Last month, CBS Wellbeing Lab hosted the first of three workshops on a newly started well-being initiative for the SEM-bachelor program.
The initiative is part of a larger pilot project in collaboration with students, lecturers and mentors. Here we test and evaluate the research and tools on improving collaboration, engagement, class attendance and overall wellbeing across a study program. The goal of the project is to provide knowledge on how to best adress well-being across all study programs at CBS.
The first workshop focused on the importance of teamwork. Teamwork and collaboration are important skills, valued not only at university, but also when entering the labor market. Working in groups is therefore a daily activity, which we know is key to student well-being. Effective collaboration requires openness, trust and clear communication.
However, a survey conducted by Wellbeing lab revealed that while most CBS students find it comforting when others express the difficulties they face, many still hesitate to speak up.
Why is that?
Insights on the importance of teamwork
Adjunct Professor, Pernille Steen Pedersen, opened the workshop by sharing some of her research on wellbeing conducted on the Danish labor market and at CBS. A key finding from Pedersen’s research is that stress and shame often arise in teamwork. It happens when feeling you cannot live up to your own and external expectations – and fear other people’s opinion when admitting to these uncertainties. A concept known as FOPO.
FOPO (the fear of others opinion) comes from worrying about how we’re perceived when we share our opinions or admit challenges. In a world where digitalization and social media constantly expose us to others’ achievements, it is hard not to compare ourselves and feel pressure to prove our abilities. FOPO can then make us hold back in teamwork, avoid speaking up, and at worst, lead to stress, shame, and lower wellbeing.
So, while most find it comforting when others share their uncertainties, many are afraid to take the first step themselves.
How students received the exercise
After the presentation, students broke into small discussion groups using dialogue cards developed by the Lab on the topic “Teamwork”. The cards are designed to spark conversations about doubt, pressure and group dynamics.
Participants shared that revealing uncertainties helped them better understand both their own and their peers’ needs:
- ‘It’s nice to know you’re not the only one feeling insecure at university. It made me think about how I can help create a safe space — not just for myself, but for my group members too’.
- Another student added that being transparent about vulnerabilities and strengths helps the group more consciously meet each other’s needs. To this there was a broad agreement, because in reality, “in groupwork 10% is really about deciding on what to write, 90% is about communicating. Group work is much about learning from each other.”
These are some of the reflections that the workshops aim at achieving: giving students the space and tools to engage in open dialogue and enhance collaborative skills. When we talk openly about what is hard, we start breaking down the fear of being judged. The more trust and empathy we build, the better we can give and receive feedback and the more effectively we can work together.
Try it yourself
You can download the cards and test them out in your classroom, team group or workplace, under the tap “tools” or click here. Feel free to reach out and let us know how it went.
What’s Next?
The next workshop will dive deeper into topics like inadequacy, FOPO (fear of other people’s opinions), and loneliness.
Thank you for reading along!