-Dr.G.

Nagasubramaniyan
NIT-Trichy
 Two or more people who interact with and influence each other toward a common
purpose
 Traditional two types of teams have existed in organisations: Formal & Informal
 Today, however, Teams exist that have the characteristics of both
 Synergy ---- 1+1>2
 Productivity rate of output per worker or per m/c in a factory
 Minimize conflict
 Manage Change
 Interpersonal relationship – relation & communication between people
 Develop a good compensation system
 Competence – being efficient
 Responsibility – being responsible for doing a job or for the care of
someone or something
 Decision making
 Complexity
 To meet the challenge
 To meet out the customer needs
 To act as change agent
 To inculcate the importance of social skills
 To foster organizational effectiveness
 It is gaining popularity and is recognized as a means of achieving better results
 The office layout can be of different types, depending on the kind of teams that it
has been designed for.
 At present, work teams have no fixed structure or sixe, they vary depending on the
nature of project under consideration
 Broadly there could be three types of teams. They are
1. Linear Teams
 Perform routine tasks which progress in a sequence. The team members need to work in
privacy. Often, they pass on the completed work to the next workstation for future
processing.
 For linear teams it is ideal to have individual workstations in a sequence, in one room
itself, with a low partition and enough space separating one from another
2. Parallel Teams
 Have members from different departments working together on a common project.
Therefore it is ideal for them to have a common project room with workstations for various
kinds of activities. The team members can get together or work at different workstations
depending on the nature of the task
3. Circular Teams
 Have members assembling for a particular project and then dispersing. These teams are
usually involved with creative tasks where they need to interact with each others as well
as work individually. The concept of caves and commons tailored to the working needs of
such teams.
 In the design, there is a large open area for team members to meet as and when required
and caves where they can work in privacy. There are no executive cabins, except for
conference/ meeting rooms to facilitate confidential discussions. Furnishing-tables,
easels, electronic bulletin boards, files, phones are usually mobile for easy re-
arrangement.
 It marks the beginning of the end of office altogether. It also provides an
opportunity for saving overhead costs for organisations.
 Some offices may well vanish altogether with a growing trend of operating from
“Free Addresses” such as Hotels, Cars, Satellite Facilities etc., One office space can
be used by many employees, depending on when each employee is using it.
 Global businesses need to take special care while designing offices for a culturally
differing workforce. Glasswalled conference rooms are popular in the west
however, Asians find it disrespectful to turn their back to someone therefore, a
glasswalled room where only backs can be seen from outside may not suit them
 General feeling of revolt among workers against the pressure of work. This is the
inevitable fallout of downsizing which increase the work load on survivors. It will
necessitate the designing of comfortable and “Cool” offices. These office workers
wear a relaxed and friendly look to promote creativity and positive feelings.
 As more and more organisations seek fresh young professionals, the new
generation has plunged into the work arena with an enthusiasm not witnessed
before. However, in an age where organizational loyalty is fast dissipating, the
challenge before corporation is to retain them.
 Among other things, they need to design offices to suit the young temperament.
These offices could resemble a university setting-informal, furnished with
comfortable chairs and couches, generously stacked with reading material and
with plenty of greenery.
 This unconventional style may not appeal to the older lot. However, depending on
the numbers of old and young, designers could strike a balance, while also
keeping in view the image the organization needs to project.
 With the electronic coming of age, more and more organizations will do away with
physical products
 Eg: Palmtop computers will take place instead of filing cabinets. Office designers have to
remain awake to this reality and think of suitable designs.
 Meaning – Team
 Smaller group which can work faster than large group in completing the task
 Smaller groups are better at doing something productive with the input

 Findings related to the size of group – labeled as “social loafing” – is the tendency for
individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than working individually
 Social facilitation effect:- tendency for performance to improve or decline in response
to the presence of others.
 Mentoring: Greek Mythology – Odysseus while going on a ten year voyage, left his
house and son Telemachus to in the care of an old man named Mentor who not only
helped the boy to become a competent young man, also saved his life. This
relationship became a model and came to be known as mentoring. The concept of
mentoring relates to emotional support and guidance given by usually an older
person to an younger person who is called protégé.
 More than two decades ago, B. W. Tuckman suggested that small groups move
through five stages as they develop: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing,
Adjourning
 FORMING: During the initial stage, the group forms and learns what sort of be-
havior is acceptable to the group. By exploring what does and does not work, the
group sets implicit and explicit ground rules that cover the completion of specific
tasks as well as general group dynamics. By and large, this stage is a period of both
orientation and acclimation.
 STORMING: As group members become more comfortable with one another, they
may oppose the formation of a group structure as they begin to assert their indi-
vidual personalities. Members often become hostile and even fight ground rules
set during the forming stage.
 NORMING: At this time, the conflicts that arose in the previous stage are
addressed and hopefully resolved. Group unity emerges as members establish
common goals, norms, and ground rules. The group as a whole participates, not
merely a few vocal members. Members begin to voice personal opinions and
develop close relationships.
 PERFORMING: Now that structural issues have been resolved, the group begins
to operate as a unit. The structure of the group now supports and eases group
dynamics and performance. The structure becomes a tool for the group's use
instead of an issue to be fought over. Members can now redirect their efforts from
the deve1opment of the group to using the group's structure to complete the tasks
at hand.
 ADJOURNING: Finally, for temporary groups such as task forces, this is the time
when the group wraps up activities. With disbandment in mind, the group's focus
shifts from high task performance to closure. The attitude of members varies from
excitement to depression.
 Tuckman does not suggest that all groups adhere strictly to such a framework, but
that, in many cases, the framework can explain why groups experience diffi-culty.
For example, groups that try to perform without storming and norming will often
find only short-lived success, if that.