How to build high-performing teams in 2025

Gallup findings reveal that teams with high engagement levels are 14% more productive and 23% more profitable compared to those with lower engagement. This study highlights the importance of building high performing teams. This needs more than expertise. It demands a diverse group of professionals, strong alignment with business goals, and genuine employee engagement.

Characteristics of high-performing teams

First, let’s look at the key characteristics of outstanding teams. These include:

• Clear goals and alignment: Teams need SMART goals as well as aligned objectives that connect to the mission and values of the organisation. Collaborative tools, such as Monday.com or Trello, can help here.
• Clear roles and responsibilities: Defined roles help prevent conflict, enable accountability, increase motivation, and reduce confusion. In strong teams there is a sense of ownership, and everyone is committed to achieving the best outcomes for the team.
• Diversity and inclusion: Different skills, experiences, knowledge, and perspectives enable innovation. Inclusion can include having multi-generational team members working together, different backgrounds, international colleagues/stakeholders, as well as cognitive diversity, such as having neurodiverse team members.
• Trust and respect: Project managers, team leaders, and managers need to create an environment of trust. This means team members feel empowered to work autonomously, ask for support when needed, and share ideas.
• Agility and resilience: Team managers also need to encourage a growth mindset. This is more vital than ever with the development of technology, AI and automation.

Effective communication and wellbeing, such as flexible working, can also aid productivity and support mental health.

Key traits of successful teams in different sectors

HR teams

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• An understanding of employee engagement and company culture
• Proficiency in talent management and workforce planning

Finance teams

• Analytical thinking and attention to detail
• Expertise in financial forecasting and risk management
• Strong collaboration with other departments

Tech teams

• Problem-solving mindset and adaptability
• Technical knowledge and continuous learning
• Ability to align IT initiatives with business strategy

Laying the foundation for high-performance teams

Define the vision
Start by defining your desired business outcomes and team objectives. A strong and inspiring vision helps the team understand the importance of their work and remain engaged. Leaders need to ensure that their vision aligns with everyone’s perspectives and concerns to maintain support.

Align with business goals
For a team to succeed, its objectives must align with your company’s strategic goals. Misalignment leads to frustration and inefficiencies. Leaders must ensure that teams reflect broader business objectives from the outset.

Attracting top talent

A culture that values diverse perspectives appeals to employees seeking dynamic and inclusive workplaces. This enhances employee engagement and satisfaction while attracting strong talent to your team.  Organisations with highly engaged teams experience a decrease in employee turnover.

Cognitive diversity matters
Cognitive diversity, defined as the variety of thought processes, perspectives, and problem-solving approaches within a team, plays a crucial role in improving business performance. It enhances innovation, decision-making, and adaptability, making it particularly valuable for addressing complex challenges and meeting stakeholder expectations.

Strategies for building high-performing teams

• Recruit the right talent: Whether recruiting from an external candidate pool or recruiting internally, for a high-performing team individuals need the necessary skills but also the qualities and mindset to fit into the team and organisational culture.
• Appoint a well-rounded leader: Effective leaders of high-performing teams need emotional intelligence (EI) and the right knowledge and skills to guide teams.
• Training, learning and development: High performance teams often benefit from training and development to enhance their skills and knowledge. This can also encourage lifelong learning and independent upskilling.
• Celebrate achievements: This plays a role in motivation and reward. Team leaders should recognise individual and team achievements.
• Monitor team dynamics: With increased hybrid and remote working, this can often be a challenge for team leaders and managers. There are tools to access team health with metrics including surveys, one-to-ones and workload assessments. 

Embracing tech

Plenty of tools and technologies are available. AI and automation can help with workload management. In a divided working environment, team-building activities can help. For a remote team, gamified activities such as a virtual escape room can work, and for hybrid or in-house teams, an away day or onsite activity can help with performance and team bonding. Companies that engage in regular team-building activities tend to have a higher employee retention rate than those that do not. ​

Building the right team

High-performing teams need professionals who can collaborate. This starts with hiring the right people. Internal staff bring an understanding of company culture and processes, but external hires and contractors can introduce fresh perspectives and specialised expertise.

New recruits may bring innovative methodologies or approaches that internal teams haven’t considered. Permanent hires benefit long-term growth, but contractors can offer immediate expertise.

Strong, diverse teams aligned with business goals are essential for success. Without these, initiatives may not meet expectations, leading to frustration, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. By focusing on these principles, businesses can create adaptable, innovative teams capable of thriving in the dynamic workplace of today.