How to create a team agreement

This is an accessible version of the team agreement. If you want to view the template, please download the PDF version attached. 

Purpose of the Team Agreement discussion

In planning how to plan for a new way of working, it's important to speak with your team to make choices about how, when and where to work. This provides and opportunity to discuss wellbeing and how the team are feeling about changes to ways of working.

It's also about being deliberate in our approach rather than drifting into practices which may not best meet our future needs and those of our customers.

Planning for the discussion

In preparation for the discussion with the team, it would be helpful to:

• consider when is most appropriate for the team to have the conversation
• whether there are any key factors that need to be considered within the discussion, for example, customer requirements
• provide the template to the team to help them prepare for the discussion
• consider the best approach to manage the discussion, such as, how will you ensure everyone is able to contribute? How will the outcomes of the discussion be captured?
• consider whether an external facilitator is needed

Key Considerations

Remember:

• the approach that you adopt is unlikely to be perfect first time! Try something and refine it
• team agreements should be developed together. The whole team needs to be involved in the discussion as it will need to work for everyone and you will all be accountable for making it work
• listen actively for what is really being said and asked for by each person, and by the team
• try to think about what you can differently – what has worked well over the last 12 months and how can this be maintained? What are the old habits or practices you need to avoid drifting back into?

Aspirations for our team

Define what the aspiration for the team are agree as a team what you will be doing differently:

• Looking at the characteristics of a successful team, what would this look like for our team?
• What habits and practices that we have applied during lockdown do we want to keep?
• What old habits from ‘pre Covid’ do we want to avoid returning to?
• How as a team will you support each other?

How we work

Agree as a team how you will work effectively together:

• As a team how will we communicate with each other? What communication needs to happen in ‘real time. For example, people need to be ‘present’ at the same time and what can happen ‘anytime’, such as virtual collaboration
• What processes and approaches will we have in place to make sure that we can effectively collaborate with each other?
• How do we share expected outcomes, progress and learn from each other?
• When we are meeting whether physically or remotely what is our meeting ‘etiquette’? 

Where we work

An important element of this new way of working is the flexibility to choose where you work agree as a team what activities work best in which location:

• As a team, what activities do we agree work better in person? For example, collaborative activity 
• What activities do we agree as a team can work effectively using a remote approach?
• What locations will we use as a team to work from?
• How do we ensure all staff can use the workplace safely?
• For example, do any colleagues need a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan?
• How will we use our workspace differently? 

When we work

Collectively agree what this new way of working will mean for the team and how this aligns to the needs of your customers:

• How do we know when people in the team are available?
• What is the most effective way to structure the working day?
• Are there any barriers in the team to flexible working?
• What customer requirements do we need to consider when determining when we work?
• When and where will we connect as a team?
• How do we build in ‘social’ time and fun ensure that there is ‘downtime’ as a team? 

Keep the agreements short and to the point.

Don’t include too many headlines.

Ensure that each member believes in the agreement and is willing to incorporate it into the way that they work

Keep the agreement up to date – it’s good to review it every 6 months.

Communication

Frequency and method of communication. 

Team meeting ground rules

What platform, frequency, how they will be run, what are the objectives.

Commitments

When we’ll work, team objectives, priorities.

Wellbeing and resilience

What each team member will do to maintain their own resilience and wellbeing.

How will you know if someone is struggling.

Feedback

How we will provide feedback to the team manager or colleagues during this time.

One to one’s

How often will you have one to one conversations, what day or time.

Any-time communication is when 2 or more people can communicate without the need to be “present” at the same exact time. It is often mentioned as being both essential for effective remote working and the reason for greater productivity. It applies equally to a “hybrid” world, and can lead to better discussions, more productive meetings, and fewer knee jerk responses because people can process information at a time that suits them.

It doesn’t replace the value and importance of face to face or online conversations, but it means a more conscious choice, which in turn informs where and when you decide to meet in real time or in person.

What’s the right model for your team?

Real time communication

• in case of emergency
• 1-2-1s.
• creative debate and problem solving
• discussions to clarify or deepen understanding
• sharing and discussing sensitive or complex issues
• feedback and  coaching conversations

Anytime communication

• comments and feedback on documents
• sharing and developing ideas and content
• creative thinking and virtual collaboration
• simple decision making
• information sharing and updates
• informal chat and fun
• low priority

Activities done in person or face to face

Benefits of approach:

• positive impact on wellbeing
• opportunity to see team, colleagues and customers
• chance and informal conversations
• supports collaborative working, idea generation in group discussions and meetings requiring complex discussions or decision making

Workspaces should be used to support new ways of working. This means that there will be fewer traditional banks of desks, more collaborative spaces and spaces put aside for quiet, focussed work.

As a team, discuss how best to use the workspace and for what purpose, this includes social interaction, collaboration and connection with colleagues.

Activities done remotely

Benefits of approach:

• improved work/life balance
• reduced distraction and interruptions
• increased flexibility and accessibility
• ability to use technology to collaborate and interact with colleagues
• environmental benefits

The use of virtual technology has enabled a greater level of flexibility and productivity in the way that we work and has positively impacted our lifestyles.

It is important that we continue to benefit from this, as a team consider where work can continue to be done remotely and how we can use technology to collaborate effectively. 

You can print out a template from the PDF version.

Communication

Team meeting ground rules 

One to one's

Commitments

Where we will work

Feedback

Wellbeing and resilience

Anything else?

Celebrating success

The Learning and Development Team can offer help to guide these conversations with your teams.

Send an email to Andrew.parfitt@brighton-hove.gov.uk.