Guide three
Working Together
Almost every job is a team job, even when you work alone most of the day. Clear handovers, short meetings and kind, specific feedback keep teams working.
Meetings that end on time
- Say the purpose in one line before the meeting starts.
- Invite only the people who must decide and send a short note to the rest.
- End with names and next steps: who does what, and by when.
Feedback that helps
Useful feedback is specific, about the work rather than the person, and given soon. A simple pattern is: what you saw, why it mattered and what would help next time.
“In the handover you listed the urgent orders first. That meant I could start straight away. Could you add the table numbers next time too?”
The ten-second handover
Whenever work changes hands, at the end of a shift or before a holiday, write down what is done, what is waiting and the one thing to watch. Keep handovers where the next person will look, not in your head.
Fair teams
- Share the dull jobs as well as the interesting ones.
- Learn how people prefer to be contacted, and respect quiet hours.
- Make room for people who work differently, including colleagues who are disabled, neurodivergent or working in a second language.
- Credit ideas to the person who had them.
When there is a problem
Most disagreements at work are about unclear expectations. Talk to the person directly and privately first, describe the problem rather than the personality, and agree a next step. If it is about safety, harassment or discrimination, use your workplace’s formal reporting route or an official advice service.