What is a Team Temperature Check?
Our Team Temperature Check is a simple, effective tool to assess your team’s perception and strengthen camaraderie and cohesion.
Why use a Team Temperature Check?
It's important to perform a Team Temperature Check to identify and stay ahead of workplace culture challenges before they start disrupting your team.
It also gives you an opportunity to connect with team members and have them feel cared about in a work context. Without a regular check-in, the workplace can easily create a sense of being "a cog in the machine"—even when you're interacting regularly with your team in other ways.
This small act of taking the temperature of your team members has significant positive consequences in supporting our culture pillar of Known—where team members feel seen, known, witnessed, and ultimately cared about as human beings above and beyond who they are as a worker.
When should you use a Team Temperature Check?
The Team Temperature Check is particularly powerful during times of high-delivery expectations or high-stress situations. It helps you manage your team and keep them feeling motivated and connected.
Additionally, if you're sensing that a particular team member doesn't feel connected, a Team Temperature Check is a quick tool that can help completely shift that person’s experience for the better.
It isn't a daily ritual—it’s most effective when used weekly or even less frequently, depending on the team’s needs.
PRO TIP: If your team is in active conflict or multiple members are upset, you’ll want a different process—reach out to us for the details.
How to Use Our 2-Question Team Temperature Check
It's as easy to use as it is powerful. Simply ask two questions.
- On a scale of 1–10, how are you doing?
- What would make that a plus one?
It really is that easy.
PRO TIP: If someone gives a number below 5, take a few minutes in the moment—or set aside time that same day—to sit down and really connect with your team member to understand what’s going on in their world.
Advantages of the Team Temperature Check
- Efficiency: You’re able to quickly ascertain morale progress or decline.
- Information: You’ll learn about the specific challenges facing individuals on your team—both professional and personal. You’ll also discover successes, where things are working, and specifics that you can celebrate.
- Accountability: You’ll notice your team begins to own their number—and their role in shaping it. People become accountable to their own answer. Hypocrisy becomes self-evident if someone says “8” and then turns around and kvetches to a coworker.
- Actionability: Question two leads directly to solutioning and improving.
- Increasing ROI: Once this process becomes a habit—and you consistently follow through on action items—your team will be increasingly candid and thoughtful in their responses.
Caveats to make this work
- Keep in mind that someone’s 6 is someone else’s 7. We all have different expectations. The point isn’t the number, but rather the why behind it.
- Don’t ask just for the sake of asking—ask because you genuinely want to know. Don't make this a routine exercise.
- While this process is wonderfully efficient, don’t make it a “fly-by.” Be fully present, and listen to the answers with your undivided attention.
- Expect to walk away with one or two action items. Follow through, and share with the team when you have.
- Remember that sometimes no action is needed—just a moment to celebrate someone or hold space with empathy and compassion.
- Be prepared to answer these same questions when they’re asked of you. The more honest and thoughtful you are, the more your team will be.
Do you know how happy your team is? Do you know what's affecting them right now?
Without having these insights, it becomes incredibly difficult to lead effectively. Well-intentioned actions can miss the mark—or worse, cause blow-ups.
With a Team Temperature Check, you’ll be amazed at the insights you gain to boost morale and improve your team’s overall experience.
Here's to getting a REAL read on how your team members are doing.
Your team is telling you how they feel. Are your leaders listening? Our interactive workshops equip your leaders with the tools to understand, support, and energize their teams—no decoder ring required. Let’s talk.
