Do you want your employees to become a solid team?
Strong teams don’t just happen — they’re built on shared values.
Team values are the foundation of a strong workplace culture, shaping everything from teamwork and collaboration to morale.
When teams are aligned around shared core values, they communicate more openly, support each other, and feel more connected to the organization’s mission.
In this post, we’ll explore:
- What team values are and why they matter,
- The benefits of nurturing strong values within your team, and
- Practical ways to develop and reinforce these values.
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
What are team values?
Team values are shared rules and beliefs about how a team should operate. They are the guiding principles that drive how team members interact with each other and approach their work.
Strong team values shape the team’s culture and impact:
- Decision making,
- Productivity,
- Behavior, and
- Team morale.
Team values are usually aligned with the company’s core values and mission.
When team values are well-defined and embraced, they create a supportive and positive work environment where team members work towards the same common goals.
11 Examples of team values
Here are some examples of team values you can start to build and nurture in your team:
- Open communication — Open communication is the foundation for effective teamwork, where ideas and feedback flow freely. Teams with this value cultivate transparency, active listening, and a safe space for members to express their thoughts without judgment.
- Integrity — Integrity is the commitment to honesty and accountability in all actions. Teams with integrity prioritize trust and transparency, ensuring that every member upholds ethical standards and takes responsibility for their actions.
- Collaboration — Collaboration is the value of working together to achieve shared goals. A collaborative team values input from all members and leverages each person’s strengths to create more innovative solutions.
- Interpersonal relationships — Strong interpersonal relationships foster trust, respect, and camaraderie. Teams that prioritize this value encourage meaningful connections through interpersonal communication and create a supportive environment, enhancing cooperation and morale.
- Respect — Respect in a team means valuing each member’s unique perspectives and contributions. This value promotes a culture of inclusivity and fairness, where everyone feels heard and appreciated.
- Work-life balance — Work-life balance is recognizing that time and energy outside of work are essential for well-being. Teams that value work-life balance respect boundaries and support flexible arrangements, helping members maintain both productivity and personal satisfaction.
- Commitment to excellence — A commitment to excellence reflects the drive to deliver high-quality work consistently. Teams with this value push themselves to go above and beyond, continually improving their skills and processes.
- Adaptability — Adaptability is the ability to remain flexible and resilient in changing situations. Teams that value adaptability are open to new ideas and approaches, and ready to pivot when needed to overcome challenges.
- Accountability — Accountability means that team members take ownership of their responsibilities and actions. An accountable team holds each other to high standards, supports follow-through, and works toward shared success.
- Empathy — Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. A team that values empathy fosters emotional intelligence, strengthening interpersonal relationships and creating a more supportive environment.
- Innovation — Innovation encourages creativity and the pursuit of new ideas. Teams that value innovation are not afraid to take calculated risks, experiment, and think outside the box, leading to greater growth and progress.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
Collaboration is one of the most important team values you should strive to achieve. Learn how you can foster teamwork and collaboration in your team by following the link below:
How can you nurture team values?
Building and nurturing team values is an ongoing process that requires intention, consistency, and the right tools to support communication and collaboration.
Here are 5 practical strategies to help teams nurture their core values.
#1: Establish open channels of communication
Encouraging open communication is essential for nurturing trust and transparency within your team.
For easy and effective communication, make sure you use team communication tools that are reliable and have powerful features that let your team:
- Share updates,
- Ask questions,
- Celebrate achievements, and
- Discuss ideas freely.
With dedicated channels for specific projects or topics, it becomes easier to stay organized and connected.
Open channels of communication ensure that everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves, reinforcing the values of honesty and respect across the team.
#2: Promote regular check-ins and feedback sessions
Holding regular check-ins and feedback sessions allows teams to stay aligned and address any issues before they grow.
You can use a communication tool to schedule and facilitate these meetings, whether as group check-ins or one-on-ones.
Consistent and constructive feedback fosters accountability and empathy, as team members can openly discuss their progress, challenges, and successes.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
If you want to learn more about how and why you should hold regular one-on-one meetings with your team, read our blog post:
#3: Encourage collaboration with dedicated spaces
One of the best ways to nurture team values and a strong team spirit is to encourage collaboration. Collaboration cultivates team values such as teamwork, innovation, and respect for each other and each other’s contributions.
You can encourage collaboration by creating dedicated spaces, such as channels in team collaboration apps, where your team can:
- Brainstorm,
- Share resources, and
- Work together on projects.
When your team has a dedicated space for collaboration, it becomes second nature to work together, strengthening team values through shared efforts and open dialogue.
#4: Build relationships with employee recognition
Celebrating milestones and recognizing individual contributions go a long way in building a positive, motivated team.
You can and should give shout-outs when someone nails a project, reaches a big milestone such as a work anniversary, or gets a small daily win — it’s all worth celebrating.
You could even set up a dedicated channel for sharing good news and accomplishments.
Taking the time to recognize achievements shows everyone that their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, boosting morale and encouraging everyone to keep bringing their best. It also strengthens interpersonal relationships between team members and nurtures empathy and trust.
It’s all about building each other up and keeping team spirits high.
#5: Model and reinforce team values consistently
Your leadership style and your style of communication play a crucial role in modeling the team’s values. If you want your team to nurture values such as transparency or empathy, you’ve got to show it first.
If you have a good communication tool up your sleeve, it’s easy to model the kind of behavior you want to see in your team, even if you work remotely.
For example, you can demonstrate the values you want your team to have by giving a shout-out to someone who tackled a challenge with creativity or acknowledging someone for going the extra mile to help a teammate.
Or, if you want your team to be open and transparent with each other, you also have to be open and transparent in your communication style.
When leaders walk the talk and demonstrate these team values in action, it makes the values feel like a natural part of everyday work instead of just a set of words on a wall.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
If you’re interested in learning more about leadership styles, take a look at our blog post:
What are the benefits of nurturing team values?
Nurturing team values has a big impact on both the dynamics within the team and the quality of work they put out.
When team values are embedded into everyday interactions and work goals, teams can enjoy success, personal fulfillment, and professional growth.
Here are some key benefits of fostering strong team values:
- Enhanced trust and cohesion — When you actively cultivate team values, trust among your team members grows. A strong foundation of trust leads to better teamwork, open communication, and a greater sense of unity within the group.
- Increased motivation and engagement — Team members who align with shared values feel more connected to their work and the team’s purpose. This sense of alignment boosts motivation, employee engagement, and dedication to the team’s goals.
- Improved communication and collaboration — Nurturing values like open communication and respect will encourage honest dialogue and active listening in your team. This environment promotes collaboration, reduces misunderstandings, and helps teams work more effectively together.
- Greater adaptability and resilience — If your team embraces values like adaptability and accountability, they will be better equipped to handle challenges and change. These values make teams more flexible and resilient in the face of obstacles.
- Higher quality of work — Lastly, when you are committed to excellence and innovation, your team will follow and strive to produce higher-quality work. When your team members value quality, they will take pride in their efforts, strive for continuous improvement, and aim to deliver their best.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
Collaboration is one of the most important team values to nurture. Check out all the benefits of good team collaboration in our post:
Free team communication software
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How Pumble can help
Nurturing team values requires consistent effort, open communication, and the right tools to keep everyone connected.
With Pumble, you have a team communication platform that makes it easy to be transparent, collaborate, and build a supportive culture where team values can thrive.
Pumble’s powerful features support strong team values:
- Channels — Create specific channels for projects, ideas, or even celebrating wins.
- Instant messaging and threads — With instant messaging or threaded conversations, team members can dive deep into discussions or follow up on specific points.
- File sharing — Share documents, images, and resources directly in Pumble to keep everyone in the loop.
- Video calls — Check in with your team in regular video meetings, or organize one-on-ones to address concerns and reinforce personal connections.
Pumble provides a platform to keep team values at the center of everyday interactions and makes it easy to build a positive, value-driven culture.
So, check out Pumble and start building a strong team with even stronger team values — try it for free today!
