Here at TeamDynamics, we are fortunate to have a unique perspective on trends in the modern workplace. Teams from all over the globe rely on our proprietary behavioral assessment to understand how their teams work, how each person fits in, and how they can improve.

We believe that teamwork matters more now than ever. Today’s workplace is changing at a quickening pace as it adjusts to new technologies like AI, new hybrid- and remote-first models, and a new generation entering the workforce. Modern teams need the tools to make sense of, and improve, how we work together. 

For the first time, we are sharing anonymized insights about how teams are communicating and collaborating to get work done. The goal of doing so is to help define what “teamwork” means today. 

This report is grounded in TeamDynamics’ four core dimensions of team behavior:

1. ‍Communicating: How teams share information,
2. Processing: How teams translate information into actionable insights,
3. ‍Deciding: How teams choose a course of action, and
4. ‍Executing: How teams work towards their goals.

Read more about the TeamDynamics framework of team behavior.

About this report

The TeamDynamics 2024 State of the Team is an annual report on teamwork trends in the modern workplace. It is based on thousands of aggregated, anonymized responses to TeamDynamics’ proprietary survey instruments over the preceding 12-month period. 

We define a team as the group of people who collaborate most closely at work. Teams can be from a single function or multiple parts of an organization. The team leader might not be the official manager of everyone on the team. The average team size in our sample is 7 people, with most teams ranging from 4-10 individuals.

Our sample includes teams across industries (e.g., travel, technology, hospitality, healthcare, retail, real estate, energy, education, non-profit) and regions (North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa). It also includes organizations at different stages, from startups to established multinationals.

As the first State of the Team report, this provides a point-in-time analysis of how teams are communicating and collaborating to get work done in 2024. Future reports will offer year-over-year comparisons.

Key findings

Below are 5 key findings from our analysis. Download the full TeamDynamics 2024 State of the Team report for more insights about what teamwork means for modern teams.

1. Individuals are struggling to get along with their teams

9 out of 10 people have working preferences that don’t match at least one core team behavior. This doesn’t mean they can’t succeed, but does mean they need to have the right awareness and tools to work well with their teams.

2. Most people want detailed plans, but few teams actually build them

70% of people prefer that their teams build and implement detailed plans when it comes to Executing projects, but just 27% of teams actually do. As the modern workplace demands ever more agility, teams need new planning methods to meet what team members want, or individuals need to adapt.

3. Teams are most polarized in their styles of communication

Most teams are somewhat adaptable in their core behaviors. However, 55% of teams are either very Informal or very Ordered in how they Communicate information, making this the dimension where teams are least flexible.

4. Nearly 2 in 3 managers don’t understand their team’s behaviors

Only 36% of managers accurately describe every one of their team’s core behaviors. This means that nearly 2 out of every 3 managers are likely engaging with their team incorrectly along at least one of their team’s core ways of working.

5. Managers do set the tone, but not as much as you might think

Many believe that the manager is the main influence on team norms, but our research shows otherwise. Only 42% of managers have preferences that match the majority of their team’s core behaviors. This suggests that factors like team composition, organizational culture and company stage play a bigger role in team behavior than a manager’s individual preferences.

Download the full TeamDynamics 2024 State of the Team report for more insights about what teamwork means for modern teams.

About TeamDynamics

TeamDynamics is a tool for individuals and teams who believe that teamwork should be intentional and rewarding. Quantify your team's behaviors with a fast, fun survey instrument that you can take at your desk, over your coffee, or on the train. Establish a shared language to describe how your team works with our proprietary behavioral framework. And improve your team's performance with recommendations tailored specifically to your team.

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Teams at leading organizations use TeamDynamics to get more done, and have more fun while doing it. Whether you’re an individual who wants to understand how you can better work with your team, a team who wants to improve how it communicates and collaborates, or an organization who wants to understand and optimize how it works within and across teams, TeamDynamics has a solution for you.

??What is TeamDynamics and what services do they offer???

TeamDynamics is a behavioral assessment tool designed for individuals and teams who want intentional and rewarding teamwork. They offer a survey instrument to help quantify team behaviors and create a shared language to enhance communication and collaboration within teams.

??What is the "2024 State of the Team" report by TeamDynamics???

The "2024 State of the Team" report is an annual analysis based on thousands of anonymized responses, which aims to define teamwork through insights on team communication, collaboration, and behavior in a variety of industries globally.

??What are the four core dimensions of team behavior according to TeamDynamics???

TeamDynamics identifies four core dimensions of team behavior: 1) Communicating - how information is shared, 2) Processing - how information is turned into actionable insights, 3) Deciding - how decisions are made, and 4) Executing - how teams work towards goals.

??What key finding suggests a mismatch between individuals and team behaviors in the 2024 report???

According to the report, 9 out of 10 people have working preferences that don’t align with at least one core team behavior, indicating a significant need for awareness and tools to help individuals work effectively with their teams.

??What does the 2024 State of the Team report reveal about team planning versus individual preferences???

The report highlights that while 70% of individuals prefer detailed planning in executing projects, only 27% of teams actually create and follow such detailed plans, pointing to a gap between expectation and practice in team environments.

??How flexible are communication styles within teams according to the report findings???

The report shows that 55% of teams have very polarized communication styles, either being very informal or very ordered, making communication the least flexible team behavior dimension.

??What does the report suggest about managers' understanding of their teams???

The 2024 report finds that only 36% of managers accurately describe all of their team's core behaviors, implying that many managers may not be effectively engaging with their teams as they might be unaware of certain behavioral dynamics.

??What role do managers play in setting team norms according to TeamDynamics findings???

The findings suggest that managers are not the primary influence on team norms. Only 42% of managers have preferences that align with the majority of their team’s core behaviors, indicating that other factors such as team composition and organizational culture are more significant.

??How can individuals and organizations benefit from TeamDynamics???

Individuals can use TeamDynamics to better understand and improve their interaction within teams. Teams can enhance their communication and collaboration effectiveness, and organizations can optimize overall performance by understanding and improving how different teams interact and work together.