IDS Study 763, December 2003

Teamworking

• Summarises the different types of teams and how they can be structured
• Looks at training for team members
• Examines how team performance can be assessed and rewarded
• Outlines key challenges that must be overcome when implementing team-based working
• Detailed case studies of organisations where teamworking has successfully been introduced.

A well-designed and properly implemented system of teamworking can bring benefits to both employers and employees. Increased motivation and job satisfaction can lead to gains in productivity through better use of employees' full range of skills and expertise. Self-managed teams, in particular, are becoming more common as companies seek to flatten their traditional, hierarchical management structures.

This IDS Study considers the key issues that need to be addressed when implementing team-based working, such as the structuring of teams, how they should be trained, the level of responsibility that they should be given, how their performance will be assessed and how they will be rewarded.

Four in-depth case studies outline the practical measures that organisations have taken when introducing teamworking, particularly with regard to training, assessing performance and team reward.