The use of formal work teams is commonplace in modern organizations. But why do we have teams? What are the benefits or advantages that teams bring to organizations and employees? Do we really need to adopt formal team structures and use team building approaches in organizations? Read this article to explore and discover the benefits of having formal teams in organizations.
There are organizational and individual benefits to using teams. These include increased productivity in the workplace; improving the quality of products/services; a reduced management structure; lower absenteeism rates; reduction in staff turnover; and increased industrial harmony, all of which ultimately lead to improved performance in the workplace. It also improves the quality of life at work (QVT) of employees and leads to increased job satisfaction. Teams are found in many work environments, including business, government, and education, as they enable the organization to:
Organizational benefits of teams:
1. Productivity at work:
Having structured teams eliminates problems, waste, and errors by removing variations in the work system by bringing people together to solve work system problems. Removing variation in the work system produces a more productive system. The teams ensure that the work continues in the absence of a human “part” by building a “redundancy of parts”. This ensures that the system will not malfunction due to employee absenteeism and will continue to operate without interruption. Therefore, organizations adopting team structures will have a higher level of labor productivity than companies that do not have these team structures.
2. Quality of the product/service:
When teams work to remove variations from a work system, the result is consistent and reliable. For example, in a production line work structure, employees focus on their individual “part” in the system, with quality usually inspected at the end of the production line. In the case of teams, a group of workers takes on entire tasks, thereby “enabling” those workers to take responsibility for their work and adjust work processes to improve the quality of their output. Therefore, quality is effectively “built in” to the process and therefore organizations that adopt team structures will achieve higher levels of product/service quality than companies that do not have these team structures. .
3. Least Cost Management Structures:
By having teams, the responsibility for solving work problems becomes collective and there is less need for external supervision. This reduced need for external supervision can lead to a reduction in the number of levels in the hierarchy.
4. Lower absenteeism:
Team structures provide an increased level of autonomy and responsibility, and employees who appreciate the social structure of teams are more likely to attend work. Thus, organizations with team structures will have a lower absenteeism rate than companies that do not have these team structures.
5. Employee turnover:
As with absenteeism, the social structure of the teams would have a positive impact on staff turnover. If the quality of work life is improved for employees when teams are present, then a reduction in turnover is a potential outcome.
6. Industrial Harmony:
Teams actively encourage employees to present the results of problem analysis to management for approval of proposed solutions, which encourages improved union-management interactions. Therefore, teams allow employees to have a closer working relationship with management, which allows companies with these team structures to have a higher level of industrial harmony than companies that do not. don’t have these team structures.
7. Accomplish important/complicated tasks:
Many organizational tasks and projects are too big for an individual to accomplish independently. Having team structures ensures that the individual geniuses of people are used collectively and the gigantic tasks are accomplished.
8. Consider other solution options:
Different people looking at the same problem will come up with different solutions. A team can review ideas and come up with a final solution that incorporates the best individual ideas. They can generate commitment to the final solution and work together to collectively pursue the same.
9. Examine/detect defects:
A team looking at different proposed solutions may also be in a better position to detect pitfalls that an individual might miss. This ensures that the final solution is much more solid and qualitative.
10. Create a community in the workplace:
Effective team members can form personal bonds that are good for individual and workplace morale. In the organizational setting, employees on teams can form bonds that extend beyond the workplace.
Individual benefits of teams:
1. Diversity:
Team structures provide exposure to different viewpoints. As employees are exposed to the methods and ideas of others, they learn different ways to approach a problem.
2. Improved communication skills:
Through training and practicing teamwork, employees learn to actively and effectively listen to their team members to understand their perspectives and concerns. A member must effectively express their ideas or concerns to others to ensure they are considered or addressed. Members get real, constructive feedback from each other and develop presentations, negotiations, and other related communication skills.
3. Critical thinking and evaluation skills:
Team members should use these skills to assess complex problems of team project goals and to formulate appropriate solutions and plans.
4. Conflict Resolution Skills:
Where there is a diversity of ideas, there will naturally be conflict, but with the proper support and training in communication skills, team members can learn the skills to facilitate conflict resolutions so that the team remains functional.
5. Higher Morale/Less Stress:
When things are working well in the team, it often results in better morale and less stress on a personal level. Teams provide social support to team members and they can help each other out with complex issues or other work-related issues.
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Creation date Monday March 18th, 2013 Hits 26134 Team Management