Importance of Teamwork in Workplace: A Comprehensive Analysis

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INDIVIDUAL ESSAY: The
importance of teamwork in the
workplace

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Discussion........................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: The Tuckman’s theory.....................................................................................................2

Introduction
Teamwork is essential to achieve the common goal by performing the assigned tasks and
activities in groups or teams. Teamwork can be defined as the capabilities of individuals to
perform work in unity by using different innovative ideas to achieve the common objective.
Teamwork plays crucial roles in business organization as it enable people in the organization to
work well together to successfully accomplish the common business project. Teamwork is the
most effective way to accomplish the business project successfully by using various suitable
innovative ideas and optimally utilizing limited resources. The current unit will discuss an
appropriate and suitable teamwork and teambuilding theory to understand the importance of
teamwork in the workplace.
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Discussion
Understanding and application of teamwork and teambuilding theory
To understand the importance teamwork in the workplace, the business project has chosen in
which there are various departments or team members and they needs to work in team for
ensuring best performance and achieving the common business goal. There are given below
Tuckman’s teamwork and teambuilding theory that can be applied in the organization to achieve
business objective.
The Tuckman’s theory
The Tuckman’s theory was proposed by the Bruce Tuckman that has defined five stages of team
development and teamwork for accomplishing the common goal of the business organization.
Tuckman has defined five stages such as Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing,
and Adjourning to develop an effective team and perform teamwork to achieve common
objective.
Figure 1: The Tuckman’s theory
(Source: http://www.mspguide.org, 1977)
Forming: In the this stage, all team members appointed for performing the business project
meet together and discuss about the project and tasks they have to perform. It is the role of
project manager in the organization to clearly develop structure and provide right direction to
project team members. The project manager set and defines project objectives and makes sure
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that each member in the project performance team has effectively understood their roles and
responsibilities to accomplish the project and achieve common business objective (Agwu, 2015).
Storming: This stage involves the interpersonal issues such as conflicts between the team
members as they challenges each other while performing the project activities. Team members
discuss with each others that what they are performing and what they have performed or done. In
that situation, the conflict management and relationship building skills in project manager help in
handling conflicts between the team members so that all can be directed and move in the same
direction to accomplish the common project and achieve its objectives.
Norming: If the project manager has successfully handled the conflicts among team members
and they have started to accept and understand each other, then the next stage will be norming.
In this stage, team members start more focusing on performing the project tasks to achieve its
objectives (Seck and Helton, 2014). It is the responsibility of project manager to move all team
members in the right direction and to establish an effective communication channels through
which all can coordinate with each other to successfully accomplish the project.
Performing: This stage involves the actual performance of project tasks as all team members are
comfortable with each other and have understand each other. In this stage, team members
coordinate with each other as well as manager and perform the project task in efficient and
effective manner to achieve its objectives (Casper, 2017). Therefore, cooperation and
coordination between each other help team members to accomplish the business project
efficiently on-time.
Adjourning: This stage occur at the time of completion of the business project as all the team
members has came to close with each other while performing the project and they feel about
losing each other. At that time, it is the responsibility of the project manager to positively close
the business project by arranging a celebration for team members on successfully
accomplishment of the project.
Therefore, Tuckman’s teamwork or teambuilding theory has defined and discuss the importance
of the teamwork in the workplace to accomplish the business project and achieve common
desired goals.
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The importance of teamwork in the workplace
Teamwork brings new innovative ideas: All the business organizations require new and
innovative ideas to become successful in this competitive world. The teamwork concept brings
all the members on the one table to develop effective team and provide various innovative ideas
to successfully accomplish the business project and achieve its objectives (Fay et.al, 2015).
Teamwork helps in resolving problems: the main benefit of working in team is that it helps in
resolving various critical problems easily by getting support and suggestions from different team
members. While performing the project tasks or activities, team members face various problems
in performing their assigned task and hence team members can exchange innovative ideas and
suggestions to resolve those problems.
Teamwork develops morale: It develops good feelings in team members when they realize that
their ideas and suggestions are being valued that are contributing in successfully accomplishing
the business project. Teamwork develops trust among each member and enhances their morale
and confidence that their ideas and suggestions are contributing in achieving the objectives of the
business organization (Erdoğan and Çelik, 2016).
Teamwork is more supportive: The teamwork is highly supportive for the business organization
in achieving its aims and objectives efficiently within limited time duration. Business
organization can develop teams and then distribute work among them as per their skills and
abilities to achieve the common goal of the business.
Teamwork fosters flexibility and responsiveness: Working in team or group provides flexibility
to team members to change their working styles and methods as per suitability of the situation at
workplace that will be more beneficial in accomplishing assigned task more efficiently on-time
(Salas et.al, 2015). Also teamwork enables team members to positively respond towards the
change to achieve business objectives.
Teamwork provides learning opportunities: Working in team provides greater opportunities to
team members to learn innovative skills and develop fresh knowledge that help them to ensure
professional as well personal development at the workplace.
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Conclusion
As per discussion in the current unit, it has concluded that teamwork plays important roles in
performing various assigned tasks and achieve common goal more efficiently and effectively.
The current unit has discussed Tuckman’s teamwork or teambuilding theory to understand the
importance of teamwork in the workplace in the business organization. Under this theory, five
different stages have defined and discussed to plan, initiate, perform and accomplish the business
project through an effective teamwork. It has concluded that teamwork is helpful for both
business organization as well as team members. Teamwork helps team members to perform and
accomplish assigned tasks more efficiently by exchanging innovative ideas and suggestions.
Teamwork helps the business organizations to accomplish their business project more efficiently
and effectively within limited time and resources. Also, teamwork provides flexibility and
learning opportunities to team members that ensures their professional as well as personal
development in the organization.
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References
Books and Journals
 Agwu, M.O., 2015. Teamwork and employee performance in the Bonny Nigeria
Liquefied Natural Gas Plant. Strategic Management Quarterly, 3(4), pp.39-60.
 Casper, W.C., 2017. Teaching beyond the Topic Teaching Teamwork Skills in Higher
Education. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 17(6), pp.53-63.
 Erdoğan, P. and Çelik, A., 2016. Relationship between morale and motivation in
teamwork environments: A research in the health sector. Journal of Human
Sciences, 13(1), pp.1433-1451.
 Fay, D., Shipton, H., West, M.A. and Patterson, M., 2015. Teamwork and organizational
innovation: The moderating role of the HRM context. Creativity and Innovation
Management, 24(2), pp.261-277.
 Salas, E., Shuffler, M.L., Thayer, A.L., Bedwell, W.L. and Lazzara, E.H., 2015.
Understanding and improving teamwork in organizations: A scientifically based practical
guide. Human Resource Management, 54(4), pp.599-622.
 Seck, M.M. and Helton, L., 2014. Faculty development of a joint MSW program utilizing
Tuckman's model of stages of group development. Social Work with Groups, 37(2),
pp.158-168.
Online
 Tuckman’s teamwork and teambuilding theory, 1977 (Online) [Accessed Through]
<http://www.mspguide.org/tool/tuckman-forming-norming-storming-performing/>
[Accessed on 28th March 2019]
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