$4.$ Enhancing Work Team Effectiveness

Work teams are designed to represent the diverse perspectives, knowledge, and expertise of an organization to meet strategic objectives. To increase the likelihood of team success, managers should set team goals and priorities, select people for the team that will be able to positively influence organizational goals, train team members for success, and compensate and recognize team members$$ contributions to the company$$s performance.

Setting Team Goals and PrioritiesSelecting People for TeamworkTeam TrainingTeam Compensation and Recognition

Managers should set team goals and priorities using the S$.$M$.$A$.$R$.$T$.$ method. This requires establishing specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely goals for teams. S$.$M$.$A$.$R$.$T$.$ goals clearly identify priorities for the team$$s work, and provide a foundation on which ambitious stretch goals can be created and influence high levels of performance. Stretch goals require a high degree of team autonomy, empowerment, structural accommodation, and bureaucratic immunity. Structural accommodation is the ability to change organizational structures, policies, and practices in order to meet stretch goals. Bureaucratic immunity is the ability to make changes without first receiving approval from managers or other parts of the organization.

Select the best response to the following questions.

What type compensation rewards employees for learning additional skills or knowledge that is valuable to the team and organization?

Nonfinancial rewards

Gainsharing

Skill$-$based pay

Structural accommodation

Select the best response to the following questions.

Which type of compensation occurs when a company shares the financial value of its performance gains?

Bureaucratic immunity

Gainsharing

Structural accommodation

Skill$-$based pay

Select the best response to the following questions.

What concept describes the team$$s focus on interdependence and welfare of all team members?

Individualism

Structural accommodation

Collectivism

Bureaucratic immunity