17.

5 Group Cohesiveness and

Performance

1
 Group Cohesiveness and
Performance
Strong and cohesive work groups can have
beneficial effects for the organization.

2
 Factors Contribution to Group
Cohesiveness and Performance

3
 Factors Contribution to Group
Cohesiveness and Performance

I Membership
II Work Environment
III Organisational
IV Group Development and Maturity

4
17.6 Membership

5
 I Membership

1. Size of the group

2. Compatibility of members
3. Permanence of group members

6
 I Membership (Size of the group )
 As a group increases in size, problems
arise with communication and co-
ordination.
 Large groups are more difficult to handle.
( require a higher level of supervision )
 Absenteeism tends to be higher.

7
 I Membership (Size of the group )
 When a group becomes too large, it may
split into smaller units.
 Optimum size => between five and seven

8
 I Membership
(Compatibility of members)
Homogeneous Features
- shared backgrounds
- interests
- attitudes
- values of its members

9
 I Membership
(Compatibility of members)
 The more homogeneous the group, the easier to
promote cohesiveness.
 Variations (such as personality or skills of members
) may serve to complete each other.
 However, such differences may be the cause of
disruption and conflict.
 Conflicts can also arise in a homogeneous group
where members are in competition with each other.

10
 I Membership
(Performance of group members)
 Group spirit and relationships take time to
develop.
 Cohesiveness is more likely when members of a
group are together for a reasonable length of
time, and changes occur only slowly.

11
17.7 Work Environment

12
 II Work Environment

1. Nature of the task

2. Physical Setting
3. Communications
4. Technology

13
 II Work Environment
(Nature of the task )
 When workers are involved in similar work
( share a common task or face the
same problems ), this may assist
cohesiveness.
 The nature of the task may serve to bring
people together when it is necessary to
communicate and interact regularly.

14
 II Work Environment
(Physical Setting)
 Where members of a group work in the same
location or in close physical proximity to each
other, this may generally help cohesiveness.
 However, the size of the office and the number of
staff in it are important considerations .

15
 II Work Environment
(Physical Setting)
 Isolation from other groups of workers will also
tend to build cohesiveness.
 This often applies to a smaller number of workers
on a night shift.

16
 II Work Environment
(Communication)
 The more easily members
can communicate freely
with each other, the
greater the likelihood of
group cohesiveness.
 Communications are
affected by the work
environment, by nature of
the task and technology.

17
 II Work Environment
(Technology)
 Improvements in telecommunications support
staff need no longer be located within the main
production unit.
 Individuals may work more on their own, from
their homes, shared offices or hotels, or work
more with machines than with other people.

18
 II Work Environment
(Technology)
 Technology is clearly a major influence on
patterns of group operation and behaviour.
 The impact of IT
- demands new patterns of work organization
-affects the formation and structure of groups

19
17.8 Organisational

20
 III Organisational

1. Management and Leadership

2. HR policies and procedures
3. Success
4. External threat

21
 III Organisational
( Management and Leadership )

 Teams tend to be a mirror image of their leader.

 The form of management and style of leadership
adopted are major determinants of group
cohesiveness.

22
 III Organisational
( Management and Leadership )

Cohesiveness will be affected by the manner in

which
1. the manager gives support
2. guidance and encouragement to the group
3. provide opportunities for participation
4. attempts to resolve conflicts
5. gives attention to both employee relations
and task problems.

23
 III Organisational
( Management and Leadership )

“ The job of the group leader is to encourage people to earn

the trust of others in their group and then show them
it can translate into greater commitment, greater
creativity, greater professional satisfaction, and
better performance”

McKenna and Maister

24
 III Organisational
( Management and Leadership )

“ The managers are ultimately responsible for creating a

balance in the workplace and should take the lead in
setting standards of behaviour in teams.”

Farrell

25
 III Organisational
( HR Policies and Procedures)

 HR policies and procedures should be well developed

and perceived to be equitable, with fair treatment for all
members.
 Attention should be given to the effects that :
 Appraisal systems
 Discipline
 Promotion
 Rewards
 Opportunities for personal development

26
 III Organisational
( Success)

 Success is usually a strong motivational influence on

cohesiveness and level of work performance.
 Success or reward (as a positive motivator) can be
perceived by group members in a number of ways.

27
 II Organisational
( External Threat)

 Even if the threat is subsequently removed, the group

may continue to have a greater degree of cohesiveness
than before the threat arose.
 Conflict between groups will also tend to increase the
cohesiveness of each group. The boundaries of the
group become drawn more clearly.

28
17.9 Group Development
and Maturity

29
30
 IV Group Development and Maturity

Tuckman identifies five main successive stages of group

development and relationships :
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning

31
IV Group Development and Maturity

32
Stage 1 Forming
 Initial formation of the group
 Considerations :
 Hierarchical structure of the group
 Pattern of leadership
 Individual roles and responsibilities

33
 Stage 2 Storming

 The storming stage is important.

 If successful, there will be discussion on
reforming arrangements for the working and
operation of the group.
 There will be agreement on more meaningful
structures and procedures.

34
 Stage 3 Norming
 In this stage, members will establish guidelines
and standards.
 They will develop their own norms of
acceptable behaviour.
 This stage is important in establishing the need
for members
 To co-operate in order to plan
 To agree standards of performance
 To fulfill the purpose of the group

35
 Stage 4 Performing

In this stage, the group can concentrate on

 The attainment of its purpose
 Performance of the common task is to
be most effective

36
 Stage 5 Adjouring

 Adjourning of the group

eg. completion of the task
members leaving the organisation
moving on to other tasks
 Managers may need to prepare for future
group tasks.

37
 Case Study on Group Development

https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-
of-team-development-a-case-study.php

38
 Creative Leadership and Group
Development

Seven factors to influence effective team development

• Building a platform of understanding
• Creating a shared vision
• Providing a creative climate
• Showing a commitment to idea ownership
• Resilience to setbacks
• Developing networking skills
• Learning from experience

39
17.10 Social Identity Theory
(SIT)

40
41
 Social Identity Theory (SIT)

 SIT => Understanding the psychological basis of inter-

group discrimination.
 The groups or social categories with which we associate
are an integral part of our self-concept ( social identity )
 A natural process of human interaction is social
categorization.

42
43
 Social Identity Theory (SIT)

 Self-categorisation is the process that transforms a

number of individuals into a group.
 We identify ourselves in terms of membership of certain
social groupings
 We differentiate ourselves from other social groupings
 In-groups => minimising differences between members
 Out-groups => maximising differences

44
Social Identity Theory (SIT)

45
SIT ( ACTIVITY!)

46
 SIT ( ACTIVITY!)

http://prachi12cool.wixsite.com/e
portfolio/single-
post/2015/12/04/Social-Identity

47
 17.11
Characteristics of an effective
work group
The underlying feature is a
spirit of co-operation in
which members work well
together as a united team
and with harmonious and
supportive relationships.

48
 Characteristics of an effective
work group
This may be evidenced when members of a group exhibit :
• Belief in shared aims and objectives;
• Sense of commitment to the group;
• Acceptance of group values and norms;
• Feeling of mutual trust and dependency;
• Full participation by all members and decision-
making by consensus;
• Free flow of information and communications;
• Open expression of feelings and disagreements;
• Resolution of conflict by the members themselves;
• Lower level of staff turnover, absenteeism,
accidents, errors and complains

49
 17.12
Potential Disadvantage of Strong
and Cohesive Group

50
 Potential Disadvantages of Strong and
Cohesive Groups
Potential disadvantages for management;
• Spending too much time talking among themselves
• The level of output was restricted to a standard
acceptable as a norm by the group
• It is more difficult for the manager successfully to
change attitudes and behaviour of the group.
• It is important that the manager attempts to
influence the group during the norming stage.

51
 Inter-group Conflict

 Group cohesiveness is based on common status,

qualifications, technical expertise or professional standing.
 Inter-group conflict may arise.
 In order to help prevent, or overcome, unconstructive inter-
group conflict, the manager should attempt to stimulate a
high level of communication and interaction between
group.
 A competitive element may help to promote unity within a
group.
 But, it need to be handled carefully to avoid development of
‘win-lose’ situations.

52
 ACTIVITY: Group Debates

Advantages and Disadvantages

of Strong and Cohesive Work
Groups

53