Group and team they are words that are commonly used interchangeably, but they turn out to be quite unequal, in some way they could be considered synonyms, however, conceptually they exist differences between group and team that deal particularly with its operation, the achievement of objectives and the development to achieve them.
It is easier to form work groups, since people are grouped according to specific characteristics such as age, sex, type of work, experience. Forming work teams is somewhat more complex, since affinities must be taken into account, the ability to work together, something very important to keep in mind is that the activities must complement each other to achieve a goal, that is, each member of the team has specific qualities that together achieve a certain target.
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In this article you will find:
What is a group?
When we speak of a group, we refer to a certain number of people or objects with similar functions or characteristics that also share the same environment. In the work environment, the people that make up a group carry out their work individually, without the tasks of one element influencing or depending on the tasks or work of another.
Example: Group of vendors from a shoe store, children from an art class, etc.
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What is a team?
When we speak of a team, we refer to a certain group of people who all work together for the same purpose. The result of the work depends on the participation and cooperation of all the members, who work individually and collectively at the same time.
Example: The cook team of a restaurant, soccer team, work team for a specific project, etc.
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Differences between group and team
Based on the previous concepts, the first can be observed difference between group and team, but these differ in many other ways, depending on the results, mode of work, etc., which I present below:
Tasks performed by its members
Group: The people who make up a group carry out a similar activity, they work individually in search of particular objectives
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Team: The people who make up a team carry out different but coordinated activities in such a way that one complements or serves another. They work collectively in search of particular and general objectives
Responsibility for the work performed
Group: Each person or member responds individually.
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Team: Responsibility rests with the group as a whole.
Autonomy
Group: They must share the same environment, that is, they are physically close, they have a boss who supervises individual work, the members perform work of the same type, but autonomously, their tasks or results do not depend on the work of any of their colleagues, each member carries out their work and selects the way that best suits them do it.
Team: They do not have to share a physical environment, they have a boss who coordinates the work, they cannot work autonomously, since a task depends on others, so the work done by one element can interfere with the work of the colleague and also affects the result final.
Professional experience
Group: The members have a similar training and do the same job, they are not complementary to each other.
Team: The members master certain facets and each one carries out a specific task of the project. They are complementary to each other. In other words, the training of the members of a team is usually differentiated, since the work of one member is expected to complete that of another. Each one performs functions that add value to the work team in terms of achieving a common goal.
Form of work or action
Group: Each member can function in the way they see fit, as long as they do her job and achieve her goals. In a work group, goals are set and everyone works to achieve them individually. Coordination and collaboration between members is neither mandatory nor necessary.
Team: Coordination is necessary, each member must follow certain performance standards, which will be common depending on the task they perform. For example, speed of response, precision, efficiency, and above all not to interfere with or compromise the work of another. In the work team, coordination between all members is absolutely necessary to achieve the objectives.
Cohesion or relationship between members
Group: Cohesion may or may not occur in the group, without affecting or having any relevance.
Team: Cohesion is essential, there must be union and collaboration among its members.
Hierarchies
Group: Every good work group must be structured in hierarchical levels. It is common for working groups to categorize members with a certain hierarchy. For example: boss, director, coordinator, subordinates, etc.
Team: In the work team the hierarchies are dissolved, there is a boss, captain or leader with a group of collaborators designated according to their knowledge. They work within the team with equality despite the fact that they belong to different job categories. Despite the existence of a leader, all members work in a linear manner, contributing their work and knowledge to achieve goals and objectives.
Regarding the composition and training
Group: Forming a group is easy and simple, it is enough to unite several elements and you already have a group, it requires little time and effort. In the group the elements do not have an active participation, if a member or her performance is missing, and it may not be noticed
Team: To form a team, certain experience and certain information on the elements to be selected is needed. Therefore, it takes more time than the employee to form a group. In the team the elements have an active participation, if a member is missing in a team, or there was no performance of one part is sure to be noticed, it is more possible that it affects the performance of another and the Outcome.
To conclude, it is necessary to be clear that in general, groups can be made up of objects, machines, animals, people, etc., they are simply the set of something. While teams can only be made up of people, they are the fundamental element of any team, since together they act to achieve a common goal or objective.
The group depends on the will of each individual, while the team depends on the common goals between the individuals. Both cases constitute a valid and useful way of organizing work, choosing between one or the other will depend on the needs that are handled.
