6 Strategies for Building a Strong Team Culture in Operations
Building a strong team culture in operations is crucial for organizational success. This article explores effective strategies to enhance team dynamics and productivity in the operations field. Drawing from expert insights, it presents practical approaches that can transform workplace culture and drive operational excellence.
- Foster Ownership Through Weekly Ops Huddles
- Implement Regular Culture Check-ins
- Prioritize Open Communication and Cross-functional Collaboration
- Empower Team with Rotating Project Lead System
- Build Trust Through Asynchronous Over-communication
- Celebrate Progress with Weekly Wins and Blockers
Foster Ownership Through Weekly Ops Huddles
In operations, where the pace is fast and pressure is high, building a strong team culture isn't just 'nice to have' -- it's essential for smooth execution. My approach is centered on ownership and open communication. Everyone should feel that they don't just "do a task" -- they contribute to a larger mission.
One initiative that's worked well for us at BASSAM is a weekly 'Ops Huddle' -- a 15-minute session where each team member shares one success, one challenge, and one idea for improvement. It creates a safe space for feedback, encourages problem-solving from the ground up, and gives everyone a voice, regardless of role.
This simple practice has boosted morale, reduced errors (because we address issues early), and built stronger trust among team members. When people feel heard and supported, they bring their best -- even on the busiest days.
Implement Regular Culture Check-ins
Building a strong, positive team culture in operations starts with intentional leadership. As an executive coach, I focus on helping leaders foster trust, clarity, and accountability--key ingredients for a thriving culture.
One practice I recommend:
Implement regular "culture check-ins." These are short, structured conversations--weekly or biweekly--where team members share what's working, what's getting in the way, and who deserves a shout-out. The leader's role is to listen, ask open questions, and model transparency.
This practice does three things:
1. Surfaces issues early, before they become roadblocks.
2. Reinforces shared values and priorities.
3. Builds psychological safety so people feel comfortable speaking up.
Bottom line:
Culture isn't built in a day, but it is shaped by what you pay attention to every day. When leaders create space for honest dialogue and recognition, teams become more engaged, resilient, and high-performing.
Prioritize Open Communication and Cross-functional Collaboration
As someone on the operations side of building a robust culture and fostering positivity within a team in a very operations-heavy system, communication and transparency become my top priorities for success. One area of success that I have found particularly useful is implementing regular team check-ins—some one-on-one, and some in group discussions.
I achieve this by keeping the lines of communication wide open, ensuring that everyone is heard and feels valued. This, in turn, builds trust amongst the team. As part of our weekly briefings, I make it a point to ask every single member of staff on my teams about their challenges and successes, and how I can help. This approach enhances teamwork and increases morale by making people feel that they are truly important.
I also push for cross-functional collaboration and pairing of team members with different roles in problem-solving sessions. Such an approach creates a sense of community and a universal mission, with the realization that all team members are not working alone towards specific goals.
In the end, all of these initiatives help to cultivate an atmosphere of motivation, respect, and working towards a shared goal by all team members.
Empower Team with Rotating Project Lead System
Building a strong and positive team culture starts with leading by example and making sure every team member feels seen, valued, and supported. With over 15 years in the gardening and landscaping industry, I've learned that respect, consistency, and clear communication are the backbone of any successful team. At Ozzie Mowing and Gardening, I make it a point to have regular one-on-one check-ins with the team. It's not just about work performance but understanding what drives them and how they're feeling about the projects. When people feel like they're part of something bigger and that their voice matters, they take more pride in what they do. My background as a certified horticulturist also helps me give practical guidance in the field, which not only boosts efficiency but builds trust and mentorship into the everyday work culture.
One initiative that's been incredibly effective is our rotating "project lead" system. Every few weeks, one team member takes the lead on a job site with my full support. It gives them the chance to step up, apply what they've learned, and build leadership skills in a real-world setting. This came about because I recognized early on that people thrive when given responsibility in a supportive environment. Thanks to my experience managing hundreds of projects and working under a variety of leadership styles before going out on my own, I knew how to shape this system in a way that empowers without overwhelming. The result has been stronger communication, better job outcomes, and a team that genuinely enjoys working together.
Build Trust Through Asynchronous Over-communication
Our approach to building a strong, positive team culture in operations is centered around over-communication and trust. Since our team is fully remote across different time zones, we work asynchronously and make it a habit to leave clear updates in our project management tools. Everyone shares progress, flags blockers early, and keeps each other in the loop without needing constant meetings.
This level of communication helps us move fast and stay aligned. But just as important is choosing the right people — we hire team members who are reliable, proactive, and great at keeping others informed. By building a team we trust and setting a clear standard for communication, we've created a culture where everyone feels connected, supported, and empowered to do their best work.
Celebrate Progress with Weekly Wins and Blockers
My approach to building a strong team culture in an operations environment is all about creating clarity, ownership, and recognition at every level. Operations teams thrive when they know exactly how their work contributes to the bigger picture and when they feel trusted to make decisions.
One initiative that worked really well for us was introducing weekly "wins and blockers" standups, where every team member shares one thing they're proud of and one thing holding them back. It only takes 15 minutes, but it creates space for celebrating progress, solving issues quickly, and building cross-team empathy.
It also surfaces patterns—like recurring process issues or bottlenecks—that we can fix fast. When people feel seen and supported, they care more about the outcome. That's what drives a high-performing culture, especially in environments that are built on precision and flow like ops.
