How to integrate teams

The word ‘team,’ in business parlance, refers to two or more people getting together and pooling their complementary skills and ability to undertake a business, a job or a project. But a team will often have people from diverse backgrounds, cultures and skill sets, which may come in the way of harmony amongst them and consequently affect the work at hand.

Similarly, in a unique situation such as a merger or in an organizational shuffle, there is the possibility of two teams with different cultures, processes and skill sets having to come together and integrate into one single team. Instances of team integration can be seen within and outside organizations. For example, payroll and finance can be combined into one department during tough times. Or design teams at two publishing houses can be merged when one takes over the other.

Such an event will very rarely be all pretty and calm. But there are ways to negate the pain points of such activities and seize the best possible synergies from them.

- Have a well-defined work flow

The primary reason for integrating teams is to ensure there is minimum duplication and effective distribution of work. Before any integration takes place, it is very important to define the flow of work, roles and responsibilities and goals. It is also imperative to specify the means of communication between team members and ascertain the hierarchy for reporting. Merely having a well defined work flow is not enough—it is important to ensure that everyone follows it.

- Match the structure

An organizational structure spells out how work is carried out, how management operates, how the team members are chosen, what binds them together and how conflict is resolved. It is very important for teams to have a structure, which should ideally be in sync with the structure of the organization. A team structure helps in integration as it lays out the underpinnings to join together two or more teams.

- Flow of information  

From inventory management to forecasting—how everything works depends on how well the information flows. It is very important that all relevant information is freely and promptly shared with other teams that may find it useful. Clear lines of communication should be established and everyone in the team should know the right process. This can be through emails, intranet, reporting systems like SAP, phone calls and even face-to-meetings between various teams. 
Informal meets are also a fantastic way to ensure enhanced cooperation between teams. It sparks conversation between them and helps generate new ideas.

- Role of the leaders

When it is the question of integrating a team, a leader is one of the most important cogs in the wheel. A leader is an individual who knows the working of the people under him and has his hands on the pulse of the team. It will be far easier for team leaders to work in tandem with each other to fulfill their goals. To successfully integrate teams, a leader has to lead and not merely manage.

- Motivating individuals

Sometimes an organization may be so focused in achieving the macro objective of team integration that it misses the micro picture of motivating individual team members. It is very important that the management identifies and addresses individual team members who are feeling sidelined and are in need of motivation. If there is discontent amongst individuals, integration between multiple teams can be a difficult process.

- Calming the nerves 
In the case of an acquisition, when it is complete, there can arise instances of animosity and stress between similar departments of the two companies. In such cases, it is important for the management to provide a clear vision of the larger integrated company and what that means for both the teams working there.

It is also vital to address the fears of the employees of the company that has been acquired. It is necessary to conduct one-on-one meetings where the teams can meet, understand each other and get a clear picture about how the other works. This may be a good platform to discuss the work culture of the previous organization and the working style of the merged entity.