Efficiency of team work
A team is defined as a group where individuals with similar skill sets, knowledge, specialization and expertise come together on a common platform to perform same or related tasks. Team work encourages employees to contribute as per their capabilities to reach to a common goal i.e. accomplish tasks within desired time frame.
Individuals, rather than working alone should work in teams to ensure timely delivery of work. Employees, working in teams are found to be efficient, reliable, confident, satisfied and proactive as compared to individuals who prefer working alone. They tend to deliver quicker results as compared to employees who have to do everything on their own. An individual who is handling multiple responsibilities would never be able to deliver results on time.
Team work plays an essential role in increasing efficiency of employees eventually benefitting the organization and yielding higher profits. Team work leads to proper delegation of responsibilities as per employee’s expertise, skill sets and knowledge. Employees are supposed to do what they can best do. When employees contribute as per their experience and specialization, targets are achieved within the desired time frame and tasks are accomplished on time with minimum errors.
Here you will learn more about:
• A concept of efficiency
• Good factors for team work efficiency
• Evaluating the effectiveness of teamwork
• Maintaining the efficiency of teamwork.
Efficiency of team work
- A concept of efficiency
A team is defined as a group where individuals with similar skill sets, knowledge, specialization and expertise come together on a common platform to perform same or related tasks. Team work encourages employees to contribute as per their capabilities to reach to a common goal i.e. accomplish tasks within desired time frame.
Individuals, rather than working alone should work in teams to ensure timely delivery of work. Employees, working in teams are found to be efficient, reliable, confident, satisfied and proactive as compared to individuals who prefer working alone. They tend to deliver quicker results as compared to employees who have to do everything on their own. An individual who is handling multiple responsibilities would never be able to deliver results on time.
Team work plays an essential role in increasing efficiency of employees eventually benefitting the organization and yielding higher profits. Team work leads to proper delegation of responsibilities as per employee’s expertise, skill sets and knowledge. Employees are supposed to do what they can best do. When employees contribute as per their experience and specialization, targets are achieved within the desired time frame and tasks are accomplished on time with minimum errors.
Individuals working in teams can interact, discuss, brainstorm ideas to reach to unique solutions and also gain from each other’s expertise. Work gets finished on time when individuals with similar knowledge work in unison. A single brain sometimes fails to think out of the box whereas few intelligent brains together can actually make a difference. If you do not have the required skills to work on a particular project, take the help of your team members and vice-a-versa.
No human being can work in isolation. We need people around to talk to. Believe me, half of the problems evaporate when employees voice their concerns and discuss with co workers and superiors. Problems and grievances need to be addressed on an immediate basis. Greet your fellow workers with a smile. Wish them in the morning and you would be surprised to see that you would feel fresh and happy the whole day. Employees do not feel like working if they have no friends at the workplace. Work becomes a mere source of burden for them and eventually their efficiency decreases. Let individuals have friends, open up, discuss their problems and also find a solution. Employees, this way also come closer, avoid getting into useless fights and eventually lead to a healthy work culture. It also reduces the stress level at the workplace, thus employees are able to concentrate on work rather than indulging in nasty politics.
Encourage morning meetings at workplace where employees can come together on a common platform along with their team managers to plan the entire day. It is essential for the manager as well as team members to know what the other member is upto.Duplication of work is absolutely pointless. Make sure your team member is not working on the same project which you have already started working on. Ensure everyone is working on different assignments.
- Good factors for team work efficiency
- Clearly defined roles and responsibilities
Employees need to have well defined roles and responsibilities at the workplace. Individuals need to be clear as to in which all areas they need to contribute their level best and what all skills would help them perform better. They need to be aware of their duties and key responsibility areas. Duplication of work decreases efficiency of employees. Responsibilities ought to be delegated as per expertise, knowledge and interest levels of employees. Job mismatch leads to confusions and individuals eventually lose interest in work.
- Effective communication
Effective communication plays an imperative role in increasing efficiency of employees, eventually benefitting the organization. Employees need to interact with each other, discuss their problems, brainstorm ideas and gain from each other’s expertise. They need to have an easy access to their manager’s cabins so that grievances and problems can be addressed immediately. Even the minutest problem left unattended may become a major cause of trouble later on. Managers need to sit with their team members, monitor their performances, give them correct feedbacks and help them perform better. As a manager, you need to guide your team as to what all additional set of skills would increase their efficiency and help them deliver results on time.
- Rules and regulations/Flexible policies
If you expect an employee to work till late on his birthday, he would never perform and end up wasting the entire day. One needs to be logical. Do not ask your employees to work till late unless and until there is an emergency. Rules and regulations should be same for everyone. Every individual irrespective of his/her designation or level in the hierarchy has to report on time. Allow employees to take small breaks during the day. Let them speak to their colleagues. Strict rules like switching cell phones at workplace, blocking websites, not allowing employees to get up from their workstation and so on can sometimes irritate an employee, who in due course of time starts hunting for a new job. Employees need to be satisfied with their jobs. Give a pat on their backs and make them feel that they have the potential to achieve targets before time. Let them feel special and indispensable for the organization. Trust me; nothing would help, if they do not realize it themselves. Self realization is of utmost importance. After all, you can’t keep a check on your employees every time. Trust your employees.
- Salaries/Wages
Money is a strong motivating factor for employees. They would never work if you do not release their salaries on time. Do not hold their monthly bills and other reimbursements. Appreciate their performances and reward them suitably. Bonuses, additional perks, incentives play an effective role in motivating employees to meet deadlines, finish assignments on time and achieve targets on or before time.
- Job Security
Job security plays a crucial role in increasing efficiency of employees. Employees would not be able to deliver if they feel insecure at the workplace. Managers need to stand by their team members at the times of crisis and unforeseen circumstances.
- Time Management
Encourage employees to manage their time well. Help them plan their day. Ask them to organize their desk once in every week.
- Healthy work culture
Employees need a pleasant work environment as they spend maximum part of their day at workplace. Give them the liberty to take some decisions on their own. Superiors should never treat their subordinates as slaves or keep them at arm’s length. They would never respect you. They need to feel happy at the workplace for them to stay positive, happy and confident. Encourage your employees not to participate in nasty office politics, rumours and criticism.
Useful resources and video links:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/efficiency.asp
https://www.potential.com/articles/5-important-reasons-why-teamwork-matters/
Literature:
- Siassakos, Dimitrios, et al. "The management of a simulated emergency: better teamwork, better performance." Resuscitation 82.2 (2011): 203-206.
- Tabassi, Amin Akhavan, Mahyuddin Ramli, and Abu Hassan Abu Bakar. "Effects of training and motivation practices on teamwork improvement and task efficiency: The case of construction firms." International journal of project management 30.2 (2012): 213-224.
Open ended questions:
- A team is defined as a group where _________________________.
- Individuals working in teams can _______, __________, _________ ideas to reach the unique solutions and also gain from each other’s experience.
- Employees need to have _________ and ________ at the workplace to be clear in which areas they need to contribute their level best.
- Which are the good factors for teamwork efficiency?
- Why is time management important for teamwork efficiency?