See these important strategies on building a stronger team at your company in 2026, from prioritizing employee engagement and clearer goal-setting to creating a workplace culture that fosters high performance and productivity.

Cultivate a Positive and Safe Culture

A positive work culture plays a crucial role in employee motivation, performance and strong teams, according to industry research and specialists in strategic leadership and HR.

In one survey, 83 percent of employees who rated their culture as good or excellent said they feel motivated to deliver high-quality work, compared to 45 percent of those who said they were in poor or toxic workplace cultures, according to a post by SHRM, an HR management industry membership organization.

While a positive culture may look different from one company to another, he says, the underlying traits are consistent — trust, clarity, inclusivity, transparency and a sense of shared purpose.

“It's less about what you can see and more about how people act and treat each other behind the scenes,” writes Taylor in a post on the company’s website. 

A cornerstone of a healthy work environment is psychological safety, which fosters employee empowerment, minimizes conflict and supports organizational success, explains another post by SHRM.

“Employees must feel comfortable voicing their ideas and opinions without fear,” says the SHRM article by Ashleigh Popera. “Creativity, innovation, and growth cannot thrive without this foundation.”

In addition to fueling employee disengagement and issues with productivity, a poor workplace culture leads to higher turnover rates, according to studies.

“Creating a positive organizational culture has the greatest return on investment possible,” explains John Bostain, president of training and coaching company Command Presence Leadership, in the SHRM article.

Boost Employee Engagement

Keeping employees engaged is important on several fronts — it makes for more motivated employees and teams, and is critical to your company’s mission and success. 

Research by Gallup shows that engaged employees report up to 70 percent higher well-being, which helps fuel a stronger commitment to work and your business.

A key driver of employee engagement is purpose — doing work that feels meaningful and mission-driven, according to the Gallup study and experienced business leaders.

“Employees are seeking meaningful work that contributes to something larger than themselves,” writes Matthew Mathison in a Forbes Entrepreneur Leadership Network post.

Teams become stronger when leaders start having honest conversations, listening more deeply or sharing the “why” behind the work, he adds.

“When employees feel genuinely connected to their work, you get a team that repeatedly exceeds expectations, has higher productivity, lower absenteeism and less turnover,” writes Alora Bopray in a USA Today article.

Goal-Setting — Personal, Business and Team — Really Matters 

When it comes to goal-setting this year, experts say it’s imperative to work together with employees to set clear, measurable goals that align individual strengths with company vision and support professional growth.

Keep in mind that goal-setting is more than a perfunctory process for employees — 72 percent of employees polled by McKinsey & Co. cited goal setting as a strong motivator for performance.

Further, employees tend to be more motivated and perceive the performance management approach as fair when they were involved in the process and when the goals were updated throughout the year to align with team and company priorities, reports McKinsey & Co.

The survey indicated employees are more motivated by goals that feel measurable, and suggested a link between business priorities and personal goals. 

Forty-four percent of employees said they were motivated when their goals include a mix of individual and team goals, and when their goals are clearly linked to company goals.

It all comes back to a focus on the well-being of your employees, says Taylor at SME Strategy.

“Provide career development opportunities, launch mentorship programs, and make recognition part of your culture,” he writes. “Give everyone equal chances to grow in their roles and take on meaningful challenges.”