Developing Work Teams in Organizations

Organizational structures across the world have experienced significant transformation in the past decade, especially because of the rapid technological advancements that have changed the modern business environment. The transformation of organizational structures has been geared towards enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the organizations in their respective businesses. An example of the dramatic transformation in organizational structures is the development of team-based work structures, which have contributed to the shift from organizing work around individuals. Team-based work structures have been developed as part of enhancing organizations' capabilities to achieve their strategic, economic, and technological objectives. The use of work teams in organizations has in turn attracted considerable attention among business scholars and practitioners. There are numerous studies including empirical studies that have been carried out to examine the basic organization of work in team-based structures.

Zoltan & Vancea (2015) conducted a study in which they examined the approaches and differences between organizational work groups and work teams. The study was carried out on the premise that managers do not always distinguish between two, which contributes to unrealistic results and goals that do not meet their expectations. The major concepts in this study include the fact that work teams are different from work groups since work groups are made of people who work together but may not necessarily need each other. On the other hand, work teams are groups of people working together but are ineffective without each other. Work teams provide a premise through which employees work collaboratively to achieve desired business goals and objectives. The approaches used in management of work groups and work teams should be different i.e. either psychosocial, behavioral or socio-technical approaches. These researchers conclude that work teams comprise of individuals with complementary skills that help in achievement of the assigned tasks and goals.

Yeager & Nafukho (2011) conducted a study to examine the creation of diverse teams to enhance organizational performance. The main objective of the study was to explore the significance of team diversity and performance in organizational performance based on theory and empirical research. One of the major concepts from this research is that team development in organizations is supported by social comparison theory, cultural mosaic theory, intergroup contact theory, and social identity theory and mental models. Secondly, the different types of work teams in an organization include production-oriented work teams, project teams, management teams, and quality improvement/problem-solving teams. These researchers found that the effectiveness of work teams in enhancing organizational performance requires members to develop relationships based on respect, optimal performance, and embracing diversity. The organization's management should establish suitable processes for handling conflicts and dysfunction brought by diversity in the work teams.

Delarue et al. (2008) conducted a research to examine the contributions of teamwork to organizational performance based on review of survey data. The study focused on examining results from empirical studies that evaluated teamwork and organizational performance quantitatively. One of the major concepts of this research is that the effectiveness of work teams requires four inter-related dimensions i.e. operational, attitudinal, financial, and behavioral dimensions. Secondly, attitudinal and behavioral dimensions provide the premise for improvement of organizational performance whereas operational and financial dimensions are directly related to organizational outcomes. The researchers concluded that work teams have positive effects on all these four dimensions of organizational performance. Additionally, when teamwork is combined with structural changes in the organization, it results in improved organizational performance.

As evident from these journal readings, work teams are crucial components of the modern working environment, which is characterized by increased changes because of rapid technological advancements. The increased innovation, consolidation, and competition across the globe have contributed to the need for organizations to change their work structures in order to enhance their competitive advantages and performance. Work teams have emerged as the building blocks of an organizations workforce because of their role in enhancing the performance and competitiveness of organizations. The significance of work teams in modern organizations emerge from the need to provide working environments that enable individuals with complementary skills, experience and expertise to work collaboratively.

Based on these readings, class discussions and personal experience, work teams are basically groups of people in the workforce with complementary skills, expertise and experience. An organization's management should ensure that work teams are developed in a manner to promote collaboration between workers with complementary skills. Most of the existing organizations have developed work teams that are not centered on complementary skills, which have contributed to unrealistic goals and results that do not meet expectations. Through insights obtained from the course, complementary skills should be the premise for the development of work teams in an organization.

When developing work teams, organization's management should address the four major inter-related dimensions to enhance the effectiveness of the teams in achieving desired organizational goals and objectives. Some of the attitudinal dimensions that should be addressed in employee engagement and involvement, trust and respect, and job satisfaction while behavioral dimensions relates to how employees carry out their respective tasks. When work teams are established in a manner that promote positive attitudes and behaviors among employees, they contribute to enhanced operational and financial outcomes. Work teams enhance organizational performance from an operational and financial perspective through enhancing employee participation and engagement in work processes. However, the key to enhanced teamwork in an organization is the establishment of supportive work structures. The insights obtained from the course demonstrates that suitable work structures that promote effective teamwork are those with less complexities and supportive to employees. In addition to suitable work structures, effective work teams in an organization require establishing policies and practices that encourage employees to embrace diversity. Such policies and practices should foster respect, trust, positive relationships, and individual uniqueness among employees.

For my organization, the readings, class discussions and personal experience shows that the establishment of work teams is crucial towards enhancing organizational performance. These articles have demonstrated to me the difference between work groups and work teams, particularly in relation to the fact that work teams are established based on complementary skills of employees. From these readings, I intend to help my organization create suitable work teams that will help in meeting the desired work goals and expectations. These readings have also shaped my understanding on the impact work teams have on the attitudes and behaviors of employees, which in turn affects their contributions to work processes. In this case, work teams can be considered an internal organizational factors that affects the attitudes and behaviors of employees. The effective functioning of the work teams requires suitable organizational structures and management policies and practices.

References

Delarue et. al. (2008). Teamworking and Organizational Performance: A Review of Survey-based Research. International Journal of Management Reviews, 10(2), 127-148.

Yeager, K.L. & Nafukho, F.M. (2011, October 7). Developing Diverse Teams to Improve Performance in the Organizational Setting. European Journal of Training and Development, 36(4), 388-408.

Zoltan, R. & Vancea, R. (2015). Organizational Work Groups and Work Teams -- Approaches and Differences. Ecoforum Journal, 4(1), 94-98.

Appendix