The vast majority of respondents (94%) to a survey in Mena believe it is important to choose candidates based on their ability to work with others when hiring, with 84% saying this principle is extremely important.

Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 job site, has recently conducted the ‘Teamwork in the Mena Workplace Poll’ to showcase the extent of collaboration within organizations across the region. The poll results shed light on the most proactive collaborative practices and ways of working in the minds of workers.

About 78% of Mena respondents say that their company uses team collaboration tools, video conferencing applications, project management software, and cloud storage services to facilitate remote working. In terms of the impact of remote working on collaboration, only 2% claim that remote working negatively impacts internal communication.

Meanwhile, 81% of employees say they are very or somewhat satisfied with the spirit of teamwork within their companies, while only 10% expressed that they are dissatisfied with the levels of team cohesion within the workplace.

For any organization, successful teamwork depends on various aspects. As such, the survey proceeded to ask participants what they feel is the most important aspect of a successful team. In total, over half (53%) say transparent communication is the standout factor, while 40% added that transparent communication, equal work distribution, accountability and rewards, and an effective conflict resolution strategy is the collective foundation for a successful team.

Ola Haddad, Director of Human Resources at Bayt.com said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced Mena professionals to new ways of working, with virtual environments emerging as the prominent setting to carry out roles and responsibilities. Companies and individuals have been required to adapt to the new reality, with teamwork more vital than ever to business continuity. Our Teamwork in the Mena Workplace Poll has provided valuable insights not only into people’s current opinions, but also their motivations.”

Ways of working

When asked how teamwork impacts productivity, the majority of respondents (94%) said it does so positively, with a small minority (2%) stating that teamwork has a negative impact on productivity. The survey also shows how teamwork leads to higher creativity and inspiration. About 87% say that teamwork boosts creativity and inspiration to a great extent, while 7% insist teamwork drives higher creativity and inspiration to some extent.

Almost 6 in 10 of Mena respondents (58%) revealed that their team conducts meetings daily, while 17% said meetings take place weekly. Regarding challenges that might impact the efficiency of teams, 64% said personal disagreements are the main barrier, with a further 14% saying unequal work distribution is the biggest challenge.

About 24% of participants also revealed that their team consists of 2-5 members, while 5% and 7% said their teams were comprised of 6-10 and more than 16 members, respectively.  

When looking for a job, nearly 7 in 10 respondents (69%) say they prefer positions that require teamwork. In terms of what motivates professionals about working with others, almost half (45%) insist that working with different people and being inspired by diverse perspectives are primary sources of motivation, followed by sharing ideas with other people for validation and support (5%), taking a leadership role when working with others (3%), and being able to divide workload for higher efficiency (2%). – TradeArabia News Service