Factors for Effective Organisational Behaviour
Table of Contents
The factors and skills that can assist or hinder effective teamwork
Concepts and philosophies associated with organisational behaviour to Brown and his team.
Introduction
John Brown previously worked at a large pharmaceutical company were everything had worked efficiently. He had accountability for thirty production staff and four supervisors, each member of staff new exactly what they had to do without hesitation or changes being made. Browns team usually achieved their group production bonuses as they each respected their work peers and worked cooperatively meaning there was little room for any sort of conflict to erupt.
With the assistance of his previous experienced manager; putting him under no pressure, Brown had easily managed his old team. Though, wanting to make use of his degree in chemistry and professional pharmaceutical part-qualification, he put himself forward for the new job to find an extra challenge at work.
Brown had been promoted to take charge of a product development unit composed mainly of research-orientated chemists and pharmacists. However, his new post wasn’t as simple. This unit was smaller with only ten staff. Five research workers, two junior researches and three staff who had spent time in either production or sales environments.
The company’s research director is positive he’d put together a capable, skill full and well-balanced product development group. On the other hand, Brown feels that there is little sense of being a team as they do not work cooperatively, obtain a lack of understating and often portraying certain tasks they are asked to do as an interference.
A series of meetings with the team about targets have already been held. Brown needs to minimize any chances of there being a delay in production although he has not been offered any help. In order to meet deadlines brown must have an effective working group.
This case study will identify and analyse the factors of effective teamwork, how Brown can use team development theories and path goal theory to improve productivity and team performance and concepts and philosophies associated with Brown and his team.
The factors and skills that can assist or hinder effective teamwork
Teamwork is based on the joint effort of a group or team that work cooperatively together in order to achieve a common goal. Anon, About YourDictionary. 2018.
Basically, teamwork is what effectively makes things work when there is more than one individual. For example, out of an organisational context; teamwork can be identified through marriage, sports, siblings and friendship etc.
The purpose of creating a team is to get a group of people or employers that can each acquire to the needs of the tasks that need to be carried out particularly to achieve an overall goal. To achieve the goals, objectives will be set; by carrying out these objectives via teamwork, it increases the work production being made as there is a wider range of skills and knowledge available.
Within an organisational context Team work enables employers to participate in acts such as planning, decision making and problem solving. Each of which assist to develop a better service for customers within an organisation whether they provide a service or product. Lucas, 2018.
Developing an effective team within an organisation creates value through productivity as everyone involved has a different set of skills and knowledge to add. Each of these assists in creating the overall impact whether that be providing a service, producing a product or achieving targets.
By working together cooperatively a team can accomplish certain things that would not be accessible for an individual alone to achieve. This is down to the fact of having a wider set of skills and knowledge amongst a cohesive team; each member has input towards developing the groups aims, objectives, their overall goals and defining and accomplishing the steps taken to reach those goals. Doyle, 2018.
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Effective teamwork may at times; be the motivator that makes the team thrive to gain more as it empowers individuals to complete the tasks set out. This motivation can come from the feeling of not wanting to let the rest of their team mates down. Inspiration can develop amongst the team as one person’s weakness is another person’s strength; productively stimulating the creativeness of everyone involved.
If a team continues to work together; progressively and effectively it can promptly lead to a much higher standard of work being produced which increases their capability of achieving the overall goal of the work being carried out. This is because each person is pushed to aim higher with the assistance of the rest of their team as they must assist each other in order to succeed.
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Factors and skills that can assist effective teamwork |
Factors and skills that can hinder effective teamwork |
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The first factor that can assist in effective teamwork is selecting the right candidates. Identifying the skills that are needed beforehand will be beneficial to the overall effectiveness of the team as each member will play a significant role to assist in the group’s tasks and objectives. The tasks and goals must be identified to prevent any rational decisions when selecting the appropriate team members. |
If the right team is not selected for the chosen tasks and objectives, then a delay in production will appear. For example, when implementing a new software system; somebody with technical expertise such as a programmer will be needed. It would then need explaining and communicating to the rest of the team that are non-technical with clear understanding. Lucas, 2018. Therefore, you must be sure you are selecting the right candidates. Failure to identify the specific skills needed amongst the team will result in the team’s effectiveness being hindered. This is because some tasks may not be accomplished due to the team’s lack of knowledge or skills in that area. |
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A team leader may be allocated amongst the group which will be beneficial to bringing the team together as there will be a point of contact for any concerns, conflicts or ideas one might have. Benefits of having a leader include:
Effective leadership and team building skills include:
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Poor leadership could lead to a lack of discipline as everyone progresses their personalities differently, some may clash. Without a solid team leader on board then these conflicts will continue to erupt resulting in the team falling behind with their actual responsibilities or not being able to do so within the surroundings and environment the conflicts are happening in. Not all conflicts are developed over task-related disagreements, they can also be over relationship conflict. Different work cultures coming together could result in different values and disputes. A team leader could resolve these issues by having open discussions and civil agreements, with the participation of all members. If each of them contributes in a way to bring concord and agreements within the group, they will continue to work together effectively. Poor leadership may result in:
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Lucas, 2018. States ‘it is critical that teams develop into working units that are focused on their goal, mission, reason for existing’. Therefore, for a team to keep commitment and ensure enthusiasm when carrying out their work, they must be sure on what it is they are doing, why they are doing it, what it is for, what they will achieve at the end. This will assist in continuing progression as they are sure of their goals, objectives, missions and purposes. |
Setting unrealistic time schedules could jeopardise the overall purpose, responsibilities and goals set out. If a clear deadline for a certain task is not clarified, then the team may not work at the speed required meaning that an overlap of activities could erupt or worse of, the tasks will not be carried out. This will result in the targets not being attainable. In order to prevent uncertainty revolving the team’s responsibilities and when they need to be attained; a clear time schedule must be specified. |
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Problem solving skills is a beneficial contribution that can assist any team in ensuring they all get along and work effectively. For example, a dispute within the team could jeopardise their cohesiveness as more and more people will become involved within the conflict. This can be resolved with techniques such as mediating, brainstorming strategies, recognising triggers, compromises, monitoring, agreements and disciplinaries for those who continue to cause problems for the rest of the team. |
Poor communication could hinder the effectiveness of the teams work as there is no point of contact that they can rely on when needed. For example, if one needs extra guidance or a clearer explanation of the tasks given out and there is not a reliable source of contact; the team will fall behind schedule with their tasks. Groups must have effective communication amongst them in order to alert of any changes or obstacles that have arisen. As McClain, 2017, says ‘Members should not be discouraged from guarding information that will help the group.’ An unreliable source of communication could in some circumstances be considered as ‘verbal communication’ although this is the most effective in the concept of timing and getting points across; it can also be misinterpreted, and some people may not get a clear understanding of what it is you are trying to say. In this situation; a recommendation would be to use a backup after the verbal meeting, such as an email to each explaining more in depth just to obtain clarification. By doing this, there is no way that people may forget what was said as it is backed up via a reliable source. |
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Effective communication can assist in the functionality of the group as each member of the team is able to acknowledge and understand any information correctly. Open meetings may be considered one of the best sources of communication to getting information across to everybody whilst expressing body language This also includes one to ones, as experts have been able to prove that most people are able to gain a better understanding when you take them from the rest of the group and have a one to one discussion. Belonwu, 2018. However, things such as instructions can easily be forgotten so for these methods, a suggestion to back up your meeting via an email or letter etc. is recommended. To ensure your team remain working without any interruptions such as pulling them out of their work stations for a meeting then the best approach would be to email them as it enables multiple messages to be passed effectively whether it is to the group or individually. |
Having undetermined aims and explaining unclear goals to a team can hinder the progression of their work as they will be unsure of what tasks need accomplishing and why. Everyone within the team must be sure of what their role implies and how that contributes towards the rest of the team and the overall goal. McClain, 2017. For example, if one member of the team is unsure just how significant their role is and the contribution it plays in achieving the goals then they may not put in as much effort. The result of this will have a negative impact on the rest of the team and their tasks. To prevent this the tasks, aims and objectives set must be accomplished before any goals/targets are achieved. It is important that the whole group knows exactly what they are doing, why they are doing it and how to. |
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Lack of monitoring could hinder the team’s progression. For example, everyone must work together cooperatively; providing each of their input that is required from them. However, responsibilities must remain fair. Another team member should not have a larger more difficult set of tasks unless they are given longer to achieve those. In order to keep the team on track and being able identify those that are working harder or not as effectively; monitoring can be done. As McClain, 2017 states monitoring progress and celebrating results helps forms a culture of accountability. |
Concepts and philosophies associated with organisational behaviour to Brown and his team.
Each of the factors and skills shown above will either hinder or assist the effectiveness of the team’s work. The right skills will produce the right composition as the willingness and participation will be increased leading to advanced production on tasks and objectives.
However, Brown could consider concepts and philosophies on organisational behaviour to help assist with the management and cooperation of his team.
Organisational behaviour goes back to the late 1920’s when the Hawthorne electric company set up a series of experiments designed to discern how changes within the working environment changed the productive of their employees. Kenton, 2017. The studies included the effect of various types of breaks, on productivity, productivity in isolation, and productivity in varying levels of light.
The Hawthorne effect is named after these experiments which became one of the most famous in industrial history. Gillespie, G. The researchers where surprised at their findings which showed all employees productivity improved when a change was made. These changes ranged from their working hours, rest breaks and the lighting etc.
In conclusion to the studies, the experimenters found that the changes in physical conditions where not what was affecting the workers productivity. In fact, it was the simplicity of someone being concerned about their workplace and the opportunities this gave them. Hindle, 2008.
Brown can apply concepts and philosophies to his team simply by having an understanding of organisational behaviour. There are three levels of analysis to focus on which are the organisation, individuals and groups.
One of the first steps of applying the Hawthorne effect is to take employees into consideration. View not only their perspective, but the organisation and business operations from their side. Brown could consider any enhancements within their working environment that would improve his team’s performance. Voyer, 2018.
For example, holding focus groups with all staff so they can each put their own valid inputs across that could effectively improve their working conditions. Encouraging his employees’ input will make them feel acknowledged, appreciated and more involved which all assist with the team’s motivation in production as they feel part of a solid team.
This could particularly work for Brown as although he has already held meetings that didn’t go to plan due to the lack of respect, lack of focus, lack of enthusiasm and motivation and disruptions within the meetings such as the use of mobile phones and late arrivals.
A focus group meeting could be exactly what he needs to gain his new teams’ attention by listening to each of their ideas and having everybody involved as a team gaining an overall focus and participation.
This way, Brown will be able to get his points across such as time schedules, allocating specific tasks to certain members without feeling like an ‘interference’ and the deadlines for targets.
Brown will gain a better chance of grasping his employees’ attention if they know they are able to have as much say as the manager by putting any opinions or recommendations for improvements forward as it benefits their working environment. It also provides the opportunity to communicate more positively as workers are motivated through a good working relationship with management.
Brown could consider an alternative change to their usual organisational context such as the layout in which they work. His team is fairly new, they are still adapting to each other and also realizing that they may have come from different organisational cultures and are used to different settings.
Where Brown is used to working together cooperatively, his new team seems to focus on their work only without contributing much in a team surrounding. For example, as they have not fully bonded as a team yet; small changes such as who they work next to could be changed around so each member of the team gets a chance to work closely together.
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