Does anyone know the true motive behind...?

Question

...implementing "The Team Concept" in the work place?

We all know that team building in the work place, primarily in the industrial sector does not and will not never work, and many time refered to as "A Bunch of Bull....." . When the team concept was introduced in the Mid 80's Upper managers new this from the start. So... why would they spend thousands and sometime millions in training (Brain Washing) the employee to this concept? The true reason lays behond! WHAT IS IT?

Answer 1

Team concept has been around since the start of time, JUST ASK Adam AND Eve IF YOU COULD. Its human nature for people to want and fill as a part of something whether it be in the Sports team, Masonic lodge, Lady’s fashion club or any other team environment that’s been here for kilo cades. The key words in your question are, “Team Concept”, “True Motive” and most importantly “Introduced in the mid 80’s.

First let’s look at “Team”; they’ve been here before the 80s! Secondly “Motive”, reason why to bring it about! And last “Introduced in the mid.80s” again team work has been here before that. So… why try to reinvent the Team concept (mainly in the industrial sector) as which it was!



The best kept secret in upper managements world… is the true motive as to why the team concept was implemented in mid 80s was to break down barriers between managers and employee therefore making the employee feel as if he is on the same team as the employer in turn psychologically causing the employee to feel no need of having a Union. Remember! Teams have been here before the new implementation.

Answer 2

Your question is very interesting! and the answers are also worth reading. I worked for a corporation for 25 years and studied management philosophy, and I never understood the contradiction in terms. We had major corporate rallies to promote and to reward team work; yet, bottom line, the performance review was for the individual, from which a salary increase was to be calculated. Of course, all these practices were incorrectly applied. When have you heard that the janitor was part of the winning team? Have you heard about the arguments among the human body parts disputing their importance in a human's life? What do you think the brain tells the others, and how about the a......? We talk a good word, but we are by nature competitive animals and prefer individual recognition vs. team work. The corporate suits, after all, are the best in "one upsmanship games" . So, what is it?

Answer 3

The idea of the Team Concept is an attempt to streamline the workflow and get everyone working on the same page. Imagine how productive you could be if everyone you worked with had the same goal. Companies seek this, but I agree with you in that they are likely wasting a lot of money trying to accomplish something that a employee centric employer could do by treating their people better.

Answer 4

maybe the employers thought that being in a team would encourage the peer pressure of following the rules and they could cut down on staff and make their own salaries larger. Then recently the rules became "zero tolerance" for a lot of things so more peer pressure.

The mid 80's was the time when the middle managers were dropped from being a staff member (I know because that's the reason I went to college so I was left without a job).

Answer 5

I totally disagree with you. The team concept is important in the workplace, and is valid.
It does favor management in it's stress of the delegation of responsibility, but it aids the worker too by allowing people to feel part of a whole. It does this by enabling people to focus on company goals, and feel a part of the workplace structure.
It actually works quite well in the Industrial sector;Saturn Motors is the prime example.,with things like profit-sharing and decision by committee.
One other thing, never use the assumptive "we all know". No we don't, unless you're a hopeless Liberal who believes that you can affect reality just by thinking something, and therefore affects nothing.

Answer 6

I work a a major metropolitan hospital and we use the team concept. We would have to. Its suppose to insure all employees are on the same page. For example, I, as a nurse, must consult and be consulted by MD, physical therapy, social work etc, for a particular patient.
I hope that helps

Answer 7

It actually does work better than a competitive situation. In those situations, people are afraid that if they share knowledge, they become less valuable. If everyone is on the same team, they are working toward a common goal... usually to put out a quality product in a timely manner.

Answer 8

Our fascination with sports and the celebrity therein. We think we can pull together and win as a team. Look at every great winning franchise the common thread is that they all had the best player at that time. Teamwork sucks team leader inspires.