Why Your New Team Isn’t Clicking—And What To Do About It
We recently worked with a team that looked cohesive on paper: a mix of remote new hires and in-office veterans across three different headquarters. But behind the scenes, it was clear this group hadn’t had the time—or the opportunity—to truly connect.
And it was starting to show.
There was hesitation in sharing information, a lack of trust, and little willingness to step in to support one another. Many team members had barely interacted beyond Slack messages or weekly meetings. Technically, they were a team—but they didn’t feel like one.
The Biggest Mistake: Assuming Connection Will Happen Naturally
One of the most common missteps companies make is assuming people will “just figure out how to work together.” They won’t—at least not in the way you hope.
In-office employees may sit near each other, but proximity doesn’t equal connection.
Heads-down work and deliverables take priority over interpersonal bonding.
After-work drinks or casual coffee chats are helpful but often leave out remote teammates and rarely create the depth of trust and understanding that drives real collaboration.
Teams need dedicated, structured, and inclusive opportunities to engage in ways that foster understanding, support, and connection.
How Improv Can Bridge the Gap
That’s where we stepped in. We designed and led a 2.5-hour interactive workshop for their 40-person group. The session was experiential, energizing, and a major departure from the siloed nature of their day-to-day work.
Participants didn’t just have fun—they had the opportunity to experience being a real team:
Practicing trust and communication in real time
Listening in new ways
Collaborating under pressure
Sharing moments of laughter, insight, and connection
The workshop helped the group bond and reminded everyone that connection is a skill, not a given. Participants walked away with tools to strengthen relationships, communicate more effectively, and sustain a sense of camaraderie long after the session ended.
The Impact Was Measurable
Post-workshop surveys showed a clear boost in engagement and communication. Employees felt seen, heard, and more willing to lean on each other. One participant summed it up perfectly:
“I finally feel like I know who I’m working with.”
This isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s essential. Especially in today’s hybrid and distributed workplaces.
MIT Sloan research shows psychologically safe teams are up to 12 times more likely to be high performing.
Tuckman’s team development model reminds us that teams naturally move through forming, storming, norming, and performing, and rushing past early stages often leads to disconnection.
Gallup reports that only 30% of U.S. employees strongly agree their coworkers are committed to quality work, a number that rises significantly when trust and connection are present.
Build Teams Intentionally
Telling people to “act like one team” isn’t enough. Real teams are built through intention, interaction, and a willingness to prioritize human connection. Improv-based workshops give teams a safe, structured, and fun way to practice these skills, turning a group of individuals into a truly connected, high-performing team.
Because real teams aren’t built by accident—they’re built with purpose.
