Organizations around the world are adapting to the changing nature of work – where careers are more fluid, hybrid work is the new norm, and organizational agility is critical to business success. Organizations, including SAP, are now bringing people together in dynamic teams to drive better outcomes.
Maybe you’re part of a dynamic team without realizing it. Dynamic teams are self-managed teams typically comprised of three to 10 members. These teams last as long as they need, with some teams working together for just a few months and others continuing for years.
The flexibility intrinsic to a dynamic team helps organizations respond quickly to changing business strategy and priorities. According to the SAP SuccessFactors Growth & Insights team, which studies industry trends that impact technology need, 73% of line managers report that dynamic teams have had a positive impact on their business.
Dynamic teams benefit individual employees, too, by supporting talent development and mobility. Employees working in this flexible environment are able to access and apply skills and capabilities that they may not have used in their everyday role. Moreover, working cross-functionally gives them an opportunity to acquire and hone new skills as well as broaden their internal business network. According to SAP research, 66% of employees participating in a dynamic team said it had a positive impact on their career and led to higher engagement and company loyalty.
While research shows a positive impact for employees, the same SAP research revealed that only about 20% of dynamic team members were truly satisfied with the experience. And while many employees who participated in dynamic teams say they would join one again, they also report that their hard work and contributions to the business through the team were not being recognized. SAP research also found that those tasked with forming a dynamic team were often challenged with finding appropriate channels through which to identify the right people for the job. Lastly, line managers, while encouraging employees to branch out and seek opportunities, had concerns about losing line of sight to the work employees are doing, thus making it harder for them to make important growth and career path decisions as well as recognize and reward their employees.
Today, dynamic teams are solving business challenges quickly, enabling employees to learn new skills and even helping reduce turnover. It’s clear dynamic teams are a benefit to businesses and employees everywhere. But the future of this new way of working is at risk because businesses don’t have the tools they need to manage dynamic teams or measure their value.
Future innovations to SAP SuccessFactors solutions will help counter fears and eliminate challenges from managers and employees alike. As part of the SAP SuccessFactors solutions road map, we’re supporting dynamic teams with new features designed to help your business get work done. SAP SuccessFactors is developing the ability to create and manage teams and source team members through SAP SuccessFactors Opportunity Marketplace, as well as create team objectives and key results. Additional innovation includes celebratory cards on the new homepage that recognize team milestones and the ability for team members to easily give and request feedback to and from one another.
As your business goals and priorities shift, dynamic teams can support you with exactly the talent and resources you need. Soon, you will be better able to take advantage of this new way of working with tools for dynamic teams from SAP SuccessFactors solutions.
For complete insights on dynamic teams, read the full report here.
Susie Thomas, PHR, is global director of Solution Marketing at SAP SuccessFactors.
Caitlynn Sendra, PhD, is an experience product scientist at SAP SuccessFactors.