Self-Directed Work Teams
“Critically examine the effectiveness of self-directed work teams”
Self-managed work teams can be defined as a small number of employees with paired skills, talents and knowledge and are all attached to a particular goal and approach, and for which they are themselves personally accountable. Self-governing work teams usually engage workers within a particular field, or employees who are working on a common product or process. Self-managed work team normally can be of any range between 12 to 15workers (Kathy and Deborah 2007, 27). The team takes all the decisions which previously would have been taken by the management and they are responsible for the decisions taken. The teams might work in collaboration with the organisation’s suppliers or clients or both at the same time. The purpose of this essay is to critically examine to what extent self-directed work teams are really effective to businesses and to employees, that is, how advantageous it is to both parties and to also examine its disadvantages and drawbacks that it brings along with it once it is implemented.
Enhanced solutions and increased morale
One great advantage of self-directed work teams is that it provides better solutions. A number of employees combined together will increase the synergy and the group will come with better ideas and solutions compared to if they were working individually. Second advantage is that when employees work in teams, they receive more support from their fellow team mates than if they were to work in a non-team environment. This helps to forge better and healthier social bonds between members and it leads to a socially and psychologically healthy work environment which is a crucial factor for a team to be successful. Therefore a healthy working environment plus support from other employees will definitely encourage employees to perform better (Jennifer 2003, 38). However, when working in teams, very often an employee has to accept decisions made by the team as a whole
Self-managed work teams can be defined as a small number of employees with paired skills, talents and knowledge and are all attached to a particular goal and approach, and for which they are themselves personally accountable. Self-governing work teams usually engage workers within a particular field, or employees who are working on a common product or process. Self-managed work team normally can be of any range between 12 to 15workers (Kathy and Deborah 2007, 27). The team takes all the decisions which previously would have been taken by the management and they are responsible for the decisions taken. The teams might work in collaboration with the organisation’s suppliers or clients or both at the same time. The purpose of this essay is to critically examine to what extent self-directed work teams are really effective to businesses and to employees, that is, how advantageous it is to both parties and to also examine its disadvantages and drawbacks that it brings along with it once it is implemented.
Enhanced solutions and increased morale
One great advantage of self-directed work teams is that it provides better solutions. A number of employees combined together will increase the synergy and the group will come with better ideas and solutions compared to if they were working individually. Second advantage is that when employees work in teams, they receive more support from their fellow team mates than if they were to work in a non-team environment. This helps to forge better and healthier social bonds between members and it leads to a socially and psychologically healthy work environment which is a crucial factor for a team to be successful. Therefore a healthy working environment plus support from other employees will definitely encourage employees to perform better (Jennifer 2003, 38). However, when working in teams, very often an employee has to accept decisions made by the team as a whole
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