What Makes for a Healthy Software Team?
Tools and processes are an important part of helping people on a team work together. It’s hard to imagine having a team of people collaborate on a software development project without some basic tools. An issue tracking system—even something as basic as an index card on a wall—helps people understand what work is in progress and who needs help.
While tools and processes can facilitate collaboration on code and automated tests and continuous integration environments provide rapid feedback on a project's status, there is more to maintaining the health of a team than providing the right technologies and processes. You need to attend to the factors that can transform a group of people into a real team.
It takes effort to ensure that teams are working well, and this can be attributed to morale issues. Team building activities can help build camaraderie, but they are not a solution to every morale problem.
Sometimes the way to prevent morale problems can literally be swimming in clear sight. Scott Kirsner tells the story of how the removal of a puffer fish when Oracle acquired Endecca had a negative effect on morale. In spite of advice to the contrary, Oracle enforced it’s "no pets" policy and removed the company mascot from the office. While Kirsner writes that this was not the only change that came with the acquisition, it was one of the most visible, and it was a topic that came up at many exit interviews as employees left the organization.
Some companies, such as Google, design the workplace to encourage collaboration and morale. Part of the Google approach to creating a good team dynamic is the perks we all know about. However, a happy team isn’t just about snacks and perks. Ryan Lawler reflects on how a change in the type and quality of snacks can foreshadow dark times.
Other parts of the Google formula for keeping people focused, engaged, and productive include providing inspiring work and a degree of self control.
While it’s tempting to say that Google or some other organization has the definitive solution to the problem of how to build great teams, there is no easy formula for keeping teams happy, motivated, and engaged. Part of the answer is to work actively to create an environment that helps people feel valued and engaged, as Google does; part is being aware of the impact of changes on team culture, as the Endecca example illustrates. Trust plays an important role in enabling and enhancing collaboration as Ellen Gottesdiener advises and is at the core of techniques that do help.
Particularly in times of change it’s easy to create a climate of distrust, but there are ways to encourage trust as well. Building and maintaining teamwork is challenging, but if you can do it well, you organization will benefit.
What makes your place a great place to work? Have you been in a situation where someone trying to “improve” your workplace caused morale problems?
