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.
Text comprehension
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1. What is a group?
2. Why do employees join in groups?
3. How many group types can be singled out?
4. How and why do informal groups emerge?
5. Who establishes formal groups?
6. When are formal groups dispersed?
7. What is a role?
8. When does role ambiguity or role conflict occur?
9. What essential factors determine the performance of the group?
10. What are the differences between groups and teams?
Vocabulary and grammar acquisition
Read the words paying attention to the pronunciation of the bold-typed letters. Consult a dictionary if necessary.
Gr ou ps, indivi du als, sh ared, g oa ls, i dentity, r ea sons, se cu rity, ach ie vement, so ci al, impr o ve, effi ci ency, qu a lity, outc o me, b ui lding, incr ea ses, p ow er, r ai se, i ssu e, ex er t, beh a v ior, inf or mal, em erg e, ini t i a tive, satis fy, essen ti al, coll eag ues, val ue s, env i ronment, c er t ai n, o nce, de sir ed, disp er sed, wh e th er, atta ch ed, problem a tic, ambi gui ty, me th ods, occ ur, s ucc ess, l oya lty, tr u st, ob e d ie nce, det er m i ne, t ea m, interchang ea bly, s ub tle, m e d iu m, au tonom ou s, s u p er vi s ion, cr uci al, compet i t i veness, enh a nces.
Divide the words into two columns according to the ways of reading of consonant clusters with the letters “g” and “n”. Practice reading the words.
/n/ | / / |
sign … | organizing … |
Meaningful, well-being, gnaw, signature, putting, belonging, reign, building, enabling, trying, gnome, understanding, foreign, working, design, performing, rotating, gnosticism, single.