Building a team seems straightforward until you try to do it. You hire good people, assign clear roles, and expect collaboration to happen naturally. 

Then reality hits. People work in silos. Blame gets passed around. Communication breaks down. You realize you don’t have a team. You have a collection of individuals who happen to work for the same company. 

Have you experienced this in your own business? You hire talented people with great qualifications, but somehow they struggle to collaborate effectively. Maybe you’ve watched projects stall because departments don’t communicate well, or noticed that when something goes wrong, fingers start pointing instead of solutions emerging. 

The disappointing truth is that global employee engagement declined to 21% in 2024, according to Gallup’s research. When people aren’t engaged, they can’t form the connections that make real teamwork possible. 

Why Do Good Employees Work in Silos? 

Even talented individuals can get trapped in organizational behavior patterns that prevent staff cohesion. Common causes include: 

• Unclear role boundaries and team performance metrics 

• Poor group dynamics and communication systems 

• Lack of shared goals that create workforce alignment 

• Missing accountability structures that encourage team synergy 

Real teamwork requires intentional effort. Here are five strategies that transform groups into genuine teams. 

How Do You Create Team Accountability? 

Turn project failures into team discussions about improvement. Real teams don’t point fingers. They ask, “How do we fix this together?” When your team operates with shared accountability, problems become puzzles to solve rather than reasons to assign blame. 

You set the tone here. Take responsibility for team failures and share credit for team wins. Model the behavior you want to see. When someone misses a deadline, the conversation should focus on preventing future issues, not punishing past mistakes. 

This approach directly impacts productivity. When teams work together rather than against each other, everyone benefits. 

How Do You Hire for Team Success? 

The biggest mistake business owners make is hiring people who think exactly like them. This creates team dysfunction and limits organizational behavior diversity. Your analytical person needs your creative person. Your detail-oriented employee needs your big-picture thinker. 

Identify gaps in your current capabilities. Where does your team struggle? What skills are missing? Then deliberately seek people who excel in those areas. A strong team covers all the bases, with each member playing to their strengths while supporting others to improve overall team performance metrics. 

When I work with clients at HireSmart, I emphasize this principle during our candidate selection process. We help businesses understand which skills complement their existing team rather than simply duplicating what they already have. 

What Are the Signs of Poor Team Communication? 

Teams fail when people expect others to read their minds. Poor communication creates team dysfunction and reduces workforce alignment. Warning signs include: 

• Repeated project delays due to unclear instructions 

• Team members duplicating work or missing deadlines 

• Blame-shifting when problems arise 

• Lack of proactive updates on project status 

• Hesitation to ask questions or request clarification 

Good communication requires intentional systems and regular practice, not assumptions. 

Create structure around information sharing. Regular check-ins, clear project updates, and an environment where questions are welcomed, not punished. If you’re vague with instructions, your team will be vague with each other. Model the clarity you want to receive. 

Poor communication costs organizations significantly. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2024 Report reveals that 62% of workers globally lack engagement in their jobs, a phenomenon commonly known as “quiet quitting.” This is often because they lack clear direction and connection with their work and teammates. Effective communication practices can prevent this kind of disengagement. 

Why Should You Invest in Everyone’s Growth? 

Strong teams share knowledge freely and celebrate when teammates develop new skills. This thinking requires you to look beyond immediate productivity. Training takes time. Developing people requires resources. Teams that grow together stay together. 

When people feel invested in and supported, they contribute their best work. They also stick around longer, reducing the constant disruption of turnover and rehiring. Companies with engaged employees see a 51% decrease in turnover, according to Gallup’s research. 

Investment in people development creates lasting competitive advantages that go beyond immediate task completion. 

How Do You Connect Individual Roles to Company Purpose? 

People work harder when they understand why their work matters. Everyone should know how their role connects to larger company goals and customer outcomes. 

You can’t assume people automatically see the importance of what they’re doing. Share customer feedback regularly. Explain how their work impacts results. Help them see the difference they’re making beyond their daily task list. 

Managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement, according to Gallup’s findings. As a leader, your ability to connect individual roles to meaningful outcomes drives that engagement. 

How HireSmart Helps You Build True Teams 

At HireSmart Virtual Employees, “Team” is one of our seven core values. We understand that successful businesses are built by cohesive teams working toward shared goals. 

When you work with us, you’re not just hiring a virtual employee. You’re adding a team member who’s been carefully matched to complement your existing strengths and fill your capability gaps. Our rigorous vetting process ensures we find people whose skills, work style, and values align with your company culture. 

Building successful virtual teams requires intentional strategies that account for remote collaboration challenges. 

We handle all the foundational team-building work for you. Each Virtual Employee goes through our comprehensive training program, where they learn about effective communication, accountability, and how to integrate seamlessly with U.S. business practices. They understand what it means to be part of a team before they ever start working with you. 

The Value of Working with an Agency 

Here’s where our approach differs from trying to hire globally on your own: we take care of our team so they can focus on being part of yours. 

Every HireSmart Virtual Employee receives health and dental benefits, educational scholarships for their children, and ongoing professional development opportunities. All of this comes at no cost to you. When people feel supported and valued, they bring that energy to their work with your company. 

We also provide the systems that make teamwork possible across time zones and cultures. Clear communication protocols, regular check-ins, and performance tracking tools ensure your Virtual Employee stays connected to your team’s goals and progress. 

Understanding how to evaluate and support team members, whether virtual or in-person, becomes critical for maintaining team cohesion. 

Building a strong team takes time, energy, and the right people in the right roles. With HireSmart, you get team members who are ready to contribute from day one, supported by an agency that understands what true teamwork requires. 

Creating teams that truly care about their work and each other requires intentional leadership and the right support systems. 

Key Takeaways: Building Teams That Actually Work 

• Team accountability: Focus on “How do we fix this together?” instead of blame 

• Complementary hiring: Seek skills that fill gaps, not duplicate existing strengths 

• Communication systems: Create structured information sharing, don’t assume it happens naturally 

• Growth investment: Develop people continuously to improve staff cohesion and retention 

• Purpose connection: Help everyone understand how their work impacts company goals 

• Professional support: Consider partnering with agencies that understand team dynamics and organizational behavior 

Ready to strengthen your team with reliable, well-trained professionals who share your commitment to excellence? Click here to schedule a free consultation, and let’s talk about how we can help you build the team that drives your business forward. 

 

About the Author 

Anne Lackey is the Co-Founder and CEO of HireSmart Virtual Employees, where she helps businesses scale with full-time, highly trained remote staff. With decades of experience in business operations and systems, Anne is a recognized expert in virtual staffing, process efficiency, and team building.