Benefits Of Teamwork

Effective Teamwork

Wellbeing in Teams

4 min read

May 2025

Strong teams create ripples that stretch far beyond performance metrics. One of the most important, yet often overlooked, ripples? Workplace wellbeing. Today, we explore why investing in teams is one of the smartest ways to build thriving, resilient, and energized workplaces.

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The Wellbeing Crisis in Plain Sight

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Workplace wellbeing isn't a soft issue. The numbers tell a sobering story:

67% of employees report feeling burnt out at least sometimes (Gallup, 2024).
Poor mental health drains $1 trillion annually from the global economy (World Health Organization).

Companies that prioritize wellbeing don't just feel better—they perform better. According to Gallup’s Wellbeing in the Workplace research, organizations that invest in wellbeing see:

23% higher profitability
41% lower absenteeism
Higher employee retention

The problem? Many organizations try to "fix" wellbeing with perks—meditation apps, yoga classes, nap pods. These are gestures, but they don't address the root system. You don't need to remind employees to breathe. You need to create an environment where they can breathe.

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Teams Are the Frontline of Wellbeing

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For most employees, their "workplace" isn't the entire company—it's their team. It’s where trust is built—or broken. Where support is shared—or withheld. Where workloads are balanced—or quietly dumped unevenly.

Healthy teams act as buffers against workplace stress. Dysfunctional teams magnify it.

Imagine two not-unrealistic scenarios:

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Scenario 1: Life Inside a Dysfunctional Team

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You’re scrambling alone, clutching your fourth coffee like a life preserver. Deadlines loom, but asking for help feels as risky as stepping into a minefield—you’re never sure what will explode.

Your ideas? Better kept to yourself. You’ve seen what happens when someone "dares" to suggest a different path: responses that range from a polite brush-off to awkward silences that quietly erase what was said.

Slack is a ghost town of passive-aggressive emojis. Meetings are dominated by the loudest voices, while the real work piles up quietly, steadily—and squarely—on your shoulders.

You leave the day feeling like you’ve run a marathon in high heels, through a hailstorm, under the judgmental gaze of spectators. By the time you get home, your battery is drained. You snap at your partner over something trivial and immediately regret it. Stress hasn’t just built up; it’s taken root.

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Scenario 2: Life Inside a Healthy, Connected Team

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You walk into your stand-up meeting and someone offers a genuine smile. You mention you're overloaded, bracing for awkwardness—but instead, teammates jump in: "Hey, I can take that piece." "I’ve got time opening up Wednesday." "Let’s divide and conquer."

Later, you float a risky new idea. Instead of blank stares, you get curious questions—and someone even builds on your thought, making it stronger.

Sure, the deadlines are still tight and the work is demanding. But you feel like you’re part of a team that shares the weight—and the wins.

You end the day tired, but it’s the good kind of tired. The kind that comes from meaningful effort alongside people you trust.

Dysfunctional teams turn everyday pressures into chronic strain. Healthy teams build resilience—sharing challenges, offering support, and helping everyone stay upright under pressure.

Teams are either stress amplifiers or wellbeing multipliers. Often, the difference between burning out and belonging isn’t the work itself—it’s the team you do it with.

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Why Teams Are the Smartest Place to Start

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Workplace wellbeing can seem like a complex mix of engagement, mental health, belonging, autonomy, and purpose. But teams are the clearest, most powerful place to begin.

The four key drivers of wellbeing are embedded directly in team dynamics:

Psychological Safety thrives where teams foster mutual trust and respect.
Autonomy grows when teams collaborate effectively and empower ownership.
Relationships build naturally through shared experiences and honest dialogue.
Purpose flourishes when teams align around meaningful goals.

When teams get their basics right, wellbeing follows. Here's what strong teams consistently do:

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Goals are clear — and shaped together.

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In healthy teams, goals aren’t handed down like commands. Teams collaborate to define, sharpen, and own them. Clear, shared goals reduce confusion and keep energy focused where it matters.

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Workloads are visible — and shared through a pull system.

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Instead of silent suffering under uneven loads, healthy teams make workloads visible. People pull in work based on their capacity, rather than being overloaded by top-down assignment. This builds fairness and prevents hidden burnout.

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Diverse perspectives are welcomed — and trust grows.

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High-functioning teams normalize hearing different viewpoints. They invite dissent early, embrace diverse thinking, and create a culture where speaking up feels safe—not risky.

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Roles are clear — and connected to a bigger mission.

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Everyone knows what they're responsible for and how it connects to broader goals. Clear roles prevent duplication, confusion, and resentment, creating smoother, stronger collaboration.

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Reflection is part of the rhythm — not a rare event.

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Healthy teams build regular reflection into their workflow. Even a quick weekly check-in—such as asking for a one-word emotional status—makes wellbeing visible and normalizes offering or asking for help.

Getting these basics right doesn't just improve how teams perform—it builds the resilience and emotional strength needed to thrive in tough conditions. Small habits like these weave psychological safety, autonomy, and purpose into the fabric of everyday work.

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Wellbeing Is a System, Not a Perk

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You can't "add" wellbeing through perks alone. True wellbeing grows from the inside out—when teams are strong, connected, and clear. When the teams we work in thrive, we all thrive.