Presented by Julie Busteed

The Psalmist writes: How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity (Psalm 133:1)! How good and pleasant it is to be in unity with others. But that’s not always how life works—especially at our jobs.

Just as unity is important in your relationship with Christ and fellow believers, it’s also important in your workplace. Teams that have a common and shared goal will work together to reach the goal.

A Teamraderie article cites unity at work is important because research shows approximately 70% of employees believe poor collaboration is decreasing their productivity.[1]

If you’re concerned about productivity and the bottom line, that’s a lot of unproductive time spent because of disunity or poor collaboration.

The article goes on to report nearly two-thirds of the respondents (64%) claim poor collaboration is costing them at least three hours per week in productivity, with 20% claiming they are wasting as many as six hours per week.

If you are a manager or an owner or project leader, then communicating the goal and purpose clearly is a priority. Taking time and effort to make sure you listen and understand obstacles and concerns is important. Then get that message across to ensure everyone is on the same page with the mission of the project or the company. It takes time and energy to do this, but the resulting benefits should prove to be worth it.

An encouraging environment with good collaboration starts with being open to others' concerns, communicating ideas and processes clearly, and showing respect. Even if you're not the manager or in charge, your respectful attitude and willingness to listen can go a long way in building unity within the workplace.

How do you handle disagreements though?

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1).

A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel (Proverbs 15:18).

Being gentle and patient in response to a disagreement will help navigate the conversation. Ask questions if you are not clear on something. Remain calm and listen to what’s being said as opposed to what your response will be.

Give yourself time to respond. It’s okay to say, “I need to think about this,” or “Let me give it some thought, and I’ll get back to you.” This shows you’re taking the other person seriously and considering their perspective. It doesn’t mean you have to agree just to avoid conflict—that’s not helpful either. But it also means not dismissing his or her ideas right away. Remember the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated.

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[1] Teamraderie Editorial Team. (2024, August 9). A Guide to Achieving Unity in the Workplace. Teamraderie. http://teamraderie.com/insights/unity-in-the-workplace/