Introduction
The operational team plays a significant role in organizing the workflow of any organization, since the development and efficiency of manufacturing and production depend on its decisions. The performance of the operational team needs to be evaluated, as its performance affects the work of all employees and the overall performance of the company. Therefore, this paper analyzes and evaluates the performance of the operational team to identify potential problems and propose solutions. Furthermore, drawing on relevant theories and models, this paper provides recommendations for enhancing team performance.
Rationale for Choosing the Operational Team
The operational team’s choice for analysis and evaluation is justified by the fact that it plays a crucial role in achieving the organization’s success and stimulating positive changes and development. The operational team plays a strategic role in the company’s operations. Its performance directly affects an organization’s ability to deliver products efficiently, meet customer needs, and maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace (Olsen and Tomlin, 2023).
In addition, the operational team in manufacturing and production interacts closely with other departments, which leads to the complexity of managing it. An analysis of the interaction between the operational team and others will help to understand how coordinated and well-coordinated the actions of other teams and the company as a whole are.
Another explanation for team selection is that the operational team makes decisions about change and innovation. As the manufacturing and production industry constantly evolves and improves, it is crucial to implement innovations in the company’s work on time to maintain a competitive advantage (Fernando and Wulansari, 2021).
Moreover, after analyzing the team’s work, it is possible to identify the problems inherent in the organization’s management strategies and find the best options for addressing them. Analysis of the dynamics of the operating team provides an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of leadership, decision-making processes, and the alignment of goals and objectives.
Additionally, the operational team must set the tone for the rest of the employees’ work. Involvement from operational management will ensure employee engagement and job satisfaction (Increasing Emphasis on Teamwork, n.d.). In fact, the working atmosphere is mainly dependent on the operational team and the corporate culture that they adhere to. Therefore, there is a need to conduct a critical analysis and evaluation of the company’s operational team to identify issues in its work and pinpoint areas that require improvement.
Analysis and Evaluation
A critical analysis and evaluation of the operational team’s activities in manufacturing and production reveal the strengths, challenges, and aspects of the activity that require improvement. The assessment is based on objective information regarding the interaction and communication in the team, as well as the overall effectiveness and positivity of the results of the decisions made. The team’s strengths lie in its high level of knowledge, skills, professional expertise, and experience, all of which are necessary for the successful management of manufacturing and production.
Additionally, another strength is the clear distribution of roles within the team. It allows team members to focus on completing tasks, promotes accountability, and simplifies the decision-making process. In addition, the operational team understands the importance of producing quality products, so the production undergoes rigorous quality control. It, in turn, forms a positive attitude in customers, increases the reputation of the organization, and opens up new opportunities for finding partners.
However, when analyzing the work of the team, some problems were identified that may reduce its effectiveness. First, team diversification creates barriers to effective communication and information sharing. It occurs due to the cultural differences among team members and their varying professional experiences. In addition, according to Ma et al. (2019), the operational team is responsible for creating a culture of innovation and initiative. However, some team members are strongly opposed to the introduction of new technologies.
Application of Tuckman’s Theory of Group Development
The use of the five-stage model of group development can improve the efficiency of the team’s work and the quality of interaction. Firstly, this model is quite simple to implement, since it has a clear sequence of stages that must be completed to achieve maximum team performance. These stages include “forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning” (Patterson, 2022, para. 12).
Each of the stages is necessary for the gradual establishment of interaction between team members. For example, during the storming phase, a lot of attention is paid to conflict resolution, which helps the team to work more easily in critical situations later (Patterson, 2022). Moreover, in an optimal situation, the team will go through only the first four stages of development and achieve well-coordinated work.
Secondly, a key aspect of this model is that it enables improved communication between team members. Participants recognize the importance of communication and consensus to resolve contentious issues (Jones, 2019). Since this model is being implemented in the operational team, it will subsequently help to establish communication throughout the company, which will contribute to the well-coordinated work of the company at all stages of product production. In addition, Tuckman’s theory implies setting and achieving common team goals, which contributes to cohesion and collaboration within the team, and the development and growth of the entire company.
On the other hand, this approach may have some limitations and considerations. Although the theory has well-defined milestones that need to be passed to improve the team’s performance, this plan does not have a clear framework for implementation (Jones, 2019). The team may skip some stages or return to others, depending on the needs that arise. As a result, it isn’t easy to track the effectiveness of model implementation. Moreover, stages require time and resources that may not always be available in a rapidly changing production environment. Changing market conditions or problems that arise in the course of work that require immediate resolution can affect the implementation of the model and limit the ability of team members.
Moreover, one of the problems identified in the critical analysis of the operational team is the difficulty of communication due to the diversification of team members. The cultural norms and values of each participant may limit their involvement in work and interaction with teammates. For example, cultural differences can shape different perspectives on problem-solving, leading to team conflicts. Therefore, initially, it is necessary to create an inclusive culture in which the differences of employees are valued, and only after that, move on to the group development model.
Applying Tuckman’s theory to the operational team involves four main steps. At the stage of forming, participants learn about each other and evaluate the benefits and costs of further membership (Cao et al., 2023). As a result of this process, team members will be able to form common goals and visions for future work. At the next stage, it is necessary to identify the conflicts within the team and reach a consensus on how to resolve them. This process can be quite lengthy, as new, unresolved disputes may arise during the course of work that require discussion. However, resolving conflicts in a timely manner and fostering mutual trust and respect within the team are crucial to enhancing its performance (Rezvani et al., 2019).
The norming stage involves the creation of norms that promote open communication, mutual respect, and cooperation (Patterson, 2022). It may include developing a team plan and the principles on which interactions between team members are based. Samad et al. (2023) note that completing at least the first three stages as a group demonstrates a positive impact on performance. The performing stage is necessary so that team members can put the skills learned in the previous stages into practice. At this stage, the effectiveness of the implementation of the model is evaluated, and appropriate adjustments are made.
Recommendations
To improve the efficiency of the operational team in manufacturing and production, several recommendations can be proposed. Since the operational team determines the work of the entire company and its employees, leadership training for managers is crucial so that they can effectively manage and motivate their teams. Secondly, it is essential to foster and maintain an inclusive and collaborative atmosphere within the company. Establishing connections between employees, at least within departments and teams, will simplify the exchange of information and significantly speed up work processes. Moreover, open and well-structured communication will help resolve conflicts before they arise through constructive dialogue (Mohaghegh and Größler, 2019). At the same time, it is necessary to have a developed strategy for resolving conflicts in case they arise. It will help increase the team’s productivity and optimize production at all stages.
Moreover, you need to make sure that all team members understand their roles and responsibilities and will not interfere with the work of others. Distribution of roles is an essential step in the organization of the workflow, which helps to optimize the use of resources. In operational teams, there is often a problem in understanding their roles by team members, as job titles and responsibilities can vary from company to company (Anderson, 2020). Therefore, a clear explanation of the roles, functions, and powers of each team member is vital to avoid wasteful use of working time. However, it is essential to encourage employees to take the initiative in making changes to the way the company operates.
Finally, it is important to establish friendly relations within the team. It can be achieved by organizing team building events, maintaining constant dialogue and feedback, and collectively celebrating achievements and discussing failures (Increasing emphasis on teamwork, n.d.). Emotional intelligence is a crucial component in organizing a team’s work. It will enable team members to “deal with and adapt to different people” (Al-Fawaeer and Alkhatib, 2020, p. 266). Therefore, it is crucial to develop the emotional intelligence of employees and create an atmosphere of inclusiveness and support. This approach will bring the team together, with all its members working towards a common goal.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a critical analysis and evaluation of the performance of the operational team in manufacturing and production made it possible to identify the strengths and problems of the team that could limit its performance. Some of the identified strengths were able to offset the problems. However, to successfully optimize the operational team’s work, it was necessary to apply the group development model. This approach enabled the elimination of communication barriers between team members, prevented conflicts, and established common goals and a shared vision for the operational team. It can increase team cohesion and potentially have a positive impact on its productivity and efficiency.
Reference List
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