Summary of work groups and teams

In this essay, we’ll critically examine how teams and work groups affect organizational behavior and employee motivation. Teams and work groups can be differentiated based on their goals, although appearing to have the same meaning. Teams are made up of one or more individuals working together to accomplish a common aim, whereas work groups are made up of teams of employees that collaborate to accomplish shared goals by exchanging experiences and expertise. The importance of this subject to an organization and its administration, as well as the main theories used to create it, its management as well as the key theories employed in making it a useful ingredient of success. The study will also pay attention to some factors that are critical to the effectiveness of an employee and their team. These factors include; team leadership, its orientation, mutual performance examination, back-up activities, and ability to adapt. Work groups and teams may not always produce positive results in an organization. The study will review the limitation of this topic. These are the areas that require further developmental theories and research in a bid to bring about improvement.

Introduction

For the last decade or more, organizations have witnessed significant transformation concerning their structure worldwide. Despite the fact that this transformation has been fueled by changes in the economies, strategies, and a revolution in technology, a compelling aspect of transitioning work from individual employee basis to a team basis cannot be negated. In increase in competition, alliance, and innovation on a global scale have created enough forces that are affecting the rise of teams as the basic units building an organization. These pressure stirrup the need have a diversification of expertise, skills, as well as experiences that dictate a more dynamic, elastic, and adaptive responses that can only be achieved through work groups and teams. Moreover, organizations have also globalized their operations through mergers, expansion, acquisition, and joint ventures heaping on the importance of adopting multi-cultural teams. This current work structure transformation in organizations has attracted researchers who have developed new empirical studies, team functioning theories, and done literature reviews around this phenomenon.

The objective of this study is to develop an integrative viewpoint around work groups and teams in organizations, one that focuses on the basic central point of theory and research, featuring pragmatic implications and finds out key problems that require research concentration and resolution. Given the amount of existing research that has gone into this field in the past, this study is not intended to be conclusive but rather focuses on key areas, and gives a review of the recent works in a bid to help move the research and theory ahead (Burke, n,d,). This study is organized as follows. It shall begin by critically examining the relationship between work groups and teams to the motivation of employees, and then analyze the impact of the same on employee’s motivation at work and the organizational behavior using my organization (Buffer) as the case study company.

Usefulness of Work Groups and Teams to my Organization

According to Abramson (1990), a team is formed when individuals who share similar tastes, choices, liking, and approaches join hands and work together for a common purpose. No employee can work in isolation within the organization; they have to take assistance from fellow employees to accomplish assignments efficiently. The outcome from a team is found to be far much better than the output of an individual. Team work benefits my organization in the following ways;

Faster Turnaround Times

An individual will take a longer period to accomplish tasks if they single handedly take care of everything (Abramson, 1990). Working together means shared responsibilities thus reducing the amount of pressure created by the work. Each member of the team is assigned one or more tasks based on their specialization, and this translates to a quicker and efficient output (Abramson, 1990).

Teams Kill Work Backseat

Josh was taking care of a crucial client and was the only person had the responsibility of coordinating with them. He took a long leave, and there was no other employee had the capacity to handle the client while he was away (Abramson, 1990). Upon coming back from the long leave, the company had already lost the client. Had Josh had a team working with him, someone else would have been able to handle the client while he was away. In a team, other members have the capacity to handle tasks of any member in case they are absent thus lowering the effect on work.

Enhances Healthy Competition amongst Team Members

Competition is a good thing for employees and the company as a whole. It motivates an employee to perform better than other members of the team and thus contributing to their team and the organization as a whole (Abramson, 1990).

Work Groups and Teams and Employee Motivation

Employees are a critical component in any business since they are the force behind all the work that is done. When these employees are demotivated, the scale and quality of production within an organization will go down thus affecting its profitability thus derailing its forward track (Salas, 2003). The key to a forward trajectory in an organization is a motivated workforce. Researchers have done studies in the past and identified that there is a relationship between working as a team and motivation. Researchers have proven that employees who feel included in the work team or family tend to be more productive and efficient (Wang, 2013).

In an attempt to understand how working as team motivates an employee, researchers have come up with various theories that explain this phenomenon. These theories are referred to as motivational theories. These theories are categorized into two. They include; content theories and process theories (Salas, 2003). Content theories explain what appeals individuals whereas process theories explain what is usually in the thoughts of people when they decide to put their efforts together to achieve a particular objective. An example of content theories is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory, and that of process theories is Adam’s Equity Theory (Salas, 2003). It is necessary therefore for managers to understand these theories to maximize the productivity of their employees.

Applying Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need Model to Motivation

Goodman (1968) states that Maslow’s model gives a more individualized approach towards motivation to satisfy five basic needs. He further adds that individuals whose personal needs are not first met may not be an effective team or group players. It is, therefore, necessary to have an understanding of these needs before looking at group or team level needs that translate to motivation at the workplace. The needs are organized in levels where individuals, first of all, seek to satisfy needs at the lowest level. Once the lowest needs are satisfied, we move to the next level, and the process continues until we are at level five.

Irrespective of the shortcomings researchers have attached to this model; it remains a simple motivational tool employers need to understand and apply. These needs start at a psychological level where individuals need to meet basic survival issues such as income and a stable employment. This level is followed by security need where people need to have emotional and physical stability through aspects like safe working environment, fair practices at work, and pensions (Wang, 2013, p.1533). The need of belongingness follows where people need a sense of cooperation and friendship at the workplace. Once there is a sense of belongingness individuals will need esteem that comes through job titles, prestigious assignments, and ample work spaces (Goodman, 1968). The last level is self-actualization where people want to achieve expert status, job autonomy, and challenging jobs.

Figure 1: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

For a firm to be in a position to create an effective team, the management ought to make sure that employees have their basic needs met that is, properly meeting the psychological needs (Wang, 2013). Once these basic needs are met, employees will strive for belonging and it is at this point where the organization fosters the aspect of a team. Employees who have a sense of belonging have the motivation to work towards the achievement of the objectives of their unit of belonging which goes further to meet the goals of the organization (Goodman, 1968). The motivation of an individual is critical towards the motivation of a team.

Adam’s Equity Model

Adam’s model goes past the individual self and puts into consideration the effect and comparison of other’s situations, for instance, fellow employees, in creating relative view and consciousness of equity, which usually appear as a view of what is fair (Adams, Berkowitz, & Hatfield, 1976). When people get a sense of impartial treatment, they have a likelihood of getting motivated, and whenever they feel that they are being treated unfairly, they are likely to have a sense of lack of affection and thus demotivation. This method that people use to measure fairness is what that builds the Theory of Equity. According to Adam’s theory, factors such as pay and conditions do not solely translate to motivation. Equity is dependent on the comparison drawn between one’s ratio and other people’s ratios (Adams et al. 1976). The actual sense of this theory (fairness) is arrived at by a comparison between one’s input and output proportions with the input and output proportions of others who they believe experience similar situations to them (Adams et al. 1976).Table 1: Adam’s Equity Model

Inputs

Equity

Output

Inputs includes; personal efforts, skill, expertise, colleagues support, top management trust (Adams et al. 1976).

Reliant on comparing own input/output proportion with proportions of others (Adams et al. 1976).

Output includes; monetary reward (Salaries, pensions), non-monetary rewards (status, training, promotion) (Adams et al. 1976)

Case Study Based on my Organization Experience

Buffer is a social media company that has made efforts in utilizing Adam’s Equality Model through making public all its employee’s salaries through their public blog (Feloni, 2017). The company, which came into being in 2010 operates on a nearly transparent scale among all its 65 employees worldwide. The co-founders Leo Widrich and Gascoigne decided to share information with all their employees in an attempt to give them fewer reasons for worrying or gossiping as well enhance a sense of a team that embraces fairness. This strategy has made conflicts on compensation rare and has not affected recruitment since the number of employees grew from 10 to 65 in two years. The concept of equity and fairness has influenced the company to adopt a culture of transparency and employees who work for it are comfortable with it.

Importance of Motivation

Helps Turn Negative Mindset to Positive Mindset

Erratum (n.d.) argues that employees who are not motivated tend to give a minimum performance in the organization. A motivated employee tends to have a strong desire to reach their maximum performance. The resources provided for in the organization are of no value until an employee makes use of them. Motivated employees utilize the resources to the fullest.

Performance Level Improvement

Motivation spurs up the level of efficiency in an employee. This situation is as a result of the tendency of the employee to carry out their responsibility to the best of the ability with least time and resource wastage (Erratum, n.d.). Motivation serves as a connection between the ability to carry out responsibility and willingness to do it (Erratum, n.d.).

Motivation is a Catalyst to Change Acceptance

Motivated employees are highly likely to show little or no resistance in change acceptance in accordance to the dynamism of the business environment. They understand well that if an organization does not implement changes, the organization will not only lose but also the employees will not be in a position to have their individual needs met (Erratum, n.d.).

Lower Turnover of the Employees

A motivated employee is usually confident that their needs shall be satisfied within the organization. They always go for the option of remaining in the company and have their income increased rather than go to another organization for income increment (Erratum, n.d.). Motivation cuts on employee turnover because satisfied employees hold onto their job positions and never leave.

Motivation Fashions a Supportive Job Surrounding

Motivation spurs up a cordial relationship between the subordinate staff and the superior ones (Erratum, n.d.). Employees whose needs are satisfied or are accorded acknowledgment and honor in the organization tend to be supportive of their superiors (Erratum, n.d.). A motivated employee force is cooperative, and thus all employees embrace teamwork.

Limitations of Work Groups and Teams

Shonk (1982) states that teamwork is normally considered a positive phenomenon whose purpose is to pool together employees in a bid to work for the benefit of the organization. He further adds that while teamwork presents numerous benefits, it also has some disadvantages that the organization should be aware of while implementing the concept.

Unequal Contribution

In some teams, there is a risk of some members sitting back and watching others do most of the work (Shonk, 1982). This situation may ignite resentment at the workplace, especially if the organization owner or manager acknowledges only the input of the team and not its leadership. This situation may trigger conflict and thus derail workplace morale.

Inbuilt Disagreement

When a group of people is united by a common purpose, there is usually a chance misunderstandings (Shonk, 1982). Contrasting personal opinions and ways of doing things may clash, and some members may find it difficult to work with other members ideas that differ from theirs.

Creativity Restriction

Working in a team may also be a hindrance to creative thinking. Members of a team may pay a lot of attention the overall welfare of the team as well as being relevant to the concept of the team thus putting away their creative ideas (Shonk, 1982). This limitation to creative may act as a stumbling block towards the progress of the organization hence may lead to stagnation (Shonk, 1982).

Lengthened Process

A team can take longer than usual to generate the desired output. Teams usually require to go through numerous steps, such as identification of members, organizing them, and holding discussions on the way to follow to complete a particular responsibility (Shonk, 1982). Teams may also end up bloating expenses as they hasten consumption of resources such as money, human resources, and equipment (Shonk, 1982).

Target Behaviors for an Effective Teamwork

West (2012) argues that good teamwork behaviors enhance internal relations between employees, amplify output and develops a vibrant workplace that is anchored upon joint effort. A successful teamwork is based upon;

Communication

Poor communication amongst members of a team may lead to misunderstandings, loss of direction, and thus derailing the entire project. A good teamwork requires members who possess the ability to communicate well both verbally and in writing (West, 2012). They should also be in a position to brainstorm collectively and make conclusive decisions about the course of action, labor division, and problem-solving methods.

Dedication

Members of a team must be able to support the team as well as effectively execute their job roles (West, 2012). For a team to be successful, they ought to possess the ability to capitalize on individual abilities of the team members (West, 2012).

Respect

If a team’s efforts have to be effective, it is important for members to have respect for one another (West, 2012). This respect translates to understanding that people carry with them different opinions and coming up with appropriate methods of compromise (West, 2012). Team members should be conscious of attacking each other, being judgmental or holding conversations behind each other’s backs. This situation may be a recipe for lack of trust and lowered morale (West, 2012).

Responsibility

For teamwork have a meaning, all the staffers ought to bear total responsibility for their share of the work and its associated roles (West, 2012). Members need to be able to depend on each other or else a sense of mistrust and frustration may come in. The team can embrace the practice of clear division of labor and well-articulated expectations and this way the sense of responsibility can be boosted (West, 2012).

Conclusion

Teams are currently a common feature of organizations. This new reality is continuously pushing the concept of individualism out of organizations. The concept of teamwork is very useful to a modern day organization as it enhances the speed of activities, lowers the possibility of work backseat, and fosters healthy and constructive competition among employees of an organization. From the study, we also conclude that employees whose basic needs are met and are working in an environment they deem to be fair tend be more motivated than those who are not enjoying the same. They also tend to want a sense of belonging, and thus this leads to the development of teamwork which enhances their motivation further due to the aspect of shared responsibilities.

References

Abramson, J. (1990). Making Teams Work. Social Work With Groups, 12(4), pp.45-63.

Adams, J., Berkowitz, L. and Hatfield, E. (1976). Equity theory. New York: Academic Press.

Burke, W. (n.d.). Organization change.

Erratum: “Status in Groups: The Importance of Motivation”. (1982). American Sociological Review, 47(2).

Feloni, R. (2017). Why this tech startup CEO listed all of his employees’ salaries online for anyone to see. [online] Business Insider. Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/everyone-at-buffer-can-see-each-others-salaries-2016-1?IR=T [Accessed 6 Aug. 2017].

Goodman, R. (1968). ON THE OPERATIONALITY OF THE MASLOW NEED HIERARCHY. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 6(1), pp.51-57.

Salas, E. (2003). Understanding teams and groups at work: A step closer. PsycCRITIQUES, 48(4).

Shonk, J. (1982). Working in teams. New York, N.Y.: AMACOM.

WANG, Z. (2013). Work Engagement Crossover in Teams. Advances in Psychological Science, 20(10), pp.1531-1537.

West, M. (2012). Effective teamwork. Malden, MA: BPS Blackwell/Wiley.