Self-assessment grid

Tick (✓) “Yes” or “No” answers in appropriate columns and lines to self-assess your knowledge and skills.	Yes	No
I know:
the topical vocabulary “Organizational culture”;
the pronunciation of the suffix –ate in verbs, nouns and adjectives;
the rule of reading of the suffix –que;
collocations with the word culture;
the meanings of the prefixes sub- and co-;
the meaning of Wh-words with the element –ever.
I can:
use the structure be likely/unlikely to do sth;
change direct questions into indirect ones;
use the conjunction neither… nor;
role-play a dialogue between people who belong to different cultures;
make a report on business culture differences.
Total number of positive/negative answers:

Module 7

Pre-reading issues

1. What steps can HR managers take to improve groups at work?

2. How can key HR concepts like motivation and commitment be linked to teams and their performance?

3. What effect, if any, does a diverse workforce have on team working?

4. In your opinion, how will the use of groups and teams in organizations change in the future?

Group and team management

Groups can be defined as a collection of individuals who share common goals, have a collective identity and relate to each other in a meaningful way.

Employees join in groups for four main reasons: security, task achievement, social need and power. Being in a group gives a sense of security and confidence to employees. A group of employees, by putting all their ability, skills and time together, is likely to improve the efficiency and the quality of the outcome.

People are social beings and they need a sense of belonging. Building social relationships at work improves communication and employee well-being which in return increases employee motivation and job satisfaction.

Groups have more power in enabling change than individuals. If a group of employees raise the issue, the management is more likely to listen. Groups can exert control over their members’ behavior and this makes group leaders powerful individuals.

There are two types of groups: informal and formal groups. Informal groups emerge through the initiative of individuals who are trying to satisfy their social needs. Informal groups are essential in organizational life as people often feel happier and involved at work if they have common interests with their colleagues. The more employees have a shared understanding, interests and values, the more pleasant the working environment will be.

Formal groups are the ones which are established by the management to carry out certain organizational tasks. Once the desired organizational task is achieved, formal groups are often dispersed, until the next time they are needed.

Whether in formal or informal groups, individuals are expected to have certain roles. A role is an expected or an attached behavior. Group roles can be problematic: they can lead to role ambiguity or role conflict. Role ambiguity exists when the aims of one’s tasks or the methods of performing them are not very clear. Role conflicts occur when an employee is given more than one role to fulfill.

A group’s success depends on the individual. Loyalty commitment and trust, obedience and effective leadership are essential factors that determine the performance of the group.

The terms group and team are sometimes used interchangeably but there are subtle differences. All teams can be seen as groups but not all groups can be regarded as teams. Groups can be medium or large in size but teams in organizations are generally small. Teams tend to have a shared or rotating leadership, whereas groups usually have a single leader.

Also, there is a difference in the management of teams and groups. Formal groups are constantly required to report back to management. Teams are more self-managed and autonomous, i.e. they are given enough flexibility to finish the tasks without constant need for supervision.

Groups and teams are crucial for organizations. When established effectively, teamwork improves competitiveness and enhances the quality of work life for employees.