A group of people with a full
set of complementary skills
required to complete a
common organization task, job
or project.
2. What are the benefits of being in a
team to an individual and the
company?
Benefits to a company
2.1 Improved Productivity
A group approach can
lead to cost savings for
the company, since
groups accomplish more,
as well as an ability to
meet individual and team
goals more quickly, since
more people are attacking
the task.
2.2 Greater Expertise
Employees who work in
teams in the office benefit
from the collective
experience and expertise of
the group. As a result,
employees are able to attack
a problem from more angles
and make better-informed
decisions than an individual
worker could do alone.
2.3 Reduce staff turnover rate
Employees working in
a group usually foster
great friendship, which
reduces their overall
stress level. employees
won’t feel so stressed
out from the amount of
work they have to do
since their group mates
would share their
workload.
2.4 Higher staff satisfaction
when a group produces good
work, it increases the sense of
belonging an employee has for the
group and the company, thus they
find satisfaction from this as well.
less stress level leads to lower
staff turnover rate.
Benefits to an individual
2.5 Different perspectives of ideas
As a team, the
members can each
contribute pros and
cons of approaches to
tasks and methods to
accomplish key goals.
This kind of
collaboration both
benefits the project
and gives team
members an outlet to
bounce around ideas.
2.6 Friendship
Working on a team can
lead to deep and
meaningful friendships
forged through common
interests and shared
experiences. Coworkers
may become friends after
getting to know one
another better through
projects.
2.7 Less Stress
With the amount of work being
distributed among the team, the
amount of stress an individual has to
face would be lessened. Team
members are able to support each
other both practically and emotionally
during times of difficulty or stress.
3. What are the characteristics
that make up an effective team?
3.1 Clear Goals
The less abstract
these goals are, the
more cohesively the
team can work
together to
accomplish them. It is
much easier to be
effective if the goals
are clear.
3.2 Commitment to shared
goals and objective
It means that when the team
is presented with a goal, they
can come together and work as
a single unit to complete the
task.
3.3 Diversity
This diversity gives us a wider
perspective on any issues the team might
face and thus allows for a more expansive
level of inputs.
3.4 Open and honest
communication
Team members do not talk behind
each other's back as there is a
respect developed among team
members that necessitates direct
and open communication on all
issues.
3.5 Participation
Each member of a team is essential to the
team's success, and when the group is given
a task, each member knows what their job is
and sets out to put in their fair share of the
effort.
3.6 Effective use of ideas
The team becomes adapted at
dismissing ideas that will not work,
and including effective ideas into
what would become the team's
solution to an issue.
3.7 Trust
Many teams are not together for long
and do not really have time to
establish long-term trust, but even
short-term trust is vital to a team
reaching its goals. Teams must learn
to believe in the strength, credibility
and ability of team members.
3.8 Leadership
the leader of the group has
developed the ability to obtain the
group members' opinions to
formulate the group's response.
This applies to decisions made
within the group ranging from
resolving internal conflict to a
potential change in group
leadership.
4. What is diversity in workplace?
Variety and
differences among
employees in terms of
age, cultural
background, physical
abilities and
disabilities, race,
religion, sex and
sexual orientation.
5. What are the different types of diversity barriers?
5.1 Age
Each age group
has a different
general approach
to work, which
often leads to
conflicts.
5.2 Verbal & Language Barriers
differences in informal
language and
communication style can
produce
misunderstandings that
result in serious
consequences.
5.3 Gender
Jokes about an employee’s
gender that imply inferiority,
offensive jokes of a suggestive or
sexual nature and jokes implying
that an employee’s work is
sub-par due to his or her gender.
5.4 Physical Disabilities
"talking down" to disabled
workers or insisting on aiding a
challenged employee with a
task she is able to handle
independently.
5.5 Religion
In many cultures, religion dominates life in
a way that for strongly secular workplaces
may be difficult to understand.
6. What are the ways to overcome diversity barriers?
6.1 Age
Equal opportunity should be given to
employees of all age groups.
Promotion should be based on
performance and not seniority.
6.2 Verbal & Language Barriers
Minimizing the use of slang and including
visual aids with oral presentations can reduce
the impact of language barriers. Use a common
language, which in most cases, is English.
6.3 Gender
Employees should be awarded, recognized
and/or promoted based on performance at
work, not gender. Workload should be given
equally to both men and women and no one
should be given more and less work due to
gender stereotypes.
6.4 Physical Disabilities
The company should encourage
their workers to be more
open-minded and provide facilities
such as a ramp or lift, catering to
the needs of their disabled workers.
Equal opportunities should also be
provided to them.
6.5 Religion
Value employee based on
performance and not based on their
religion. Respect his or her religion
regardless of whether you believe in
his/her religion, or if you have the
same religion or not. Clear
communication on both sidesis
encouraged.