Managing Effective Work Teams Essay -- Research Papers Work Essays

Managing Effective Work Teams Abstract Many organizations today believe that the use of work teams will allow them to produce better products and provide better services, faster, and at lower costs. Using a work team approach can reinvigorate productivity and service provider motivation, and better position an organization to deal with a rapidly changing environment. However establishing effective work teams is not something that comes easy. Though, the benefits of effective work teams within an organization are very substantial, it takes alot of hard work and dedication on the part of management and team members to develop, implement and maintain effective work teams. Work Team's Popularity in Organizations Some twenty years ago when organizations introduced work teams, they made the news because no one else was using teams. Today, it's almost the opposite. Companies that don't use some form of team approach in conducting business are those that attract attention. Look into almost any business magazine and you will see how teams have become an essential part of the way work is done in companies such as Honeywell, General Electric, Saab, John Deere, Honda, Boeing and Federal Express. One might ask, why is this? Research suggests that a team can usually outperform an individual. Especially, when the tasks being done requires multiple skills, judgment and experience. Also, as organizations restructure themselves to compete more effectively and efficiently, they have learned that teams are a better way to utilize employee talents. Management too, has found that work teams are more flexible and responsive to a changing environment than traditional departments or other forms of permanent work groups. In many situat... ...re to become effective managers in the field public administration or business, can do no wrong in subscribing to the management practice of managing effective work teams. References Cynthia Cantu, University of North Texas, Virtual Teams, 1998 http://www.workteams.unt.edu/reports/cantu.html , page 1 & 2 Greg Hendrix, UNT, The Importance of Goals To The Success of Work Teams, 1998 http://www.workteams.unt.edu/reports/ghendrix.html , page 1 Carole A. Townsley, UNT, Resolving Conflict In Work Teams, 1998 http://www.workteams.unt.edu/reports/townsley.html , page 1 & 4 Angelique Lee, UNT, Team Compensation: A Broad Overview, Nov. 24, 1997 http://www.workteams.unt.edu/reports/lee.html, page 1 Sarah L. Bodner, UNT, Experiential Training: A Stepping For Work Teams, Nov. 24, 1997 http://www.workteams.unt.edu/reports/bodner.html, page 1, 5, 7, 8, 9