What are they?
Team-building is at the base of transforming vertical organizational structures to more horizontal ones. Team structures are structures that use teams that work together either for a short period of time or forever to come up with solutions to company issues, complete assignments, and accomplish daily tasks. To the left is a diagram of a team structure.
Team structures can either be cross-functional teams or project teams. Team structures are often cross-functional teams, which are teams that are comprised of people from separate functional departments. The goal of creating cross-functional teams is to tear away any barriers inside the business, called functional chimneys, and build more effective and efficient platforms that increase the quality of problem-solving and work performance. Team structures are also often project teams, which are team structures that are put together for a specific task or assignment and are broken apart after the task or assignment has been accomplished. The goal of creating project teams is to quickly group together people with a diverse set of skills and competencies that can be used harmoniously to solve a company issue or accomplish a task or assignment. Project-teams are ideal for when the deadline for a project is fast approaching and it has been started a little time before it.
Team structures can either be cross-functional teams or project teams. Team structures are often cross-functional teams, which are teams that are comprised of people from separate functional departments. The goal of creating cross-functional teams is to tear away any barriers inside the business, called functional chimneys, and build more effective and efficient platforms that increase the quality of problem-solving and work performance. Team structures are also often project teams, which are team structures that are put together for a specific task or assignment and are broken apart after the task or assignment has been accomplished. The goal of creating project teams is to quickly group together people with a diverse set of skills and competencies that can be used harmoniously to solve a company issue or accomplish a task or assignment. Project-teams are ideal for when the deadline for a project is fast approaching and it has been started a little time before it.
"I hate to speak about individuals. Players don't win you trophies, teams win trophies, squads win trophies" - Jose Mourinho
There are many advantages of team structures. First of all, they assist in getting rid of communication and decision-making issues because of the elimination of any barriers, or functional chimneys (as discussed earlier). In addition, since barriers are broken down within the organization, employees get to know each other a lot better, which increases the comfort and friendliness-level in the workplace. Another pro that team structures have is delivering a bigger feeling of involvement and significance to team members, increasing their enthusiasm towards their jobs and making them happier at work as a result. Finally, since team structures encompass the sharing of information between employees, work is completed quicker and with a higher quality because the amount of brain power working to accomplish a certain task or assignment is heightened.
Just as there are pros of team structures, there are potential disadvantages of employing a team structure as an organizational structure in a company. First, several members of a team may not know how to manage their time properly, which ends up affecting the team negatively as these select few individuals cannot get their work done on time. Furthermore, since teams spend an ample amount of time in meetings that often do not discuss relevant topics, the productivity of team structures is rather low.
Just as there are pros of team structures, there are potential disadvantages of employing a team structure as an organizational structure in a company. First, several members of a team may not know how to manage their time properly, which ends up affecting the team negatively as these select few individuals cannot get their work done on time. Furthermore, since teams spend an ample amount of time in meetings that often do not discuss relevant topics, the productivity of team structures is rather low.