What is a Working Agreement?

A working agreement is an agreement between two or more parties to work together. Working agreements can be made by governments and businesses, members of a team or individuals working toward a common goal.

Function

A working agreement defines the type of relationship the parties have with each other, but do not have legal ramifications. They ensure everyone understands the roles each party plays, defining specific tasks as well as detailing realistic expectations and targets everybody can meet during the agreement.

Features

While working agreements do not have specifically required elements, they do have many common features. These items include the names of the parties involved in the agreement, the start and end dates of the agreement, the articles to which each party agrees, compensation, benefits and repercussions.

Benefits

By creating a working agreement, everybody involved in the agreement knows exactly what they expect of others and what others expect of them. They can help build team dynamics and also describe how to handle group conflicts such as when members of a team do not get along. Working agreements put into writing what each member believes to be important in creating a successful relationship.

References

• Princeton University: WordNet Search
• British Columbia Ministry of Health Services: 2004 Working Agreement
• Getting Agile: Creating a Team Working Agreement