It’s no secret that inclusivity is good for business. Teams that engage with a broader range of perspectives are more likely to adopt fresh ideas and approaches to problem solving. And yet, fostering a culture of equals who push forward together is certainly no mean feat. As society forces us to prioritise individualism and self-gain over cohesive teamwork, businesses risk missing out on the benefits of collaboration.
Luckily, we know a thing or two about inclusivity at Wundamail. Each day, our software sends a question to the whole team, then compiles the responses into a single group email. Team activity is collated, condensed and circulated for all to see- no apps, usernames, or passwords needed. Just like that, a daily feedback loop makes sure everyone is clear on group goals and strategy, and creates a platform for team members to contribute ideas.
It begins with accountability. When everyone can see the bigger picture, it creates a culture of peer-to-peer accountability as a by-product. As a result, it’s so important for any leader to be aware of whether they should include or exclude certain employee responses within the team compilation.
When the daily responses appear, you can either “tick” or “cross” each one to determine whether it will appear in the group compilation email. Wundamail does so for a reason- it’s crucial to understand how certain messages could help or hinder the team dynamic.
Include
Everyone wants to feel included, right? I mean, it’s the reason you’re here- with intent to build inclusivity into your team. When you have a top-down view of the entire team’s activity, it is easy to single out the stars, and encourage positive behaviour. When calling out great work, it’s important to broadcast it within the compilation. More often than not, it’s a good idea to show methods of best practice that the wider network can learn from. You’re not just rewarding achievements for today, but setting benchmarks for tomorrow.
This philosophy is explored in Kaizen Management, a method that prioritises continuous improvement. By incorporating this mentality within your team’s culture, you encourage people to think proactively about their work, and how to improve it. When you highlight best practice each morning, it sets the tone for the rest of the team to step on from the previous day. A little healthy competition can prove seriously powerful!
By ticking each response so that everyone is included in the daily Wundamail, you encourage your team to monitor each other, gauge the collective workload, and help each other out when things are pushed. Giving everyone an accurate snapshot of team performance allows members to identify, replicate and adopt positive changes quickly and efficiently.
Wundamail is not a platform for teams to compare and compete, but rather a safe environment for openness, collaboration, and sharing. By condensing group thinking into a single daily email, Wundamail empowers leaders, supports team members, and makes things simpler for everyone. To boost inclusivity, we’d recommend setting your daily question to the ‘Any suggestions?’ template. It stimulates creative freedom, while giving your team the opportunity to turn their words into actions, and ideas into solutions that benefit everyone.
Exclude
Don’t be fooled- we’re not in the business of ‘leaving people out’. Wundamail is designed to promote the collective. When it comes to effecting real behavioural change, however, it’s important to have guidelines to ensure that team goals are always the priority.
There are a few key situations when you might need to exclude particular comments from the compilation. It’s not about getting rid of “bad responses” though, it’s important that everyone can see the weak spots in order for any company to evolve and develop. Furthermore, removing negative responses doesn’t necessarily mean that the individuals are doing something wrong.
By hosting a platform where good work is recognised you create an intrinsic self-reward in the individuals who ‘make the cut’, which will push the wider network to conform towards the behaviours of the high achievers.
If somebody divulges that they are distressed or under pressure, however, you can first respond directly to their comment in private, then reject it before it hits the compilation next day. This works best to nurture each individual, by offering that extra level of one-to-one support without flagging the issue up with other team members.
Each individual Wundamail reflects the group of people it serves, so users report a diverse range of advantages depending on sector, size, and the personality of its users. We’re constantly amazed by the creative and brilliant ways our customers take things way beyond a simple team update. Even so, leaders and team members alike agree on one thing: when it comes to managing teams, Wundamail holds the key to inspiring powerful behavioural change.
