Self-Managed Work Teams

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the self-managed team approach to industry, where employees work together in their own ways toward a goal, which is defined outside the team. The employees are in control of the project and how to achieve it. The paper clarifies the difference between a self-directed team and a self-managed team. It then discusses the advantages of this system over a hierarchical approach to management and the shortcomings of this method. It includes the requirements for instituting self-managed teams. Herzberg's motivator-hygiene theory of employee satisfaction is studied within the context of self-managed teams. Finally, the paper explores three recent theories that add insight into improving employee performance: the expectancy theory, the goal-setting theory and the theory of the relationship between an employee's perception of his/her treatment and his/her productivity.

From the Paper:

"Now we know the effects of job-related stress and the negative impact that it can have on a person's health and well being. We also know that happy, healthy employees are more productive, cost less in sick time and time lost. Businesses reap many benefits by having and keeping productive and motivated employees. Recently there has been a shift from the traditional management style, so popular in the early days of industry and mass production, to a more team oriented approach, where the employees operate as their own management and set goals as a team. With the self-managed team approach, employees work together in their own ways toward a goal, which is defined outside the team. The employees are in control of the project and how to achieve it. Moving from a hierarchical structure to a self-managed one brings many new opportunities, but also many challenges as well."

More papers on Self-Managed Work Teams:

• Analytical Essay # 123784 : "Self-Management and Work Teams"
• Analytical Essay # 56486 : "High Performance Work Teams"
• Essay # 61961 : "High Performance Work Teams (HPWT)"

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