An Analysis of Teamwork and Technology at British Airways

This presentation offers an in-depth examination of teamwork dynamics and operational management within British Airways. It begins by defining formal and informal groups within the airline, highlighting the roles of crew members and terminal staff. The presentation then applies the Woodcock team building model to British Airways, outlining its four stages of team development. Key factors promoting and inhibiting effective teamwork are discussed, including communication, leadership, and trust. The impact of technology on team functioning is also analyzed, covering aspects such as increased productivity through online services, enhanced training methods, efficient information sharing, and improved networking capabilities across different locations. The presentation concludes by summarizing the key findings and emphasizing the importance of these factors in the airline's operational success. The presentation draws on references from academic sources to support its analysis.

Introduction
 This presentation throws light on the
group and their nature in the Chosen
organisation British Airways, the factors
that promote and inhibit the effective
team work in British Airways and the
impact of technology on the operational
management of the organisation.

Groups and nature of groups
Groups are the collection of individuals formed for different
purposes. On the basis of structuring the groups are categorized
into Formal and informal groups.
•Formal groups are deliberately formed by the organization to
achieve the specified goal whereas the Informal groups are
formed by the employees due to social and psychological
forces on basis of shared opinions, views and feelings. In
British Airways, the groups such as the crew members,
employees at terminals, providing financial services are formal
groups.

Continued.....
Team in British Airways are build by using the Woodcock team building model.
It has four stages:
 1. The Undeveloped Team: The team members are in the fragmented manner
and the leader takes all the decision.
 2. The Experimenting Team: Leader listens the members opinion and group
is temporarily introspective.
 3. the Consolidating Team: With the more personal interactions tasks and
duties to the employees at ground level and providing in-flight services are
assigned respective tasks.
 4. The Mature Team: At this stage group recognises responsibilities,
strategies and policies are discussed to give travellers more comfortable
journey at every step.

Factor of development of effective teamwork
Every team have its own strength like competitiveness, high energy level, communication and
may be this make other team weak. There are many terms which count in both situation as
strength or weakness of teams. There are many factor which promote or inhibit effective
teamwork, those are as follows:
Promote factors:-
1.Communication:-
Effective teamwork is facilitated by open and clear communication. While
communicating in team all team member should feel comfortable in asking questions to
better understand their jobs and responsibilities.
2.Leadership:-
Leader should have that much knowledge and effectiveness so that he could inspire and
guide to all team members. Leader should coordinate with other and has to motivate team
members, these factor promote development of effective teamwork.
3.Supportive member:-
If member of team is supporting to each other when any one face problems, then its
motivate that team member.

Continued…
Inhibit factors:-
1.Communication:-
If there is communication gap in team or lack of proper
communication then it will affect effective teamwork.
2.Leadership:-
If leader would not guide team properly and doing group-ism then
it will affect other team member in negative ways.
3.Absence of trust:-
If team member not having trust in each other then team may face
problem in reach their goal.

Continued...
Team dynamics is the behavioural relationship between team members that influence the
direction of team's performance. They affect the productivity of organisation, job
satisfaction of employees, organisation's credibility and other related. The key factors
are:
 Group norms: Group norms are the informal rules that govern its functioning. The
strong norms promote the effectiveness whereas the undefined code of conduct fails
to hold the members in a team.
 Decision making behaviour: In a team, the decision making behaviour plays the
crucial role. The participation of members in decision making process encourages the
team effectiveness. On the contrary, if the leader takes all the decision, it brings the
dissatisfaction among the members.
 Cohesiveness: The fundamental factor is the degree of integration among the
members influence the team performance. The higher degree of cohesiveness
encourages creative and resourceful solutions whereas the lack of involvement of
hinders the growth of productivity and efficiency.

Impact of technology on team functioning
The uses of technology make work smooth and faster. It is necessary to upgrade
technology time by time for better outcomes. There are many technical devices
which helps in improve team function such as e-mail, mobile phones, computers.
The impact of technology on team functioning are as follows;
1.Increase productive:-
Productivity for British airways is increase in number of its customers. It can be
done through providing advance facilities to them. Company providing facility
of online ticket booking so that customer can do it from any where and save
time.
2.Training:-
With the help of technology it is easy to train employee for their work in less
time. BA operating its business from different locations, and when they hire new
employee or changing task of existing employee they provide training. It can be
computer based training and interactive video so employee not need to travel
different locations but it could provide through online basis by doing this time
and money both are save.

Continued…
3.Easy sharing of information:-
Technology help in sharing of information in
minimum time with maximum people. As BA
having customers from all over world so if they
want to circulate any kind of information among
them regarding their travel then company sent
them that information through required medium.