Role of informal work groups in an organization
Informal working groups are present in every organization, and debate on whether they are important to the performance of the organization still continues. Taylor perceived them as being detrimental to the organization while Hawthorne later identified them as forming an important part of the organization and contributing positively towards the achievement of an organization’s goals. Despite the occasionally harmful effects informal groups may have on the organization, they also have many benefits, both direct and indirect, to the organization and the important part that they play in the formation of an organizational culture cannot be downplayed (Jaffe, 2001).
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An organization will always have established formal groups inform of task groups and command groups. It is through these formal groups that communication and carrying out of tasks within the organization are accomplished. Informal groups play a very important role by blending with these formal groups to develop a system of communication and carrying out of tasks which is more effective and efficient (Cunliffe, 2008). This ensures that the tasks that tasks are accomplished in an efficient and timely manner thus avoiding wastages and delivering value to the organization. Enhanced communication ensures that relevant and timely decisions are made in the organization.
Employees and all the other members of an organization need derive satisfaction from their jobs. Absence of job satisfaction will be a source of many work related problems ranging from low morale to increased levels of conflicts within the organization (Stahl, 1999). Informal groups in an organization play an important role in providing job satisfaction to employees in any organization, the result being high levels of motivation among the employees and the reconciliation of personal objectives of employees with those of the organization. This provides the organization with stability of operations and makes the management process in the organization an easier task. The organization thus benefits from the effects of the presence of informal work groups in the organization.
Communication is an integral part of the management process, and efficient and effective communication channels enhance the quality of management decisions that are made. Informal work groups in an organization present the management with an effective and efficient communication channel which is not constrained by the hierarchy levels existing in the organization (Murphy and Wilmot, 2010). Mangers are thus able to use informal work groups to communicate both vertically and horizontally, and both upwards and downwards through the organization’s hierarchy more effectively. This form of enhanced communication works to further the objectives of the organization faster and reduces the inhibitions in decision making that may be caused by poor formal communication channels.
The decisions that are made by management of an organization which has informal work groups will be of an enhanced quality. This is because the presence of informal work groups in the organization will force managers to plan and strategize more carefully than they otherwise would in the absence of informal work groups, since considerations will be made on the effect that decisions will have on the informal work groups (Cunliffe, 2008). Decisions made without any consideration of the informal work groups may have potentially disastrous effects on the morale and motivation of employees, thus affecting the performance of the organization negatively. Decisions made with consideration of informal work groups will thus be more inclusive and objective, and the performance of the organization is improved.
Informal work groups are important as illustrated by the above argument. Despite arguments that exist to the contrary, the benefits derived from the presence of these informal work groups in the organization far outweigh any negative effects they have on the performance of the organization. Informal work groups should thus be encouraged in any organization.
Bibliography
Cunliffe, A. L., 2008. Organization Theory. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Jaffe, D., 2001.Organization Theory: Tension and Change. New York: McGraw Hill.
Murphy, D. J. and Wilmot, H., 2010. Organization Theory and Design. Stamford: Cengage Learning.
Stahl, M. J., 1999. Perspectives in Total Quality. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell.
