AUG 2025, Vol 22, Issue 8

Decoding High Performance Teams

In the fast-paced business world, you've no doubt come across some truly amazing teams that go above and beyond, exceeding expectations and reaching new heights of success. But what is it that sets them apart? What gives them the edge to achieve extraordinary results and drive organizational success? Well, it's not just one thing; it's a combination of factors that come together to create the winning formula. As a leader, your role is pivotal in building a cohesive and high performance team. That's why it's important for you to recognize the key characteristics of high performance teams.

Teams perform at their best under engaged leadership. An engaged leader acts as the catalyst for success, providing clear direction and guidance without micromanaging. They foster an environment of open and effective communication. They also closely monitor team dynamics and swiftly address any challenges that arise, to ensure everyone feels valued and heard. An engaged leader leads by example and sets the tone for the entire team. High performance teams also have a shared vision and common goals that consistently drive their performance. Setting clear goals and expectations helps motivate and guide the team in proper direction.

Each member's contribution is vital for overall team success. But here's the key, high performance teams understand that their collective impact surpasses individual efforts. They know that collaboration is the key to achieving exceptional outcomes and are always ready to lend a helping hand to ensure the collective goal is achieved. In high performance teams, the significance of well-defined roles and responsibilities cannot be emphasized enough. Leaders of these teams recognize that establishing clearly defined roles and responsibilities is key to boosting productivity and minimizing conflict.

They take the time to ensure that each team member understands what their role is and how their contributions fit into the bigger picture. Team roles are dynamically divided and assigned based on individual skills and capabilities, and the current needs of the team. This helps optimize the team's collective performance. Clear communication serves as the cornerstone to team cohesion. Effective leaders actively encourage open communication channels, where team members can freely share their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. They have systems in place to streamline and optimize communication.

They encourage the team to leverage technology to stay organized, collaborate effectively, and track progress. This way, important information gets shared promptly with the right people, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. But what truly ties it all together is the unwavering trust among the team members. Trust acts as the glue that binds team members together, enabling them to communicate openly, honestly, and respectfully. High performance teams recognize and value each member's expertise, working methods, and achievements.

This trust and respect build a sense of camaraderie and synergy among the team, allowing them to function as a unified force. With trust as the foundation, teams can overcome challenges, adapt to change, and achieve remarkable outcomes. Unlocking the true potential of your team requires more than just hard work. It involves building genuine connections, fostering teamwork, and embracing shared values. High performance teams face challenges together, driven by integrity and fueled by trust and respect.

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Begin Using the New I-9 Form

The new Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, is used to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must properly complete Form I-9 for every individual they hire for employment in the United States within three days of hire. This includes citizens and aliens. Both employees and employers (or authorized representatives of the employer) must complete the form.

On the form, an employee must attest to their employment authorization. The employee must also present their employer with acceptable documents as evidence of identity and employment authorization. The employer must examine these documents to determine whether they reasonably appear to be genuine and relate to the employee, then record the document information on the employee’s Form I-9. Certain employers who choose to remotely examine the employee’s documentation under a DHS-authorized alternative procedure rather than via physical examination must indicate they did so by checking the box provided.

The Form I-9 link consists of four parts:

Page 1 contains the sections that all new employees and their employers must complete.

• New employees must attest to their employment authorization in Section 1 and present acceptable documents to their employer.
• Employers must examine the employee’s documents and record the document information in Section 2.
• Certain employers who choose to remotely examine the employee’s documentation under a DHS-authorized alternative procedure must check the box in Section 2 to indicate they did so.

Page 2 contains the Lists of Acceptable Documents that employers must provide to employees, either as a hard copy or as a hyperlink to this form.

• Employers do not need to retain this page with an employee’s Form I-9.

Page 3 contains Supplement A, Preparer and/or Translator Certification for Section 1.

• Employers must ensure that preparers or translators who assist an employee in completing Section 1 complete this page, then retain it with the employee’s Form I-9.
• If the employee does not use a preparer or translator, employers do not need to print, provide, or retain this page with an employee’s Form I-9.

Page 4 contains Supplement B, Reverification and Rehire (formerly Section 3).

• Employers must complete and retain this page when an employee requires reverification of their employment authorization or, in some cases, employment authorization document, or if the employer chooses to document a rehire.
• Employers do not need to print, provide, or retain this page with an employee’s Form I-9 unless and until an employee requires re-verification or the employer chooses to document a rehire.

Employers must retain all completed pages of Form I-9 for a designated period and make them available for inspection by authorized government officers.

Form I-9 is a fillable form, which means you can type your answers directly into the form, except for the signature blocks. Employers and employees using this fillable form must print and manually sign it rather than typing or electronically affixing a signature because this fillable form does not meet DHS standards for electronic Form I-9 generation, storage and retention systems. See 8 CFR section 274a.2. Failure to meet DHS standards for electronically generated, stored and/or retained Form I-9 may result in fines and other penalties.

Form Retention

Form I-9 retention requirements mandate that employers keep I-9 forms for each employee for three years after the date of hire or one year after the date employment ends, whichever is later.This means that even after an employee leaves, their I-9 form must be retained for a specific period to comply with regulations.

For Current Employees:

• Employers must retain the I-9 form for the duration of the employee's employment

For Terminated Employees:

• Employers must retain the I-9 form for one year after the date of termination or three years after the date of hire, whichever is later.
• This ensures that the I-9 is kept for the required period, even if the employee is terminated shortly after being hired

Link for new I-9 Form:

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-9.pdf

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