Strong team relationships are at the heart of employee engagement, productivity, and retention. Without healthy team dynamics and open communication, employees can disengage quickly, impacting performance and morale. The key question for managers is: how can you improve team cohesion and communication to build stronger, more connected teams? Effective approaches focus on intentional activities, meeting structures, and assessment-based insights to foster trust, collaboration, and a sense of belonging across all team members.

Investing in team cohesion is not a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process that directly influences how your team works together and how satisfied employees feel at work.

Use Activities to Build Team Cohesion

One of the most effective ways to strengthen team bonds is through hands-on activities. Engaging in exercises that encourage new ways of interacting allows team members to break old habits and build deeper connections. For example, Harvard Business Review highlights activities tailored for remote, hybrid, and in-person teams, emphasizing intentional goal-setting, clear norms, and involving team members in planning.

Short, consistent activities—just 5–10 minutes—at the start or end of regular meetings often outperform long retreats, especially for introverted team members. Platforms like SessionLab also provide over 50 practical exercises designed to enhance collaboration, trust, and communication skills without disrupting day-to-day workflow.

Restructure Meetings for Better Communication

Changing the way meetings are run can significantly enhance team cohesion. Tools like Liberating Structures offer 33 simple microstructures that promote inclusion, participation, and innovation. Techniques like 1-2-4-All allow team members to contribute ideas, engage actively, and feel heard—all within existing meetings or retreats.

Small changes in meeting facilitation can improve trust, create psychological safety, and encourage meaningful dialogue. By intentionally shaking up meeting formats, managers can cultivate environments where collaboration thrives naturally, rather than relying on traditional, passive meeting formats.

Leverage Assessments to Strengthen Team Dynamics

Assessments can provide valuable insights into team members’ strengths, preferences, and working styles. When combined with active practice and team activities, these insights help improve communication and understanding. Options include:

• VIA Strengths: Focuses on character strengths and offers a low-cost, research-backed approach for teams.

• CliftonStrengths: Provides a shared language for team strengths but works best with a certified facilitator.

• Personality Assessments: DISC, Hogan, and Myers-Briggs help teams understand dynamics when paired with proper follow-up and facilitation.

The key is consistent application. Assessments alone don’t change behavior—they need to be integrated into team interactions, meetings, and projects to truly improve cohesion.

Improving team cohesion and communication is an ongoing journey. By combining intentional activities, innovative meeting structures, and actionable assessment insights, managers can build teams that are collaborative, resilient, and highly engaged—ultimately driving stronger performance and retention.