interaction by reducing or increasing communication.

The other team-related changes that occurred in response to the shift online included task changes and roles changes. Task changes often occurred because many of these teams were originally engaged in designing physical prototypes, and therefore, the shift online precluded the ability to continue this work. As one team member commented:

As a senior design team, we have completely lost access to the physical portion of our work and will not be able to complete it. We are currently working on rescoping to a project that will still satisfy course requirements without the physical element.

Many teams halted physical work and instead worked on developing the supporting documents for the project: “Now, instead of working hands-on, the team is writing an extra report for the next team that will continue the project explaining what is left to do.” In one case, the project was canceled entirely. This is another uniquely team-level change that was experienced. If an individual was working on a prototype in physical isolation, they likely would have been allowed to continue working on that prototype in both employment or educational settings. However, because these were complex team-based projects, the need to remain socially distanced precluded the teams from continuing their physical work.

Furthermore, role changes in terms of the functions fulfilled by team members occurred, sometimes in direct response to the change in taskwork (i.e., the entire project changed, so everyone’s roles changed in response): “Because we no longer meet in person, tasks are assigned to individuals rather than the group as a whole.” In other cases, the team voluntarily chose to make changes to role assignments in response to social loafing or other coordination challenges: “Further we have segmented the team to focus entirely on certain large tasks to split the load and not be held back by interactions required from other people.” In other words, the roles assigned to particular team members often had to change in order to (a) accommodate new taskwork assigned to the team, (b) to accommodate the new virtual working context within which the team was embedded, or (c) in response to team member performance issues. This is another uniquely team-level phenomenon in that shifting roles among team members can only occur within team-based work structures.

Consequences

Several responses described specific consequences of the shift online during the pandemic for the team’s overall performance. Progress disruptions were one of the most immediate consequences for teams such that changes in the project caused forward progress to slow or stop altogether: “The pandemic situation definitely impacted our team negatively. It made us lose the momentum of work.” Some participants also described increased ambiguity surrounding the project:

We are kind of lost. We can’t work on the project anymore that we’ve spent the last 2 years of our life on. No closure. The team has no idea what to do next other than busy work and reports etc.

In some cases, this increased ambiguity resulted in changes to communication: “I think we communicated more because we had to make sure everyone knew what the project was, who did what” In other words, for some teams, the abrupt shift online and the changes to the team’s taskwork triggered a need for the team to engage in collective sensemaking in order to reestablish a shared understanding of the project before momentum could be regained. Other participants described morale loss , ranging from moderate to very significant, especially in reaction to the loss of the physical design aspect of their projects. For example, one participant described the changes as discouraging: “This is a difficult and discouraging process made worse by lack of in-person contact.” Another described their team as heartbroken:

With our project being ended and competition canceled, the team is pretty heartbroken and the only motivation to finish up our last few papers for the class is the grade. It feels like a lot of hard work for nothing.

A final theme was the overall impact of these challenges and changes on the team’s processes and performance. In most cases the impact was negative , and in some cases, invoked very strong negative responses: “[Another member] and I have done all of the work since moving online. . .. I absolutely hate being part of this group, it has brought me nothing but stress and added immense amount of work and over-explaining to my course load.” Other participants described changes as quite neutral , both in terms of describing a relatively neutral impact and in terms of using relatively neutral language, such as this student in a two-person team:

It has not really changed how I communicate with my team member. We both have a pretty open line of communication and can reach each other pretty easily. The only difference is how we meet. Instead of face-to-face, we now just do zoom meetings in order to talk.

Finally, some impacts were described as positive and stated in a positive way: “Our communication is better than it was in person. My group was one of the best I have ever been in. We handled the online switch very well.”

Some of the themes reflected in our data—namely, that the COVID-19 pandemic created a variety of challenges, changes, and consequences for teamwork—are not unexpected. However, these themes do represent one of the first formal research documentation of the phenomenon. Additionally, this research extends previous findings regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by finding that performance-impacting issues such as technological limitations, distractions in a home working environment, and an overall increase in stressors, not only impact individuals’ well-being and work performance during the pandemic, but also impact the ability of teams to interact effectively and achieve shared goals.

The implications of the pandemic on performance beyond the individual level are crucial to consider because the interdependent nature of teamwork is likely to exacerbate the impact of any challenges experienced. If the pandemic, or any other jarring global crisis, has a serious impact on an individual working alone, the impact is somewhat limited to that individual’s progress and goal attainment. However, if the pandemic has a serious impact on even one team member within a highly interdependent project team, that impact could trigger a cascade of challenges and changes necessary for the team to recover from the disruption, even if the majority of the team did not directly experience that challenge. The challenges for teamwork only get more complex to manage as more team members are impacted by either the same or different issues (e.g., one has internet connection issues, another has moved to a different time zone, another is suffering from severe anxiety around a family member’s health status) and the team must collectively manage all of these issues at once. In other words, the current research highlights that within teams, challenges are not occurring in a vacuum, and that these challenges could interact with and compound one another. For example, when a team member experiences a challenge while working virtually, it can be difficult for other team members to quickly recognize that assistance or backup behavior is needed, and perceptions of poor performance could trigger tensions and conflict that further negatively impact the team.

The challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic are influencing many different moving pieces at the individual level, and then these individual-level changes are dynamically interacting to impact the team overall. Although the current data shed light on the general concept that micro-level impacts can influence the team’s ability to interact and perform effectively, this research is at the individual level and retrospective in nature, and cannot fully explore the dynamic interactive processes through which higher-level impacts are emerging. Future research should take a microfoundation ( Barney & Felin, 2013 ; Felin et al., 2015 ) or team microdynamic ( Humphrey & Aime, 2014 ) perspective to explore how the varying impacts of the pandemic on each individual team member, as the diverse constituent elements of the team, interact with one another over time to emerge into a higher-level property of the team that may or may not be functionally equivalent to its lower-level elements ( Kozlowski & Klein, 2000 ; Turner, 1964 ). Many multilevel emergence-based research questions remain unanswered, such as, but not limited to:

  • Are the impacts of individual team member challenges on the team additive or interactive?
  • Can a positive impact of the pandemic on one team member negate the negative impact of it on another team member?
  • What does the team-level emergent phenomenon look like if each team member is experiencing different challenges versus similar challenges?
  • Is there a critical tipping point at which the team cannot overcome challenges if they are impacting too large a proportion of its team members, or persist for too long?

Another aspect of our research that should be highlighted is that we were specifically studying teams in which the pandemic caused a rapid required shift in work context from face-to-face to virtual, distinguishing it from the ample research on teams that are generally designed from the start to be virtual (e.g., Dulebohn & Hoch, 2017 ). Therefore, it is important for future research to explore whether this distinction between teams that are designed to be virtual, teams that elect to be virtual, and teams that are abruptly forced to be virtual, has any impact on the interactions and performance of that team. We speculate that the abruptness of this shift online may be one of the boundary conditions that determines when the shift results in process losses versus process gains. Future research should further explore the nature of shifts in virtuality within teams such as the timing of those changes, the level of discretion associated with those changes, and the magnitude or severity of those changes.

In a more hopeful vein, our findings counterintuitively suggested that for some teams, the COVID-19 pandemic had very little or no impact, and in some cases, even a positive impact on teamwork. This is useful to consider in that there is an almost unspoken assumption that the impacts of the pandemic on performance and well-being are overwhelmingly negative. While many negative consequences were reported, there was some evidence for the contrary as well. These themes of neutral and even positive changes and outcomes provide a potential avenue for intervention in teams during crisis-induced shifts to online work. Future research further exploring the reasons why certain teams experienced positive, rather than negative, impacts could help to uncover interventions that could be used to prepare future teams to be more resilient and adaptive in the face of crisis-induced changes. For instance, Stoverink et al. (2020) proposed a model of team resilience based on the conservation of resources theory that may provide additional insights into why certain teams were able to continue interacting effectively despite being exposed to the inherent stressors of the pandemic.

Like any individual study, the current research is not without limitations. First, this research focused on project teams in educational settings, rather than in formal employment settings. However, the project work undertaken in these upper-level undergraduate courses is similar to project work in employment settings: the projects were at least sixteen weeks long and sometimes a year or longer, had clear goals, deadlines, and consequences for success and failure, and the teams were interdependent and multidisciplinary. In other words, there is no reason to expect that these findings would not generalize to other similar types of project teams. However, formal policies and procedures surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic are shifting, and there is ample variance in COVID-19 procedures across educational settings, employment settings, organizations, regions, and nations. Future research should explore the impact of the pandemic on teamwork under varying conditions such as (a) during complete social isolation (i.e., government-mandated stay-at-home orders), (b) during socially distanced and masked in-person interactions, or (c) during unrestricted in-person interactions.

Second, because these data were collected in a rapid timeframe during the COVID-19 crisis, the final sample is relatively small and was subject to extensive nonresponse. Future research should consider the implications of collecting data during global crises, as avoiding nonresponse altogether during such contexts may not be feasible. Regardless, the themes reflected here are most useful for inspiring and informing further future research rather than making direct conclusions. More studies are needed to explore the extent to which these themes are prevalent and generalizable to other samples and organizational contexts. Third, although the focal context of this study was teams, the data are at the individual level and represent individual responses. Therefore, these data cannot speak to whether these perceptions were shared within a team. However, we argue that even if a team member’s perception regarding their team is not shared, it should not be interpreted as not being accurate or meaningful. One team member’s inaccurate or diverging perception can still influence their attitudes and behaviors toward the team and therefore have a bottom-up impact on the team ( Ajzen, 1985 ; Kozlowski & Klein, 2000 ).

As society continues to overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the experiences shared by our participants highlight that there are important reasons to research and understand the challenges, changes, and consequences that working teams are facing (see Table 1 for a summary of key insights). Future research should continue to clarify the negative effects of the pandemic on teams, explore how teams can leverage their advantages and experience positive effects, and consider the bottom-up impacts of individual experiences in shaping team-level phenomena.

Summary of Key Insights.

Author Biographies

Jessica L. Wildman , PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, USA, and Research Director of the Institute for Cross Cultural Management. Her research interests include team dynamics, interpersonal trust dynamics, and culture and diversity in the workplace.

Daniel M. Nguyen is a doctoral student in the Industrial Organizational Psychology program at the Florida Institute of Technology, USA. His research interests include human-agent teaming, team dynamics, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Ngoc S. Duong , MS, is a doctoral student in the Industrial Organizational Psychology program at the Florida Institute of Technology, USA. His research interests include team dynamics, conflict management, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Catherine Warren is a doctoral student in the Industrial Organizational Psychology program at the Florida Institute of Technology, USA), and received her master’s degree in I/O Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Her streams of research include teams, diversity, and inclusion.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Psychology: Research and Review

  • Open access
  • Published: 10 February 2022

Teamwork skills in higher education: is university training contributing to their mastery?

  • Elena De Prada 1 ,
  • Mercedes Mareque   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8927-5323 2 &
  • Margarita Pino-Juste 3  

Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica volume  35 , Article number:  5 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Teamwork skills are considered essential for personal, academic and professional achievement, so universities are increasingly integrating them into their syllabuses. However, little is known about how some specific features of students and their educational development can affect their acquisition. Accordingly, this study aims to fill this gap and describe higher education students’ mastery of teamwork skills and its relation to certain socio-academic variables (gender, academic year and grade point average—GPA). With the aim of determining the level of teamwork skills among university students, an observational, transversal descriptive study was designed with an intentional sample of Spanish university students. The sample is made up of 615 social science degree students. The results suggest significant gender differences, highlighting that female students outdid their male counterparts in most teamwork skills, except leadership. Likewise, students’ skills improved as they progressed in their studies, particularly those skills related to adaptability and decision-making. Finally, a positive relationship was observed between teamwork skills and GPA, except for interpersonal development. A regression analysis confirmed the influence of both academic year and GPA for women whilst no effect was detected in the case of men. Based on these results, it is suggested to make changes in university education programmes to compensate for the influence of socio-academic factors and benefit from the most positive features of each gender regarding teamwork to achieve an equal and fair higher education.

Introduction

Today most higher education institutions highlight the necessity of including both hard and soft skills in their syllabus to meet the required personal, academic and professional demands for a successful career. Hard skills are considered to be the technical knowledge and experiences needed to carry out a job, whilst soft skills are interpersonal qualities, also understood as an individual’s set of social skills and personal attributes. Therefore, soft skills refer to a broad group of skills, behaviours, and personal qualities that enable individuals to function efficiently in their environment, have effective relationships, carry out their work professionally, and achieve the goals they are set (Lippman et al., 2014 ). Soft skills are considered excellent complements to traditional hard skills at university due to their significant role in the current context. However, although soft skills are considered important as hard skills, there is a lack of consensus regarding their characterisation and implementation (Yan et al., 2019 ).

Universities are aware that having an adequate level of education and training not only implies a certain mastery of the contents of a given syllabus; students also need to fully develop the necessary skills to access the job market (García, 2016 ). According to Robles ( 2012 ), in fact, employers consider social skills to be a significantly important attribute for job seekers, demanding that their new employees’ soft skills are as well consolidated as their hard skills, given that current job positions require additional qualities that were previously not demanded (Pitan, 2017 ). Thus, both employers and academic institutions are slowly becoming aware of the need to equip individuals with the competencies, skills and knowledge that will not only facilitate their incorporation into the job market after their studies but also support their professional development throughout their career so that they can successfully adapt to changes in the job market.

Within this context, teamwork skills have been gaining close attention, as they are considered essential competencies in an increasingly more globalised, dynamic and complex world. New employees are asked if they have teamwork skills, can resolve specific work issues or have the required skills to handle the new challenges posed by today’s society (Baneres & Conesa, 2017 ). Universities are not oblivious to society’s needs, specifically to the demand of companies for students and future workers to be trained in soft skills. Over the past few years, universities have manifested their concern with students’ mastery of soft skills, specifically those related to learning to work in teams, given their correlation with employability. Recruiters are looking for employees with soft skills, as they are aware of the link between the former and the successful maintenance and execution of a job (Blaszczynski & Green, 2012 ). Therefore, in the present day, job adverts frequently list soft skills—including teamwork—as a requirement (Clares et al., 2019 ).

Little research focuses on students’ acquisition level of the different teamwork skills, which will aid ongoing learning throughout their careers. The same happens with research focused on establishing the relationship between teamwork skills and students’ specific socio-academic features. In this sense, studies such as the ones carried out by Al-Alawneh and Ashour ( 2011 ), Al-Alawneh et al. ( 2011 ), Beigi and Shirmohammadi ( 2012 ), Chamorro-Premuzic et al. ( 2010 ), Chapman and Van Auken ( 2001 ), Ilias et al. ( 2012 ), Lozano-Rodríguez et al. ( 2020 ), Park et al. ( 2015 ) and Rodríguez-Gómez et al. ( 2018 ) have tried to establish the possible relationships between teamwork skills and gender, academic experience or academic performance.

The objective of the present study is to describe higher education students’ mastery level of teamwork skills and its relation to certain socio-academic variables, to introduce changes in university training programmes that can respond to the demands of companies and strengthen their employability. In order to carry out this objective, an observational, transversal descriptive study was devised and tested with an intentional sample of Spanish university students, using the Teamwork Skills Questionnaire (TSQ) (O’Neill et al., 1999 ), which measures an individual’s skill level to work efficiently in a team. This research contributes to the existing literature offering new empirical evidence about teamwork skills levels in Spanish university students on the one hand and adding new insights about the influence of gender and academic factors on teamwork skills on the other.

Soft skills for teamwork

Soft skills are considered essential elements of employees’ development. The acquisition of these skills enables attitudinal and behavioural change in workers, as well as increased productivity and well-being (Sitthisomjin et al., 2014 ). Soft skills facilitate effective teamwork, which is an integral part of the execution of many professions (Vaughan et al., 2019 ).

Therefore, students in both compulsory and further education need to be trained in these skills if they are to become graduates capable of competing in the variety of situations they may come up against in the workplace (Ali et al., 2017 ). Following this line of research, several works have tried to identify the most relevant soft skills that the job market demands from the point of view of students and company supervisors. Durán-Aponte and Durán-García ( 2012 ) highlight the relevance of ethical commitment, personal skills, teamwork and professional responsibility. Clemente-Ricolfe and Escribá-Pérez ( 2013 ) include analysis capacity, problem solving and teamwork. Freire et al. ( 2011 ) confirm that the most valued skills in the job market are responsibility, learning capacity, motivation, concern for quality and teamwork. Accordingly, we can observe that the common denominator of this research is that teamwork is one of the key soft skills that students have to acquire for their future professional success.

Furthermore, soft skills may contribute to their success in many academic and personal situations. The evidence has demonstrated that soft skills promote a series of tangible benefits for health, welfare, relationships, education and work. Given the variety of soft skills, we have turned to the systematic reviews in this area to determine which are the most frequently cited in education and the professional sphere (Gates et al., 2016 ; Lippman et al., 2014 ). Thus, we have observed that the highest valued soft skills by employers are integrity, communication, courtesy, responsibility, social skills, positive attitude, professionalism, flexibility, teamwork, creativity and work ethic.

It is worth pointing out the varying approaches to the definition of teamwork. Thus, in line with Hare ( 2010 ), our study interprets teamwork as a group of individuals with (a) commonality of goals across members, (b) synergy that emerges from members’ interdependence and (c) size, with at least two members viewed as sufficient. In addition, we should bear in mind that “teamwork” is sometimes considered a skill in itself; in this study, however, our focus is on measuring the soft skills that enable good teamwork, along similar lines as Bonavia et al. ( 2015 ).

The literature has considered many techniques and measurements for evaluating teamwork skills (Bonavia et al., 2015 ). For this study, we have chosen to use the test designed by O’Neill et al. ( 1999 ), a multi-dimensional scale analysing various dimensions of perceptions of teamwork. It includes the measurement of six key soft skills for teamwork: coordination, decision-making, leadership, interpersonal development, adaptability, and communication.

Finally, it is essential to note that studies designed to observe teamwork skills should consider the country’s social and cultural context since socio-cultural features can determine individuals’ behaviour and attitude towards teamwork. For example, one of the dimensions of culture, collectivism versus individualism, has been demonstrated to influence teamwork since the two positions will approach group work in a different way (Galanes et al., 2004 ).

Teamwork skills and socio-academic factors

Previous studies have identified a relationship between student attitudes towards teamwork skills and specific student characteristics such as gender, academic experience or academic performance. However, it is important to mention that research is scarce in the last two variables mentioned. It should also be noted that there is some controversy regarding the results of the studies consulted, especially concerning the academic experience and academic performance, probably due to the diverse cultural and educational contexts and the different measures used, as previously stated.

In what follows, we will describe relevant research about the three variables under consideration, including the context, instrument and data used.

Regarding the possible influence of gender on teamwork skills, it is essential to consider that male and female differences are present in all societies in many spheres (Ellemers, 2018 ), with degrees of variation created by various cultural influences. Economic-social development and religion, among others, can determine variations in gender (Best & Puzio, 2001 ). For this reason, providing information about participants and the contexts where studies are conducted is fundamental to interpret the results correctly and advance in the field.

Rodríguez-Gómez et al. ( 2018 ) analyse ten essential competencies in Spanish university students, including teamwork. They found significant differences in six of these competencies, indicating that women obtain a higher average score than men in five of the six competencies, teamwork being one of them. They emphasise the greater degree of statistical significance in the difference of means in teamwork competence. Al-Alawneh et al. ( 2011 ) investigate whether there are statistically significant differences in teamwork skills ratings in Jordan university students. For this purpose, they analysed six competencies related to teamwork (coordination, decision-making, leadership, interpersonal development, adaptability, and communication) and reported significant differences in communication skills and interpersonal development, the latter showing a higher average score in the case of women. Other studies also highlight gender differences in specific teamwork skills, although they do not clarify if those differences favour men or women. In this sense, Ilias et al. ( 2012 ), in a Malaysian context, or Al-Alawneh and Ashour ( 2011 ) for graduates of career and technical education institutions in Jordan, study the same six teamwork skills as Al-Alawneh et al. ( 2011 ). The former revealed significant differences between genders regarding adaptability and leadership, whilst the latter found significant differences in coordination, communication and interpersonal development.

Academic experience

Academic experience has been positively related to teamwork skills development, emphasising that final-year students are more likely to possess the required competencies for teamwork (Burdett & Hastie, 2009 ). However, as previously indicated, the research conducted in diverse contexts using different measures presents some inconsistencies in its findings. The related literature generally uses two indicators, the students’ age or the academic year. In our study, we have used the second indicator.

Rodríguez-Gómez et al. ( 2018 ) aimed to describe students’ perception of their level of competence in ten basic competencies related to assessment, including teamwork in a Spanish university context. They pointed out significant differences in teamwork for the academic experience variable, using the academic year as an indicator. They observed a substantial increase in teamwork competence from the second year onwards. Final year students reported the highest degree of development of teamwork competence (in the last year, the mean of the competence is \( \overline{x} \) = 5.24 compared to the mean of \( \overline{x} \) = 4.85 in the second year). In this way, students perceived that they improved this competence at the end of their university training. However, in a different context, Jordan, Al-Alawneh et al. ( 2011 ) did not find significant differences between students’ study level and the six analysed teamwork skills.

As indicated, other researchers use the age of university students to determine the academic experience and associate it with attitudes towards teamwork. In this respect, Payne & Monk-Turner ( 2006 ) found moderate relationships between USA university students’ age and some aspects of their attitude towards teamwork skills; specifically, older students considered contributing to other group members’ learning. Something similar happens with more senior students’ willingness to take on leadership roles, as Burdett and Hastie ( 2009 ) reported. Finally, regarding favourable or unfavourable attitudes towards teamwork, Beigi and Shirmohammadi ( 2012 ) concluded that age was not relevant in an Iranian context. Concerning this cultural context, it is essential to consider that the authors highlight that Iranian organisational culture focuses on individual work rather than team collaboration and report that Iranians, compared to other nationalities, are considered less effective in teamwork activities.

Academic performance

Academic performance is an indicator of the learning level achieved by students, and, for this reason, the education system considers it of particular relevance (Reyes, 2003 ). Academic performance has been defined in different ways (Alcaide, 2009 ), and two measures are normally used for their assessment, academic grades or objective tests (Matas, 2003 ). Following Cascón ( 2000 ), our study will use students’ academic performance GPA (grade point average) as the measure. This author found that the grades obtained in successive assessments and their corresponding point average are good criteria for measuring students’ academic performance. The different ways of measuring academic results must be considered to interpret research findings correctly.

In this sense, Lozano-Rodríguez et al. ( 2020 ), in Mexican universities, observed a significant correlation between teamwork skills and academic achievement, calculated using the grades obtained at the end of the academic term. Park et al. ( 2015 ) obtained similar findings in a South Korean context. They highlight that teamwork learning can improve academic performance.

Regarding students’ attitudes towards teamwork, it is important to consider that different cultural and educational contexts can organise and assess teamwork differently. Accordingly, students’ attitudes can vary depending on the perception that teamwork affects their marks (Burdett & Hastie, 2009 ). Likewise, it can be influenced by universities’ focus on teamwork skill training. It has been emphasised that assigning teamwork activities without guidance is not enough. Specific team-building skill training is required to be effective and achieve academic success (Cox & Bobrowski, 2004 ). The described factors can condition research results, as we can see in the following cases.

In an Iranian context, Beigi and Shirmohammadi ( 2012 ) observed no significant differences among students with diverse GPA regarding their attitude towards teamwork. Chapman and Van Auken ( 2001 ) in North America found a significant but small correlation between student attitudes towards teamwork and GPA. They concluded that students with higher GPA had less positive attitudes towards teamwork. However, in the Spanish context, students’ attitudes towards teamwork based on their previous experiences led to higher academic performance (Martínez-Romero et al., 2021 ).

Accordingly, although research highlights that teamwork exerts a beneficial influence on academic performance (Lozano-Rodríguez et al., 2020 ; Park et al., 2015 ; Martínez-Romero et al., 2021 ), specific training on developing effective teamwork skills can determine students’ academic success (Cox & Bobrowski, 2004 ). Considering the results mentioned above and the mixed findings for some variables that previous literature has yielded, the following hypotheses are put forward:

H1: There is a relationship between teamwork skills and gender.

H2: There is a relationship between teamwork skills and academic year.

H3: There is a relationship between teamwork skills and GPA.

This study aims to describe higher education students’ mastery of teamwork skills and its relation to certain socio-academic variables (gender, academic year and grade point average—GPA).

Participants

With the aim of determining the level of teamwork skills among university students, an observational, transversal descriptive study was designed with an intentional sample of Spanish university students (autonomous community of Galicia). Students are enrolled in social sciences degrees (Education and Business Management). These two degrees have been chosen for two reasons: firstly, they are part of the degrees with the highest number of students in this university, and secondly, their programmes include teamwork as a basic competence to develop.

The Spanish university system includes 82 universities (50 public and 32 private). The total number of students enrolled in 2020-2021 is 1,679,518. Undergraduate students represent 79.8% of enrolled students aged between 18 and 21, and only 5.9% are from other countries, mainly from the EU (2.6%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (1.4%). In the case of universities in the region of Galicia, the percentage of international students is even lower (2.6%). Women represent 56% of the total number of students enrolled (MEC, 2020 ).

The present sample consists of 615 students from the three public universities of the Region of Galicia. The cultural context of the study is homogeneous, primarily individuals sharing the same cultural background, languages, customs and religion. Male students make up 33% and female students 67%. The average age among participants is 21.52, the minimum being 18 and the maximum 43. The degrees are structured in four years. 31.4% of the students were in their first year, 26% in their second, 25.5% in their third and 17.1% in their final year.

Socio-academic factors

The proposed questionnaire included a series of variables related to certain socio-academic factors displayed by the participants:

Gender: this was measured by asking the participants to indicate whether they were men or women.

Academic year: students were also asked to state which academic year they were in (Spanish degrees are structured in 4 academic years).

Academic performance: this was measured by asking students to indicate their GPA.

  • Teamwork skills

As stated in the previous literature, there are different tools for measuring teamwork. In our case, we chose the Teamwork Skills Questionnaire (TSQ) (O’Neill et al., 1999 ), which evaluates the general skill level of an individual in order to participate effectively in teamwork (TSQ) as well as the different components that influence this competence. Despite being a self-reporting tool, it is an excellent way of measuring these cross-curricular skills, given the difficulties in using direct measures (Marshall et al., 2005 ).

The questionnaire has six sub-scales: (a) adaptability; (b) coordination; (c) decision-making; (d) leadership; (e) interpersonal development; and (f) communication (O’Neil & Mashbun, 1997 , 413). This instrument was selected because it measures the most relevant competencies for teamwork.

Adaptability (items: 15, 21, 26, 30, 34) refers to being able to recognise problems at work and respond appropriately. Coordination (items: 6, 11, 17, 23, 32) is understood as an individual’s ability to organise team activities in order to complete a task on time. Decision-making (items: 3, 7, 12, 18, 24, 28) is the ability to use the available information to make team decisions. Leadership (items: 1, 4, 8, 13, 19, 25, 29) refers to the ability to lead a team. Interpersonal development (items: 5, 9, 14, 20, 33, 36) is related to the ability to interact cooperatively with other team members. Communication (items: 2, 10, 16, 22, 27, 31, 35) is the global exchange of clear, precise information.

The Teamwork Skills Questionnaire (TSQ) was chosen because of its reliability rate; the scale has good reliability, offering a range from .84 to .97 (Marshall et al., 2005 ; O’Neil et al., 2003 ). The results of our study suggest an adequate level of internal consistency, given that Cronbach’s Alpha ranges from .695 to .868 (Sijtsma, 2009 ) (Table 1 ). The psychometric properties of the scale confirm the factor structure of the original questionnaire composed of 36 items and its six factors ( χ 2 /gl = 3.67, CFI = .937, NNFI = .890, RMSEA = .056) and a very high internal consistency ( α = .938) (Portela-Pino et al., 2022 ).

The questionnaire was distributed to the students as a form sent through the university platform, thus enabling anonymous, voluntary and confidential participation. Ethical research protocols were respected, emphasising confidentiality and following the ethical rules outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (AMM, 2017 ).

Data analysis

The data analysis procedure has varied depending on the study objective. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the basic features of the data. The next step was to conduct a means analysis using the Student t-test for dichotomous variables and the analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Bonferroni post hoc test for polytomous variables. The effect size was calculated via Cohen’s d . In order to establish the relation between the scale variables, Pearson’s correlation was also calculated. Pearson’s chi-square was used to ascertain the association among categorical variables. Finally, a multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to identify the predictors of overall competence on teamwork (TSQ) according to socio-academic variables (method: enter). All the analyses were carried out with a confidence level of 95% through the statistical package SPSS 25.0.

Descriptive and univariate analysis

The students’ levels of competence in each of the factors measured are relatively high, except for leadership ( \( \overline{x} \) = 2.71) and coordination ( \( \overline{x} \) = 2.99) (Table 2 ). Thanks to the confidence interval, we can estimate between which values any real population value will fall, with a 5% margin of error, and as we can see, we are very close to the mean.

Hypothesis 1, evidenced in Table 3 , which established a relationship between teamwork skills and gender, is accepted. We find that the male students score higher in leadership, whilst female students score higher in adaptability, coordination, interpersonal development and communication. There are no differences in decision-making.

The effect size was also calculated through Cohen’s d ( d = standardised means difference); the effect is small for all variables except for decision-making, which is large.

Hypothesis 2, evidenced in Table 4 , where the academic year is a significant variable in skill level, is partially accepted. It would seem that the further along in their studies a student is, the greater their skill level, especially regarding adaptability and decision-making. Nevertheless, the differences are scarce in the other skills. The effect size was also calculated through Cohen’s d ( d = standardised means difference); the effect is small for variables.

Multivariate analysis

Table 5 analyses the correlation between different factors and the independent variable GPA, put forward as hypothesis 3. A positive relation between skills and average academic marks can be found, except for interpersonal development.

Given that the variables gender, GPA and academic year influence teamwork competence, it is necessary to establish whether there are differences in GPA and academic year for gender. It is observed that women obtain higher GPA than men (see Table 3 ). Based on these results, we have designed a regression model to explain the socio-academic variables that influence teamwork development according to gender.

Based on the overall objective of this research, a linear multiple regression analysis has been estimated. The results are presented in Table 6 . On the one hand, the expected sign for each variable in relation to the dependent variable (overall competence on teamwork—TSQ) is included. On the other hand, both the model’s estimated coefficients (non-standardised) and the typified coefficients (standardised), referred to as β , are included. The fourth and fifth columns present the values of the statistic and its significance ( p -value < .05). The last column shows values VIF, which are lower than 10; this suggests no multicollinearity or internal correlations between the independent variables.

For the total model (men and women), results show a statistically significant relationship between the dependent variable (overall competence on teamwork) and the academic year and GPA of 1% and, with the variable gender, of 5%. All the variables have the expected sign coefficient. Out of this group of variables, the one with the greatest specific weight over the response variable is the academic year ( β = .119). Accordingly, the regression analysis results show that although the independent variables are significant, their incidence to explain teamwork skills is limited.

In order to find out the academic variables that explain teamwork skills, a model was designed for each gender. Results confirm that both academic variables (GPA and academic year) influence teamwork skills mastery in the case of women, whilst no influence is found in the model for men. Additionally, in the model for women, all the variables have the expected sign coefficient, there is a statistically significant relationship between the dependent variable (overall competence on teamwork) and the academic year and GPA of 1%, and GPA is the variable with the greatest weight with respect to the dependent variable (teamwork) ( β =.152).

Discussion, conclusions and implications

University graduates should be efficient in their workplace. For this purpose, not only solid hard skills are required, but competencies that allow them to solve real-life problems. Universities are expected to provide specific training on skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, cooperation or soft skills (Pöysä-Tarhonen et al., 2016 ), as the latter would appear to have a close relation with employability. However, training students in these skills is problematic because this type of instruction has not been traditionally contemplated in academic culture (Hirsch, 2017 ).

For these reasons, having a valid and reliable instrument to measure these skills is of great importance, not only for employers but also for university teaching staff. Results show a strong positive relationship between all the scale factors that vary between .179 and .733, and fundamentally between each of them and the total scale score. In the research carried out by Al-Alawneh et al. ( 2011 ), the range varied between .43 and .69, whilst in Brungardt’s study ( 2009 ), the correlation varied from .242 to .679. Therefore, this corroborates that the results obtained in our research are similar to previous studies.

Teamwork skills among students

We can confirm that social science students’ teamwork skills level in each of the soft skills measured is relatively high, except for leadership and coordination. However, it is essential to highlight that some studies have noted that graduates expressed the differences perceived regarding the soft skills acquired at university and those that are actually applied in an organisational context. To this respect, Pereira ( 2013 ) confirmed that there were significant differences between students’ perceptions of the soft skills acquired at university and companies’ perceptions. This discrepancy might point to a structural imbalance in the interaction between universities and companies, given that universities do not seem to address the skills demands of the workplace.

Differences in students’ level of teamwork skills based on socio-academic factors

The results of the study confirm the existence of significant differences in teamwork skills according to gender, academic year and GPA of the students.

Teamwork skills and gender

The male students were confirmed to have only obtained higher scores in leadership skills, whereas the female students scored higher in adaptability, coordination, interpersonal development and communication. No differences were noted in decision-making skills.

Our results are in the same line as other studies, such as the one carried out by Al-Alawneh et al. ( 2011 ) with Jordan university students. These researchers found significant differences in gender, indicating that women have better interpersonal skills since the mean scores of interpersonal and communication skills were higher for women. According to these authors, this result can be explained by considering Jordan women’s psychology, described to be more serious about their responsibilities and commitments with their families and society in general than Jordan men. It is also worth noting that, although not significant, men obtained higher scores than women in leadership skills. This result is explained by taking into account cultural differences since men are reported to have more opportunities to lead and make decisions than women. Conversely, other studies such as that of Beigi and Shirmohammadi ( 2012 ) conducted among students at the University of Iran confirmed a significant relationship but having male students slightly better attitudes towards teamwork than their female counterparts. The results of these two studies should be interpreted considering the cultural context where they occur. It is crucial to consider the influence of gender regarding culture (Galanes et al., 2004 ) and how it affects teamwork. These differences also could help explain the contradictions found between gender and teamwork performance (Schneid et al., 2015 ).

Considering the results obtained in our research, we can conclude that there are differences between genders regarding teamwork skills since female students scored higher in all analysed skills, except for leadership. From the point of view of training, these results are highly relevant as teamwork skills are considered fundamental for students’ integration into the job market and their professional development. However, as we have indicated, teamwork skills show significant gender differences.

On the one hand, women seem to show higher self-efficacy in teamwork (Peinado et al., 2015 ). In this respect, it is worth noting that self-efficacy beliefs influence academic success and students’ motivation to achieve their goals (Saunders et al., 2004 ; Vera et al., 2011 ). Equally, several studies confirm that women obtain better academic results than men at university (Khan et al., 2012 ; Wan Chik et al., 2012 ). Accordingly, teamwork gender differences seem to affect other highly relevant aspects for academic success, such as GPA.

Teamwork skills and academic year

The academic year has also proven to be a significant factor in skills development. It has been shown that the higher the academic year being studied, the higher the level of adaptability and decision-making. This evolution indicates that as students progress through the courses and gain more experience, they develop their skills more efficiently. In addition, First-year students’ reflective capacity, maturity, and commitment may be less developed than in later years (Burdett & Hastie, 2009 ). Our results align with the study by Rodríguez-Gómez et al. ( 2018 ) since they also observed that the students’ teamwork competence level improved as the courses progressed due to students’ perception of more significant development of their acquired skills in the last academic years. As could be expected, this evolution will depend on the specific training methodology employed in different universities and countries. The differences are not as evident as some studies have reported in some cases. For example, in a Jordan context, Al-Alawneh et al. ( 2011 ) found no significant differences in the six analysed teamwork skills (coordination, decision-making, leadership, interpersonal development, adaptability, and communication). Nevertheless, these authors also highlight that second-year students obtained higher scores than first-year students, which is consistent with research that recommends teaching generic skills in the second year (Aarnio et al., 2010 ).

Teamwork skills and GPA

Regarding the relationship between GPA and teamwork skills, the results of our research are consistent with other studies. Park et al. ( 2015 ), with South Korean university students or Lozano-Rodríguez et al. ( 2020 ), with Mexican ones, also found that teamwork skills were positively related to academic performance. In the Spanish context, Martínez-Romero et al. ( 2021 ) confirm these findings.

On the other hand, Chamorro-Premuzic et al. ( 2010 ), in their study carried out for undergraduate and post-graduate students from UK universities, point out that the scores in these skills are predictors of academic achievement. In this way, developing students’ teamwork skills can transcend all the positive benefits of such decisive competencies and improve their academic scores. Emphasising this connection is highly important, as some education systems neglect teamwork due to the consideration that it interferes with academic achievements (Lau et al., 2014 ). However, when institutional efforts are made, and specific training on effective teamwork skills is developed, students are more likely to achieve academic success (Cox & Bobrowski, 2004 ).

As exemplified here, teamwork is not only an essential transferable skill highly valued by employers but a strategic means to obtain better academic results. Students frequently underestimate this connection because they do not usually get grades for teamwork skills (Strom & Strom, 2011 ). The findings presented are highly relevant as they suggest teamwork can improve not only teamwork skills but also academic performance. Men might need to improve most of their teamwork skills to get higher academic marks and become professionals with more resources. On the other hand, women could consider being open and receptive to lead, trying to change their roles and testing their qualities and strengths. In this way, they could have the chance to transcend any barriers that might limit their capabilities.

Universities provide ideal environments for developing teamwork skills since these skills can be fostered from formal instruction, curriculum design, and non-formal perspectives. From the formal perspective, educational institutions can promote the organisation and implementation of teamwork training programmes. Specifically, teachers can include these skills in the design of their subjects. Some research has emphasised the role of specific innovative teaching techniques in the classroom, such as the micro flip teaching model (Fidalgo-Blanco et al., 2019 ), Project-based learning (Vogler et al., 2018 ) or experiential activities (Marasi, 2019 ).

Likewise, curricular elective subjects and extracurricular training courses have proven to be highly effective for teamwork skills acquisition (Cox & Bobrowski, 2004 ), so they should be promoted and included at an institutional level. In this way, students can acquire and develop teamwork skills through curricular, academic practices, and university extracurricular or free time leisure activities. Previous literature has observed that extracurricular activities have been shown to positively impact the acquisition of teamwork skills (Sherrod et al., 2002 ; Zaff et al., 2003 ). In this sense, Arat ( 2014 ) points out that university students also acquire these skills when engaging in activities such as sports, volunteering, art and design projects, long-term workshops and courses, travel, or learning to play an instrument. De Prada et al. ( 2021 ) observe that students who participate in musical activities, carry out multidisciplinary experiences in volunteering and participate in international workgroups have better teamwork skills.

Therefore, given the importance of teamwork skills for students’ academic performance and future employability, higher education institutions should endeavour to support and develop teamwork skills training from the first year at university (Burdett & Hastie, 2009 ; Cox & Bobrowski, 2004 ; Martínez-Romero et al., 2021 ) in order to guarantee students’ educational, social and professional success.

Limitations and future research

Among the limitations of this research, we should indicate that a self-assessment instrument, tested with an intentional sample, was used, so in future research, it would be advisable to carry out a qualitative analysis through interviews or discussion groups to help explain these results. For this reason, results are internally valid, i.e. applicable to the group under study; they cannot be generalised to other groups unless they share the same features. Accordingly, future research should include other degrees to check the differences among the different university training areas. Additionally, the study is based on a specific cultural context, the Spanish one, so replicating this study in other cultural contexts could be helpful to observe the potential effect of culture on teamwork skills.

Lastly, the list of socio-academic factors included in the questionnaire was limited and centred on students’ objective academic experience at university (year of study and GPA). Including new variables and using different analysis models would be interesting to study other factors and activities that might impact teamwork skills acquisition and development. In this sense, variables such as the cultural context, intercultural experiences, students’ field of studies, the presence of specific courses on teamwork training in the curriculum and students’ participation in team-based extra-curricular activities related to sports, music, or volunteering could add valuable insights.

Abbreviations

Grade point average

Teamwork Skills Questionnaire

Variance inflation factor

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The authors thank Mrs. Rebecca Ramanathan for her help in the translation and correction of the English version. To our colleagues in RED-IS (Red Educativa Docente-Innovar en Sociedad) for their critical comments on this study and support.

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Elena De Prada. Department of English, French and German. Faculty of Business and Tourism. University of Vigo. Campus Universitario, 32004 Ourense, Spain. Email: [email protected] .

Ph.D. in Applied linguistics, specialist in TESOL (Trinity College London, England) and Professor. Her publications and research guidelines are focused on foreign language learning, teacher training, innovative teaching, learning methods, multilingualism, interculturality and creativity.

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De Prada, E., Mareque, M. & Pino-Juste, M. Teamwork skills in higher education: is university training contributing to their mastery?. Psicol. Refl. Crít. 35 , 5 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-022-00207-1

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Opening with a quote from Henry Ford, American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company “ If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. ”

True to these lines, it is a known fact that individually you are one drop, but together you are an ocean.

From something as big as running a country to something as small as doing a simple college project, teamwork is the main factor that determines the success of the goal.

Even a Prime Minister requires his council of ministers to deliberate on matters and make decisions . It takes a team to win a cricket match and a team of medical professionals to perform a surgery.

In all these cases, notice how it takes more than one person to achieve a goal . Team work can be defined as a group of people working together, efficiently and effectively to achieve a particular goal. It requires a harmonious partnership between people in order to perform.

Importance of Teamwork

The significance of teamwork can not be undermined. The importance of teamwork for students can be felt in every phase of life, be it school, college or in any organisation, because alone, little can be achieved, together, much can be achieved.

Importance of Teamwork in Schools

1. converts introverts into extroverts.

teamwork essay pdf for students

A school is an educational institution where a multitude of personalities come together to learn. Each student comes from varied backgrounds.

Some may be extroverts while others may be timid and shy. Teamwork is about mixing the different personalities and allowing them to mingle.

Many times, students perform their best when they are surrounded with friends and peers. Students who are slightly weak in a particular subject may be able to get the perfect kind of help from friends in the team. Teamwork can help shy and reserved students to be more open and forthcoming.

2. Listening Skills Improves with Teamwork

In a team, listening to your team members becomes inevitable. Without hearing or listening to others in the team the whole process of partnership or team work breaks down and the team fails.

The idea behind working in a team is to improve communication skills . Listening is a core part of communication .

3. Teamwork Improves Productivity

productive boy studying

One of the purpose and objectives of teamwork in schools is to increase productivity. Teamwork is one of the best ways to increase productivity in students .

There are typically three ways through which teamwork improves productivity

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Sharing Workload:

With all team members being a part of the project or assignment, there is no burden on one student.

Each student is given work that contributes to the main assignment thereby increasing productivity of each student.

Shouldering Support

With all team members working together, students can easily seek help from other friends in the team whenever they have a doubt or problem. This quick access to solutions leads to increased productivity.

Another way teamwork increases productivity is thorough brainstorming sessions of the entire team.

When all the members brainstorm and share ideas for the solutions to the problem, it increases the productivity of all members of the team.

4. Conflict Resolution Solutions

Teamwork helps in conflict resolution . When two or more members in a team have a conflict of interest, the other members can play a vital role in arriving at a solution and cooling the heat of the conflict.

5. Teamwork Helps Vulnerable Students

One of the greatest advantages of teamwork for students is that it helps keep the distractions at bay . We all know that the teenage years are the most vulnerable.

With innumerable distractions, students’ attention can easily get diverted. However, with teamwork, students learn to work in groups, with less time to be alone and less time to get distracted.

6. Teamwork Allows You to Show Your Skills

A team is a group of people that come together to achieve a certain goal. In case of a school project, a group of students work together to complete a particular assignment.

Here, students can showcase what they are good at and contribute their talent or skill to the project. When great talents come together, the project is a sure success.

7. Ensures Timely Checks

deadline

The importance of teamwork for students lies in the fact that it acts as a check on procrastination. In a team, students have to work at the pace maintained by the entire team.

It gives no room for individual procrastination or laziness . Therefore, team work directly improves time management skills .

8. Teaches Students to Mingle and Socialise

When students work in a team, it is evident that they have to interact with each other in order to ensure the smooth completion of the project.

When students interact with each other it enhances their socialising skills .

Many times students do not interact with the teacher for various reasons like fear of admonition or because of the fear that may arise out of respect for the teacher.

In such cases, teamwork is the best way to help students overcome their fears .

As the team usually comprises friends and classmates, the fear of answering directly to a teacher does not exist. Students become more open to talk to their peers in their team.

9. Confidence Booster

One of the advantages of teamwork for students is that it boosts the self confidence of students. As mentioned above, some students will be able to open up better with team members rather than answer directly to authority.

Therefore, teamwork can be a confidence booster for some students. Teamwork paves the way for building self confidence amongst students .

10. Teamwork Creates Lasting Bonds

friends and sunset

One of the greatest purposes and objectives of teamwork in schools is to build lasting bonds of friendship. This is where teamwork plays an important role.

For example, you join your college football team. You meet your team mates very often, for practice sessions and tournament visits.

You spend a lot of time together, off the field and on the field. The time you spend together with your teammates creates close ties and lasting bonds of friendship that can even go beyond the boundaries of the school campus.

11. Creative Minds at Work

Another benefit of teamwork is that it allows many creative minds to come together to churn out some of the most spectacular ideas.

According to Frans Johansson, author of the top business book The Medici Effect, stated that “when you step into an intersection of fields, disciplines, or cultures, you can combine existing concepts into a large number of extraordinary new ideas.

He defines the “intersection” as the point where established concepts meet, connect, clash, and combine, where remarkable innovations are created, and new, groundbreaking ideas emerge.”https://phoscreative.com/articles/the-medici-effect/

12. Problem Solving from Different Perspectives

Problem-Solving

When a team works together to solve a problem, you get different ideas from all the team members. Each member of the team may look at the problem from different angles and put forth their suggestions. This gives the team a wider perspective when it comes to problem solving.

13. Future Ready

Encouraging teamwork at the school level, prepares students for the future. We know, great things in business are never done by one person.They are done by a team of people.

Every organisation, company or industry runs because of the effort and collaboration of different departments in the organisation.

More so, every department within the company runs on the efforts of the entire team together. Therefore, learning how to work in a team at a school level, prepares students for the future.

How to Develop Teamwork Skills

Team Working skills is the ability to direct individual accomplishments towards organisational objectives. It is one of the most important skills because without the ability to work in a team, success is far away.

1. Commitment to A Group Effort Is What Makes a Team Work

Vallam Kali or the traditional boat race of kerala is one of the best examples of how teamwork helps to achieve success. The boat race involves different teams that compete with each other to win the race.

Here, synchronisation and coordination of all the oarsmen are put to test. The strength of the team is each individual member and the strength of each member is the team.

At the end, the team that shows the best harmony, synchrony and coordination will be declared the winner .

The best way of how to develop teamwork skills in students is to assign group projects , debates , role plays and discussions.

Apart from classroom activities, sports is another method of how to build teamwork skills in schools. Many sports events like football, cricket, basketball are all team based sporting activities.

3. Team Building Activity

Team building activities is another way of how to develop teamwork skills in students. Team building activities can take the form of games , ice breaking sessions and other similar activities.

What You Can Do as a Team Player

1. understand responsibilities.

While in a team, it is best to set out the roles of each member. This way there will be no clash of interests. It is important that within a team, everyone understands their responsibilities. A team should never be a place where some students hide behind the work of other students.

2. Share Information

Person holding share hoarding

As a team, remember, the success of your project depends on the success of every member of your team. If you have any information that could benefit the work of another team member, you must share the information with your fellow team mates

3. Timely Submissions

As a team, you must remember that every member’s contribution is important. Keeping the time in mind, make your contributions worth while.

4. Be a Part of The Team

When you are part of the team, show that you are interested to be part of the team. Take active part in team activities. Show your enthusiasm to be part of the team.

5. Accept Credit as A Team and Not Individually

Team holding hands

If credit has been given to the team for the goal achieved, be sure to accept the credit as a member of the team and not individually.

When the Indian cricket team wins a match, the captain accepts the trophy on behalf of the entire team because each member of the team has contributed to the achievement.

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” Micheal Jordan

“None of us are smarter than all of us.”

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Essay On Teamwork – 10 Lines, Short & Long Essay For Children

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Key Points To Remember When Writing An Essay On Teamwork For Lower Primary Classes

10 lines on teamwork for kids, a paragraph on teamwork for children, short essay on importance of teamwork for kids, long essay on teamwork in english for children, what will your child learn from this essay.

A team comprises a group of people, and when you’re embarking on big projects, it gets almost impossible to do everything alone. Teamwork is essential and valuable in life, career, and relationships. Kids should understand the importance of teamwork, and one of the best ways to do that is by writing an essay on teamwork for classes 1, 2 and 3. Kids need to understand the concept of teamwork as it helps them work in a group for various activities in school with friends. They will learn better coordination and mutual respect by understanding this crucial aspect of life.

No one can thrive alone in life; therefore, kids need to understand the value of teamwork at an early stage. Given here are some key points to remember when you’re writing the essay on teamwork.

  • It is important to start with a teamwork essay introduction that states its importance and different uses.
  • Write a few lines on teamwork and how it’s about coordinated effort, despite having differences. Highlight this in the essay and note that it’s not always possible to have your way. Being open and ready to work with other kids is an experience.
  • Conclude the essay by providing possible outcomes of good and bad teamwork, including tips on what can be done to improve it.

Teamwork is an important aspect to be learnt by kids. Here are a few lines on teamwork in the form of an essay for classes 1 and 2:

  • Teamwork simplifies tasks and makes it easier to get them done faster.
  • It teaches how to bond and work with others.
  • Teamwork is the key to success and also makes a person humble.
  • Teamwork is crucial to growth and self-development.
  • Communication is an essential skill for good teamwork.
  • Teamwork teaches you proper time management skills.
  • Teamwork instils discipline and a sense of routine, which are essential skills for completing projects.
  • Everyone should be allowed to give feedback and add inputs when working as a team.
  • It’s important to share ideas and track progress at every step.
  • You can beat unproductivity with teamwork and get motivated to work more.

Teamwork requires at least two or more kids to work together, and it adds a sense of coherence in partnership. Here is a short paragraph on teamwork for children:

You can find teamwork in all walks of life and school, including sports, academics, recreation, projects, and choir. Students learn to work together to achieve a task or project; in multinationals, many people work in teams to accomplish a target, as many skills are required to complete a target. People can say they can finish a task alone, but sometimes it is hard to get things done. Working with another person can significantly improve chances of success and give a new perspective. The goal of teamwork is to achieve your milestones. People bond as a team and learn about their strengths and weaknesses.

Teamwork is an opportunity to explore different perspectives. Add this to your essay for classes 1, 2 and 3.

Teamwork is a privilege, and it’s rare to get an opportunity to work with others. Great things arise when young minds think alike and start cooperating. It’s the energy and passion when working as a team that gives life to the best creations. Every brand needs teamwork to build growth and reputation in the community. The total work done by a team is far more than what one can individually accomplish. Each team member is accountable for their actions and must take accountability for the work assigned to them. A team leader may be appointed to manage a team and supervise all project activities. It’s important to ask for feedback while working on a project and not complete tasks in isolation. Share progress with team members and encourage them by showing what you’ve done. Every team has a hierarchical structure and order that has to be followed. One must take note of this before getting to work with a team on any project, thus understanding the importance of teamwork.

In a long essay on teamwork, you can talk about core concepts such as communication and leadership skills, mutual understanding, emotional intelligence, and more. Here’s a long essay for class 3 for your reference.

Humans are social creatures, and teamwork is vital for every phase of life. Everyone has responsibilities that need to be met, whether it be work or school. Performing these tasks makes us human and gives routine and structure to our lives. Teamwork builds friendship and unites people in groups, giving them a sense of accountability and meaning in what they do. As time changes and a team evolves, the group’s hierarchy may change. The team leader is responsible for designating tasks for members of the group. It is up to the members to ensure they do their share of work and fulfil the team’s requirements. Being transparent and having strong communication skills will set you apart from the rest.

Your performance solely depends upon intrinsic motivation, and you receive encouragement when you work in a group. There is no right or wrong way to work as a team. Everyone has a different set of skills and will offer something unique to the table. Analysing individuals’ strengths and weaknesses, and putting their best skills to the benefit of the team, is what the leader excels at. Working as a team fosters new relationships and builds a reputation within local and international communities.

We should work as a team not just solely for the outcome but enjoy the process. The outcome results from work put in and combined with consistency. An organisation without good teamwork cannot hope to meet their goals and deadlines. Teamwork is essential for staying on track, being productive, and improving ourselves overall. Teamwork is not limited to businesses, corporations, and humans but can also be found in the nature and wilderness. As a good teamwork essay example, animals work together in groups and are known for hunting prey. They must cooperate in procuring food, feeding their offspring, and ensuring optimal survival for future generations, making teamwork vital to sustaining life.

What Is Teamwork And Why It Is Important In Life?

Before writing ‘the importance of teamwork’ essay, it is vital to know what is teamwork as a concept. Teamwork is working in a group of two and more people to achieve a common goal. Teamwork builds your identity and gives you purpose. It helps you set clear goals and work towards them in a group. The problem with working alone is you can get easily derailed or demotivated. But you are more likely to succeed when you work as a team. Teamwork is important in life because it is involved in every aspect of work, studies, and relationships. People with good teamwork skills find it easier to make progress and enjoy many benefits.

Which Things Are Necessary For Good Teamwork?

Here’s a brief overview of the skills needed for your benefits of teamwork essay:

  • Strong problem-solving and communication skills
  • Critical thinking and creativity
  • Ability to manage time effectively and listen to others well
  • Pay attention and focus on the demand
  • Learn how to let go when things don’t go as planned and improve them

Your child will learn values such as friendship, cooperation, understanding, and empathy when writing an effective teamwork essay. They will know that teamwork is not just about them but everybody in the group. Good teamwork skills are essential for their future success.

It can be tiring to do everything on our own; this is where teamwork comes in. Hopefully, our essay shed light on the subject, and you can draw inspiration from it.

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  1. Teamwork Essay for Students and Children

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  2. Teamwork Essay for Students in English

    The word 'teamwork' means working together as a team to achieve a particular goal. Humans are social animals. We tend to stick together and work alongside others in almost every phase of life. Be it in an office or home, everyone has his responsibilities to meet. Performing these responsibilities every day makes us a part of the team we are in.

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    The short essay on Teamwork is for children studying from classes 1,2,3,4,5 and 6. Teamwork is two or more people come together to achieve a particular goal. It's one of the most important things that you need to learn from childhood. When people work in a group, the work gets divided.

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    CMGT 505 teamwork essay part 2b (1) Акмарал Боранбаева. Download Free PDF. View PDF. Team and Its Prevalent Elements. 2023 •. Moses Isatayo. Teams are made up of members who each bring unique skills, talents and perspectives that can help the organization become more efficient and productive. By working together, teams can ...

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    The importance of teamwork for students lies in the fact that it acts as a check on procrastination. In a team, students have to work at the pace maintained by the entire team. It gives no room for individual procrastination or laziness. Therefore, team work directly improves time management skills. 8.

  19. PDF Teamwork

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    Student A is a shaper; Student B and student C are team-workers; Student D is an implementer; and I am a completer finisher. Completer finishers, just as its name implies, are painstaking, conscientious and used most effectively at the end of a task worked as quality controller, to search out errors and omissions, modify and polish them, and ...

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    Teamwork is crucial to growth and self-development. Communication is an essential skill for good teamwork. Teamwork teaches you proper time management skills. Teamwork instils discipline and a sense of routine, which are essential skills for completing projects. Everyone should be allowed to give feedback and add inputs when working as a team.