Teams, in the workplace, have become increasingly famous. A team-oriented firm structure implies divisions or organizations depend on small work teams or groups to control various tasks or products. Employers are excited to establish teamwork within the workplace; nonetheless, cooperative task completion cannot be all it appears. Whereas there are some specific merits to teamwork or group work, there also exist some demerits. Before dedicating to the duty of establishing a group-rich workplace or agency, potential drawbacks should be considered to group work completion as well as find out if the cooperative work mode is the best option (Biech 9).
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Teams within workplace can have many negative effects including workers struggling with teams. Whereas some employees thrive in working in teams, others loathe teamwork. When the majority of workers revolt against joining cooperative working units, it should not be considered an appropriate means of accomplishing tasks within the workplace. Because no two teams are precisely similar, it is appropriate to carefully survey employees feelings regarding teamwork to find out if they can work productively or fail to achieve the set objectives when place to work in teams (Hill 6).
Teams within work place can reduce creativity. Even though good ideas can emerge from teams, in the opinion of Biech this style of work may as well be creativity stifling resulting in the development or emergence of a tendency of “Group Think” (11). When working in teams, some workers can be hesitant to articulate their new ideas, instead, prefer to join the majority of the team members to keep away from being accused of rocking the boat. Whenever team members are reluctant or shy from sharing their new ideas, organizations miss out potentially creative and wonderful options (Biech 11).
Working in teams may permit free-riding. When working within teams, persons who do not prefer to become productive may always avoid actual work. This may result in a productivity decrease, as these people who free-ride in the team are not productive but rather wait for the other team members to achieve the set aims or goals (Biech 9). Besides, working in teams can lead to conflict. Whereas some groups have members who can work harmoniously in the team, in other groups, conflict develops. Development of conflicts within teams is a primary hindrance to their productivity (Hill 7). Since it is challenging to establish when conflict is probably to emerge, it is always difficult or challenging to halt the emergence of team conflicts. If a firm or employer prefer that employees work in groups or teams, it is significant that they examine performance of the team and monitor for the emergence of conflict, taking action through rearranging group when conflict is eminent.
Working in the team can present reward and evaluation challenges for employers or organizations. Since products arranged by groups are the outcome of that group and not the work of one person, it is almost impossible to assess individual performance when employees are working in teams. The inability to assess may present a challenge to firms that present rewards or depend on performance assessments for decisions of re-hiring. The only means to properly assess individual performance if employees are working within groups is to ask employees to fill in group member evaluations or assessments. Through such survey, they determine the assistance as well as productivity of every team member, nonetheless, this technique as well is flawed because some employees can downgrade other group members for reasons unrelated to the task (Biech 12).
Working in teams may sometimes delay to generate a desired outcome. Teams require passing through many processes, for example, members selection, socialization and organization on the manner to accomplish the task or duty at hand. Teams may also lead to the extra expense as they may tie up resources for instance money, equipment and man-power (Biech 10). Whereas a group has the possibility to boost or improve the individual members, when it is, non-functioning appropriately it may make some group members feel unimportant and inferior. The contribution of every individual becomes the concentration of the members-some feeling they control the group, others resenting members taking charge (Hill 6). Besides, when communication and relationships worsens, the group is unsuccessful, and every member walk away disappointed.
Every team member must spare time for listening to other members within the team, participate in the process of sorting out leadership and responsibilities, and open their mind as working in team takes patience, mutual respect, support, and understanding. A member volunteering for a specific role must fathom their responsibilities and own it. Team members must be ready to solve the problem by making appropriate decisions. They must never embrace blame game and concentrate on the negative, instead, stand up in making things better. Team environment or setting is rewarding and success of team anchor on every member contribution. Commitment of every member to the team, regardless of challenges, is significant to group success. In summary, there are demerits and merits of working in teams. The appropriate use of teams within the workplace is reliant on the acknowledgement of feasible problems or challenges and a mindful effort to solve them so that many gains can be exploited.
Works Cited
Biech, Elaine. The Pfeiffer Book of Successful Team-Building Tools: Best of the Annuals. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer, 2008. Print.
Hill, Charles W. L. International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace. N.p., 2014. Print.
