Team Work - Research Paper Example

Introduction Team player tendency is a crucial requirement for entry in any workplace since employees are put into different teams to ensure actualization of organizational goals. A team is a number of personalities organised to work together as a unit to meet organizational objectives. It’s a composition of individuals with complementing ideas tasked with developing a united action plan which helps management streamline its operations. Managers for teams both for long and short term depending on volume of work assigned, and its composition reflects diversity in opinions and gender considerations. Long term teams include; a product development team which introduces new company products and an executive leadership team take part in formulating strategic short and long term goals for the organisation. Departmental teams are also long term since they ensure proper manning of their lines of responsibilities at all times to encourage efficiency. Short term teams are self managing and handle frequent system challenges for instance addressing employee discipline issues. During this implementation time, members of the team hold formal and informal meetings where they freely interact with one another. This is the time they evaluate their performance and find out if indeed they are within the set deadlines. Teams play a pivotal role in the workplace and are lauded as the best human resource practice since it acts as learning time for employees. The members present their incomplete ideas in a discussion, and they humbly argue out the case, the strongest option is later adopted by the team as findings. These resolutions are binding upon every member, and the team is wholly accountable for them. Article’s summary In the article, “How to Build a Teamwork Culture” by Susan Heathfield, she says that teamwork is core to organizations which value cooperation when handling office tasks. Employees trust that all issues pertaining to planning, decision making and task execution are best undertaken together, this helps in ensuring accuracy since input from different minds reduces risk factors. For instance, decision making on product diversification requires input from the marketing team who roll out campaigns to gauge market response. The finance and accounting team also computes the right prices to offer the new product in the market. These two and other relevant departments get together by holding frequent meetings where they all share their points and areas of concern. This is to ensure they send coherent message, which welcomes trust from the customers (Heathfield, 2000). She adds that most companies do not encourage teamwork because of issues like; internal differences among employees. This makes them rarely meet at a common room and talk about job related issues. The only places they meet are tearoom and company general meetings where non informal talks dominate. The world over, many workplaces recognize individual efforts. This phenomenon leads to cases of sabotage where some do malicious acts to damage reputation of fellow worker. Social structures stress on winning and individual performance, from schools to family setup forms this pillar. In workplaces that emphasize on large scale production, teamwork takes a back seat since individual output is the motivator; workers are engaged for long hours. These coercions make employees lose their social lives and get depressed over time. Teamwork involves team building sessions where the workforce engages in physical activities that relaxes body and soul. Fresh and relaxed mind is ideal in planning and decision making sessions. The second article by Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith distinguishes between teams and groups; they give us a deeper understanding of the team building process and its importance over ordinary work groups which do not reflect diversity in ideas. Workgroups are formed to handle basic work inefficiencies for instance, when there is a jam at the point of sales, a store manager acts by increasing the number of tills and employing redirecting workforce to the affected area to decrease congestion. This is a decision which is arrived at in a short time by two or more top management officials without necessarily involving a whole team in a structured process. Teams are formed out of a bigger need that requires collective input from varied standpoints; the process takes a longer time and is more involving compared to workgroups). According to Katzenbach & Smith (1993), workgroups handle specific tasks while teamwork deals in wide strategic issues. This is what informs formation of smaller teams within the parent one, to handle specific issues, which are then be pieced together when harmonising the resultant output. The sub team members are competent in their topical areas; the overall team believes they are up to the task and will give quality recommendations that will not undermine overall team performance. The overall leader, therefore, maintains focus on the goal, by facilitating team interactions and building on relationships that exists among members to ensure unity in purpose. Work groups are formed with the main reason of providing direction in natural organizational crisis and hence issues which inform their formation are purely administrative. It does not recognise differences in ideas and wide scope of experiences as is the case for teams. A team engages in tough deliberations that require input from several people in different stages, and may involve contribution from outside consultants when handling vital strategic issues. In workplace groups, the members have no direct ownership to the process since their individual output is not emphasized and are seldom involved in decision making processes. They are only involved to give ratification to already determined issues and therefore, are less motivated to be part of the group. Workplace teams on the other hand, utilize individual contributions as the basis for developing their final product; they therefore come up with debatable proposals, which are given the same priority and significance. Because of these consultative team process and interactions, the members feel happy about being part of a larger decision making organ and are happy that they take part in shaping their future governance structure. According to Newstrom (2011), due to interactive nature of workplace teams and the diversity that exists among members, these people are creative as they present their ideas based on varied experiences. They all share in a creative experience to come up with the most agreeable positions. Trust among members is also enhanced since these teams engage in other out of office experiences and teambuilding activities. Groups are arbitrarily formed by people who do not know much about one another, and with little shared values hence there’s little trust among members. Team members share common experiences and values; they also have an understanding about each other’s views about general issues. In a normal argument, it is easier to have a constructive talk with someone of shared views or at least the one with known values. This is because we inhibit ourselves when communicating with people we just met because we are not sure how they react to your views (Parker, 2008). Workplace team communication has varied networks since there are consultative forums, both formal and informal, that are part of the bigger process. For instance, debates are conducted in sub team meetings and outcomes presented when the general team converge. It involves negotiations and consultations, and if they reach a stalemate over which point to adopt, voting is conducted to ensure the position of the majority is favoured. Group exchanges on the other hand, are made in one direction, with the leader having a substantial say on procedure to be adopted when going about their deliberations. For instance, sales people engage with a customer in a unidirectional communicate when addressing matters that hinder smooth relationships between the two groups. Team communication is effective in many aspects: since they have long interactions in a friendly environment, feedback is enhanced and this makes the exchanges complete. Since team members have shared values, they have excellent listening habits and respond to emotions associated with the issues at hand. Lastly, they encourage discussion which is the best way of deliberating about extensive issues. Teams contribute to professional development of its members since it is a progressive learning experience; it opens their minds to different ideas presented by diverse minds. For instance when conducting a product launch, the whole team engages in a long uncertain journey but build each other in the process; furthermore, they go past their own disciplines and understand what other colleagues are doing, this widens their information base. Teams have structured processes which make it effectively manage internal differences of opinion when holding meetings. Groups on the other hand, have no shocks for going past conflicts and their deliberations can easily fail when they reach a stalemate. This is because representatives to these groups have already formed opinions which they are out to defend. The two finishes by saying that, in terms of leadership, team leaders are valued by the members since they are elected or nominated to the position. Groups have appointed leaders who dominate most of the exchanges and are somewhat feared by members due to high levels of intolerance. According to the last article, “Six Keys to Motivating Your Team” by Warwick Merry, the management cannot motivate anyone in the team; it is value judgement on participant’s part which makes them attach value to the process. To achieve this, financial incentives is not enough since some employees attach little value to monetary gains. Other common basic gestures on the management ‘s part, go a long way to improve working conditions for example, courtesy in the office make employees feel appreciated. Greeting employees in the morning in a short interaction time and thanking them for their efforts goes a long way to make them have a sense of work fulfilment. It also drives and keeps them focused on the task ahead. She says that depending on individual tastes; team members prefer varied methods of holding team meetings, some employees do not like the limelight associated with formal team meetings and hence prefer low profile sessions where they do not feel pressed to present in front of large formal crowds. Location for these team meetings should be selected after consultations is conducted within the team to come up with the most satisfying locale, this decision is made by voting in case they cannot agree. Out of town locations present the best places, since they provide a serene environment which maximizes individual contribution (Merry, 2011). Articles’ similarities All the articles recognize the fact that in order to create teamwork initiatives at the workplace, the management should be at the forefront in preaching its benefits to the employees. They have a representative at these meetings and also assign tasks to these individuals under a team leader who is responsible for giving direction to the process. Secondly, teamwork should be rewarded at the workplace; this promotes cooperation among employees as they go about their work. Rewarding solo efforts creates an atmosphere of unhealthy competition among employees which is detrimental in the long run. Employees are rewarded by for instance distributing gift vouchers during festive seasons, compensation for working overtime and giving bonuses at the end of a trading period. Merry argues that in motivating employees, they should realise value of their efforts by getting rewarded by management according to individual contributions. In most companies, team meetings are conducted outside normal working hours, especially in the evenings when the rest of the workforce has already left. This time should be paid for by the company as extra working hours to motivate them to continue with such productive sessions. Accrued overtime payments are also sorted by giving them bonuses after a specified period of time. Added incentives for instance provision of snacks and beverages also make them settle into the discourse and reduce its formal nature. Heathfield stresses that in-house stories and interactions in the office should advocate for teamwork since collaboration in these activities and discussions is largely attributed to prevailing culture. The management also helps in nurturing this discipline by promoting team spirit even when things are tough, they make sure employees are not kept aloof during crisis as this result in panic. For instance, despite hard work from employees in listed companies, some of them still record marginal losses due to global economic shocks which lower stock prices due to convergence of world markets. The management is not supposed to castigate employees for under par performance but failures and successes are a collective responsibility for the whole team. They should also clearly express the requirement of teamwork at the workplace by practising open door policy where any office is open to any employee to visit and air their ideas, opinions or grievances. Many organisations are adopting open office system where employee workstations are separated by small cubicles hence whatever activity they engage in, they are being monitored. This system is ideal for teamwork because no one feels inferior to the other, hence can freely express their thoughts without fear of intimidation. These offices have boardrooms where meetings are held but no private offices. Differences There are also different opinions on team work in the articles; Merry argues that there are vast sources of information on how best to encourage these teams. She continues to state that in taking time to choose the best approach, we lose sight of the most pressing issues that led to same team formation. He says that reward for success should not be presented to the whole team, but to individuals, since employees have different aspirations and are motivated in different ways. They also have different feelings about the ideal gift awarded by the management hence issuing a common prize does not take into consideration individual tastes. Heathfield (2000) argues that companies are aiming at recognising diversity in ideas, cultures and personality traits while little emphasis is gives to teamwork. The rest of the articles paints a good picture about teamwork appreciation and notes that situations have changed in recent times with discovery of simple teamwork exercises. For instance, having a countryside meeting or seminar where participants engage freely without the pressure to dash to handle other duties. They are duty bound to finish the agenda set forth before leaving the meeting. Application Team work is applied in a variety of workplaces, sometimes without the members even realizing. New forms of teamwork activities do not cost much as some commonly known teambuilding sessions for example, camping and excursions. There are other activities and meetings readily organised in offices to handle periodic problems facing employees and the company. Teams look into specific concerns; members should therefore avoid unnecessary talks which waste a lot of productive time. Some members sway their colleagues to engage in lengthy debates about the process to be followed. A controversy may arise between two employees in the office, this is a matter handled by a team of two or more employees with negotiation abilities formed arbitrarily among the staff members. Organizations hold meetings periodically to assess progress on projects and duties assigned to team members. These meetings are very consultative and engage input from a broad base of ideas; they also collaborate in handling some commonly performed tasks. Absenteeism is highly discouraged because it limits participation from all parties in the team; it is also detrimental since all team members will be accountable to both its failures and successes. Team members have fun during shared sessions, these activities which generate fun form part of teambuilding sessions. They go for picnics, conduct expeditions and engage in physical activities that bond them and build on their trust on each other. On special occasions, team members organize dinner meetings where they let loose and express themselves without inhibitions. Team images and logos are also imprinted on T-shirts, umbrellas and stationary to make members have a sense of loyalty to the group. All the issues raised above helps organisations enhance team work and use it as a method for solving organizational problems. The management promotes teamwork among employees by merging it into company culture; they establish the process to make employees appreciate it as the best method of handling special tasks. Employees practice teamwork in simplest of ways for instance, a high ranking employee can give a hand to a junior employee when faced with a short but strenuous activity. The management also links it to organizational behavior by giving rewards to employees; they are then psyched and engage in these sessions since they understand there are economic benefits associated with the process. They are then cultured into the process over time, through conditioning as they already have internalized its benefits and value attached to team output. For instance, when drafting a strategic communications plan, the sub teams present the best industry communication practices which the team then tests to see if the proposals are congruent with organization’s culture. Employee reception is thus tested; the team then decides to either adopt or deny their ideas. This diversity in membership composition presents varied ideas to organization’s present processes and this is vital in coming up with a report that covers all aspects. Conclusion Most reward mechanisms in the office favor individual employees. The most common method of paying back employee contribution is through promotion which is only given to one person at a time. These companies have specific expectations from employees who set their own goals based on its overall vision. Detailed terms of reference for specific positions are handed over to respective employees; their efforts are then directed to ensure realization of these stated objectives. This phenomenon results in unhealthy competition among employees when they try to please their bosses. It is also a hindrance to establishment of an effective team culture that promotes collective responsibility. According to Bledsoe (1995), working in teams gives employees a chance to make own decisions and plan. This is because they present their individual contributions, which form part of the resulting teamwork product. They also feel that their efforts and contributions are recognized by the top management. All these privileges make members be accountable for their own decisions and results attained. They are also able to serve customers and members of the public who pay a visit to company premises on simple enquiries without necessarily directing them to other offices. Teamwork is a multi-faceted approach to management with far many benefits compared to emphasis on individual performance. This is because it allows the company to function in unity, thereby keeping good track of company processes and functions which improves efficiency. References Heathfield M. (n.d.). Team Building - How to Build Powerfully Successful Work Teams by Team Building. Forward Thinking Human Resources Info Serving Employers and Employees Since 2000. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/team_one_stop.htm Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993). The wisdom of teams: creating the high- performance organization. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press. Bledsoe, L. J. (1995). Team work. Paramus, NJ: Globe Fearon. Merry, W. (2011, August 2). 6 Keys To Motivating Your Team - CEO Online. CEO Online | Your Business Resource | Leadership Skills | Management Skills | Leadership Training | Management Training | Business Skills | CEO Online - CEO Online. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from http://www.ceoonline.com/pages/id44361.aspx Parker, G. M. (2008). Team players and team work: new strategies for developing successful collaboration (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass ;. Newstrom, J. W. (2011). Organizational behavior: human behavior at work (Thirteenth ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Read More