HR Malaysia

What makes a group of people who work together function as a
team? Just because people are employed by the same company does not
mean that they see themselves as a team or that they engage in
teamwork. Working together is not the same thing as teamwork.

It’s important for managers to understand the difference
between the work of teams and the concept of teamwork. When the
people who work for your organization carry out the essential
functions of their jobs, they are completing the work of teams. They
may or may not be working together in the cooperative and
collaborative manner that indicates that they are truly functioning
as a team.

What is a Team?
By definition, a team is a group of two or more people who
interact with each other and coordinate their work efforts in
pursuit of a common goal. In most companies, work teams are the norm
for how the day to day operations of the business are conducted.

Why Does Teambuilding Matter?
Teams are here to stay in the work environment. Good, bad,
or indifferent — it is a fact that most businesses will continue to
utilize work teams throughout their ranks for the foreseeable
future. Things can go two ways with teams: they can be functional or
they can be dysfunctional.

Actively engaging in teambuilding efforts is an important
tool for helping your workforce to come together as a functional
team, which is in the best interest of the organization at every
level. The primary purpose of teambuilding activities and training
within your organization is to develop cohesive work groups made up
of individuals who treat each other with respect, understand their
roles in the workplace, and pull together for the overall good of
the company.

Where Does Teambuilding Start?
Teambuilding has to start at the top of the organization.
Whether they like it or not, managers set the tone for acceptable
behavior within their organizations. When employees see their
company’s management team members pull together as a cohesive team,
they will be much more likely to exhibit similar behaviors
themselves.

Managers have a responsibility to model the appropriate
attitudes to employees, and to provide employees with the training
that they need in order to develop from a group of people who happen
to work together to a team that can accomplish amazing things on
behalf of the company.

Article Source :
http://www.bestmanagementarticl es.com
http://workforce-management.bestmanagementarticles.com

About the Author:
Mary Gormandy White is Director of Continuing Education and Corporate Training at Mobile Technical Institute http://www.mobiletechwebsite .com. She teaches seminars, classes, and makes conference presentations on teambuilding and a number of additional management, customer service, and communication topics.Visit Mary’s blog (http://www.dailycareerconnection.com) regularly for useful professional development tips and career advice.