We often imagine culture change as something big: a new strategy, a rebrand, or major restructuring. But in most teams, the most powerful cultural shifts come from small behavioural habits that make everyday collaboration clearer and more human.
Here are ten practical micro-habits that any team can try:
1. White space in team meetings
Add a short agenda-free slot where anyone can raise what’s on their mind. It reduces hidden stress, gives a regular space for problem-solving and builds connection.
2. Shared co-working calls
Being on a call with a colleague while remote working can help you feel more connected. It’s a great way to replicate a bit of ‘open plan’ companionship while working from home.
3. Weekly appreciation
Taking a minute during team meetings to acknowledge a colleague’s contribution makes feedback a natural, embedded part of your team culture, and boosts morale.
4. What does “good enough” look like?
Before diving into a piece of work, agree on scope and level of detail. This reduces perfectionism and makes deadlines feel more realistic.
5. 5 minute breaks
Taking a 5 minute screen-free break every hour stops mental fatigue and often improves productivity more than pushing through.
6. Close one thing before opening another
Finish a conversation, or small task before jumping to something new. It helps you feel more productive and reduces stress.
7. 60-second summary
When a topic becomes tangled, ask someone to summarise the key point in a minute. It resets the conversation and gives clarity without restarting the whole discussion.
8. Clean end to meetings
In the final minute of a meeting, confirm: What did we agree, what’s the next step, and who owns it? This helps you leave clear on the value and outcome of the meeting.
Why teams benefit from co-creating habits
Micro-habits work best when a team creates them together rather than adopting a generic checklist. Taking time to notice what’s draining energy or where decisions get stuck – alongside what’s already working well – helps a team identify the small shifts that will genuinely fuel its success.
Because every team has different rhythms, pressures and personalities, the habits that make the biggest difference won’t be the same for each team. The aim is not to ‘adopt best practice’, but to choose the few behaviours that will improve your team’s clarity, pace and connection.
How away days help
A team away day is an ideal environment to explore these micro-habits. When people step away from their usual routines, conversations become more open, reflective and honest. There is space to talk about what’s working well, name small frustrations without blame, and agree together on new ways of working.
Often, identifying just a handful of small behaviours makes a surprisingly powerful impact on how the team communicates, makes decisions and manages workload. And these micro-habits are easier to sustain when the whole team owns them.
A legal team I worked with recently created a short weekly ‘white space’ meeting outside their regular team meetings. It made their team meetings more focused, while giving colleagues a supportive, reflective space to share issues, talk through legal challenges and stay connected.
If you’d like support
I design lively, practical away days that help teams build clarity, communication and confidence, and co-create the working habits that make everyday collaboration more productive and enjoyable.
If you’d like to explore a team day that strengthens connection and embeds practical changes, I’d love to help. Feel free to get in touch to discuss your team’s needs.