What is the Importance of Communication for Work Groups?

Introduction

There are various types of workplace groups that cut across all phases of our lives. Work groups are formed when there is a need to perform a given task or role as a team. There are various dynamics that need to be addressed as people work together to achieve their objectives. Lack of effectiveness or control can cause a workplace group to weaken or to fail altogether. (Dyer, 1995)

The role groups or teams play in the workplace of each team member.

Overview of workplace group

The workplace chosen for review is a team of restaurant workers. This restaurant is a combination of various professions and duties all working towards satisfying customers’ needs and maintaining the good name of the company. I worked in this restaurant as a waiter.

The type of group which will be reviewed in the subsequent sections is a work team. It was made up of the following members:

Team leader

Restaurant manager

Team members

Waiters/waitresses

Chefs

Dishwashers, cleaners

Cashiers

Store keeper

How s/he functions in the workplace (i.e. what is his/her role)

There are a number of functions performed by this work team. The team leader is supposed to supervise customer service, kitchen and stock control. Team members are all supposed to contribute to the presentation of hygienic food at an acceptable standard. In line with this function, team members should ensure that meals are presented quickly and in due time. Besides this, there should present friendly service and ensure that the restaurant is always in top hygienic conditions. The team members are also supposed to know all the products on offer and should be able to give advice to customers concerning food served. All members should also contribute highly to increased sales in the restaurant ((Dyer, 1995)

Outlined tasks of the team members

In any restaurant, every worker is entitled to perform different duties at a time. Some could be in the kitchen, others in customer care, storage and in the accounts section. All these sections require individuals trained on a particular and specific sector in order to perform his or her duties effectively. To bring all these groups of people to a single teamwork is a tedious job

Waiters/waitresses; serve food to customers

Chefs; prepare recipes and prepare these recipes

Dishwashers, cleaners; clean the dishes used and other utensils

Cashiers; receive cash for the services offered by the restaurant

Store keeper; make supplies and other products used by the restaurant

How it came into being;

The team was formed as a result of enhancing the service delivery of the restaurant and also in order to improve inter-relations between the workers. It was thought that in order to improve the menu, services, cleanliness, and overall service delivery of the restaurant all the workers in involved should form a team.

How long it has existed

The team was formed six months ago and it is expected to continue and its task is continuous, though it will be reviewing its achievements and objectives on regular basis

Group’s development

According to the People’s small group development theory initiated by Marshall Poole, this restaurant team under analysis has skipped backwards and forwards between topic, relations and task paths. The tasks path involves the course of finishing goals by the group while the topics track is a topic under discussion at any one time. In the restaurant’s case, tasks involve providing customer care, keeping records, preparing and presenting food. (Quinn, 1988) The relations path deals with the relationships of members of the group. This implies that there are times when members of the group leave tasks aside and center on relationships or the opposite may occur. In the restaurant, there is unity only when all the three paths intertwine, that is when the group members agree on the three tracks. Breakpoints in the restaurant occur when conversations changes to other issues, or when conversations have been deferred. In addition, they can also occur when meetings have been adjourned.

Type of leadership the group has (rotational)

`Leadership of a team is at times may result to poor performance of a group/team if it is not well handled and agreed upon by all the team members, in this group leadership is rotational. A leader is allowed to leader for a period of two months and another is picked and those it has reduced squabbles as each one of the members is given a chance to lead. Dyer (1995) examines the John Adair’s action centered leadership theory. John Adair came up with a model to explain team leadership. It is composed of three entities i.e. team, tasks and individuals. He believed that ‘A team leader has three roles;

1) Team leader must plan, assign, review tasks of their organization

2) Team leader must communicate, create a culture of ethics, give feedback to their team

3) Team leader must understand, develop, train and recognize each individual’s efforts’ Dyer (1995)

Leadership style(s) are displayed in the group

The team has a participative kind of leadership; Participative leadership involves other people on the decision making process. The leader in this case can include team members when making decisions for the team. This involves making decisions concerning what should be done and how the tasks should be done in the by the team this does not mean that the team members make the final decision. It means that the leader considers the contributions of the team members but comes up with a final decision. This type of leadership is very essential when the leader or the manager doesn’t know everything concerning the situation. In most cases actually the team leader doesn’t know everything. He or she may know part of the information and the team members have the other part. (Maundy, 2001)

How the group leader communicates during group meetings

The group leader takes listening as the main way of communicating, while Listening is the selective activity that involves the reception and the understanding of what ones says. Listening is an important aspect of communication, without creating time to listen, it becomes hard to communicate and know where the problem is. Research shows that, communication is highly enhanced by listening. This usually has a positive effect on a person talking as they well feel appreciated and valued and be eager to continue communicate issues. Thus since a leader may not be having expertise in the other fields he/ she normally listens. (Pinker, 1997)

Conclusion

Teams have been known to improve the performance of an organization and at the same time nurture the leadership skills of team leaders and members as a whole. However, times can only work well if all team members are satisfied with the arrangement of the team. Maundy (2001) notes that, effective management structure and culture of an organization affects teams’ performance. Difficulties can arise at all levels of teamwork building i.e. at the formation, building and implementation stages. These difficulties are so critical that they need to be addressed at length before deciding to adopt them as a way of improving productivity. In the long run it will lead to the breakdown of individual relationships which affect their productivity in general at the company. Communication is a very important tool in any set up. It is even more important in the within teams has it will ensure smooth operation of the team.