Teamwork And Organizational Performance

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Teamwork, which has existed since the dawn of humanity, is widely used in organizations across various contexts, such as in production and marketing processes (Anderson & Johnson, 2020). Examples include management teams, production teams, or even the entire organization being referred to as a team. Brown and Green (2021) noted that there is growing agreement among scholars that while organizations may achieve tasks through individuals, their true success lies in reaching goals through teamwork. It is widely recognized that teamwork is not only the foundation of effective management but also a key driver in improving overall organizational productivity (Carrington, 2022). Teamwork involves individuals collaborating within a group to achieve shared objectives for the benefit of both service users and the organization, ultimately enhancing productivity. Teamwork is not only fundamental to good management but also essential for boosting employee performance. Working together as a team allows for progress on crucial tasks and leads to significant achievements. It is the catalyst that enables ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary outcomes (Deloitte Insights, 2023).

Teamwork is defined as a group of individuals working together towards a common goal or task (Hayes & Walker, 2019). This means that people collaborate in a cooperative environment, sharing knowledge and skills, and being adaptable enough to take on multiple roles. It is a strategy for improving the utilization of manpower and potentially boosting performance, not only at the individual level but also for the organization, as collaboration can increase individual output. As a result, employees who work well in teams set the standard for the organization (Ivey & Adams, 2020). Today, managers who recognize the value of teamwork are assigning more team-based projects to employees, providing opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills (Jackson & Patel, 2021). Teamwork has the potential to improve both individual and organizational performance, though it requires ongoing development (Kearney & Zhao, 2022). According to Kim and Lee (2023), a work group is a collection of employees who primarily interact to exchange information and make decisions that support their individual responsibilities, while a work team is a group whose combined efforts produce results greater than the sum of their individual contributions. They further noted that teamwork encourages cooperation, skill enhancement, feedback, and reduces personal conflicts. It is widely recognized that transitioning from working alone to working in teams requires employees to collaborate, share information, resolve differences, and prioritize the team’s goals over personal interests. Teams can thus be seen as highly effective work groups, with their success depending on motivation, coordination, and a shared sense of purpose. Their collective synergy generates energy and creativity that surpasses the contributions of individual members, meaning teams must have defined membership, group consciousness, and a clear sense of shared purpose (Liao & Singh, 2023).

In the context of teamwork and employee performance, we aim to examine how key components of a team, such as members’ abilities, esprit de corps, team trust, and recognition and reward, influence job performance (McKinsey & Company, 2018). Insightful managers understand and consistently leverage the benefits of teamwork. As teams reflect the collective strengths of individual members, they also enhance motivation and morale, leading to the creation of a high-performance organization that is adaptable, efficient, and, most importantly, profitable (Miller & Garcia, 2019). Profitability is crucial for an organization to maintain its competitive edge in a challenging and global business environment. Many organizations utilize various types of teams, such as production teams, project teams, service teams, and action teams, to achieve diverse goals and stay competitive. Research on teamwork highlights numerous benefits for both organizations and individuals. These benefits include improved employee relations, enhanced technical and interpersonal skills, better quality of work life, job satisfaction, performance, organizational growth, and flexibility. Teamwork also fosters social support, encourages collaboration, and makes jobs more engaging and challenging (OECD, 2020).

Patel and Jordan (2021) suggested that collective action is widely recognized as a positive influence on fostering cooperation within organizations. Teams enable individuals to motivate themselves and fully leverage the benefits of working together on cooperative tasks. Collaborating with others not only enhances people’s understanding of the importance of teamwork but also helps them grasp how organizations operate, promoting a culture of effective teamwork. Perez and Yang (2022) noted that employers often emphasize the importance of hiring employees who can work well in teams and typically highlight teamwork when discussing the need for employees with diverse skills. Organizations frequently organize workers into various teams, such as management and development teams (PWC, 2023), among others. Sato and Nguyen (2020) contributed that teamwork is vital for ensuring workplace democracy, fostering diversity, encouraging innovation and creativity, and supporting effective decision-making and networking (Schneider & Muller, 2022). Teamwork involves forming groups that work together to achieve organizational goals, fostering a sense of unity and integration within the organization, which in turn leads to better synchronization of efforts and higher productivity. Poor implementation of teamwork has negatively impacted the overall performance of employees in organizations. Smith and Thomas (2021) emphasized that teamwork is essential for improving output and strengthening relationships among employees.