The 9 DIFFERENCES between GROUP and work TEAM

The human being is a social being, he needs his fellow beings to survive and develop. But, when it comes to living together, groups of individuals are formed and, to develop productive activities, organized groups that can become teams. However, there are multiple studies and realities that lead to qualify statements as resounding as they are real, if we turn to our experience personal, as we will try to show below in our discussion, together with the dynamic processes they undergo, throughout their evolution.

Social psychology explains concepts and social phenomena, such as what a social group is, the classification of social groups, and the types of social group. In this Psychology-Online article, we will see, among other information, the definition of a social and work group, the characteristics of a social group and, especially, the difference between group and work team through a comparative chart.

Index

1. Characteristics of a group
2. Characteristics of a team
3. Differences between a group and a team
4. Types of social and work groups
5. We need to belong to groups

What is a group? Individuals are grouped according to the purpose of the objectives they are trying to achieveIn such a way that different types of group are being formed, depending on the collective activity, acquiring, in each case, different and specific profiles (Roca, 1996; Poblete, 1998). For us to be able to speak of a group in an environment of social relations, it is admitted in the literature in general that at least six characteristics:

• A group must be a set of individuals.
• The main characteristic of a group is that it has a common goal.
• There are some group formation and development processes.
• A group has a structure.
• The members of a social group depend on each other for the satisfaction of individual needs (Thibaut and Kelley 1959).
• A group functions as an open system in interaction with the environment (Dunphy, 1972; González et als., 1996).
• All this in a dynamic and changing context over time, as individuals change, on the other hand.

On the contrary, when groups are unsatisfactory for the members that compose them, they stop working optimally. If it is sought to achieve a certain degree of efficiency and productivity in achieving the common objective, at the same time has to increase its level of organization, complexity and internal dynamics, eventually developing a team.

what is a team work? On the other hand, a team is a group, that is, a set of people, but it goes further. A team is a group formed by people who have different profiles and perform different functions to achieve a group objectivewhich is complex and multi-tasking.

In a team, each person performs a function that is essential for the overall function to be carried out and to achieve joint objectives. These are often large and complex goals that require different tasks to be handled by different members. The tasks of some are closely related to those of others.

A group is not the same as a team. Next we will see the differences between a group and a team.

Group of people and work team are not equivalent terms. There are several differences between a work group and a work team according to authors. For example, Poblete (2000) summarizes the nuances that allow us to consider, in a differential way, a mere group of subjects in a team, in relation to different factors that we will see below:

1. goals

The first difference between a team and a work group is regarding the objectives:

• Group. The objectives decided by the organization and group members are hired to achieve those goals.
• Team. In the case of the team, the objectives are defined among all, so they are owned by the team. Therefore, there is a feeling of belonging.

2. Organization of tasks

• Group. The activities are distributedon and the members have their assigned tasks.
• Team. The tasks are distributed, but in a flexible or interchangeable.

3. Effectiveness

• Group. Another difference between group and work team has to do with efficiency. In the case of the group, is measured by the results of the organization.
• Team. However, in a team, the effectiveness is measured by the results of collective work. For this reason, aspects such as repercussion or social valuation are important.

4. Relations

• Group. Relations in a group are characterized by permanence, conformity and compliance of the rules.
• Team. Relationships in a team are based on confidence. The priority in a team is the achievement of collective results and a good climate.

5. ID

• Group. The members of a group feel identified with the organization and often proud to belong to it.
• Team. Exists first of all identification with the team, in addition to the organization.

6. Values

• Group. The values ​​that members of a group follow are those of the organization itself. In this article we talk about types of values ​​with examples.
• Team. exist shared values, typical of the team, compatible with those of the organization.

7. Leadership

One of the main differences between group and work team is in reference to leadership.

• Group. In a group there is one person normally imposed leader.
• Team. Leadership is a role of the structure of the team.

8. Information

• Group. Another difference between team and group is that, in the group, the information it is administered by the leader.
• Team. While on the team, the information is available to the group openly and honestly.

9. Rules

• Group. The leader explicitly demands compliance with the organizational rules.
• Team. Rules are rules of the game accepted and demanded by all tacit or explicit and supervised by the leader.

Without going into the great complexity and exhaustiveness that analyzing such differences would entail, the minimum that a group must require to be productive, for example in a labor organization, Navarro et als. (2011) collects previous contributions (Meneses et al., (2008)) and indicates the following:

• The interrelation between the members.
• Identification with the collective.
• Coordination of behaviors, resources and technologies.
• The orientation of the members towards the achievement of the team's goals.

Despite the fact that there is no univocal and unanimous taxonomy or classification of groups when carrying out a job, either due to the variety of groups, cultures, countries and tasks, one of the most accepted is that referred to by Hackman (1987), which refers to the degree of power and autonomy granted in a group (García-Salmones, 2008). Thus, it distinguishes several types of groups:

• Targeted groups: with external supervision or without autonomy, for example, the crews of ships or airplanes).
• Self-directed groups: Delegated authority is for the realization of tactical issues, such as goal setting, schedule, work organization, contact with customers and suppliers. The organization determines the mission, scope of operations, and budget for each of the teams. Quality circles are a good example.
• Self-defined groups: This type of group is treated as an independent company from the parent organization and the team is authorized to make decisions as if it were a small independent business. This formula is usually found in cooperative-type businesses, communes or social clubs.
• Self-governing groups: these are the groups with the highest level of autonomy, the dynamics observed by high-level teams serve as an example. management: member executives cooperate and are jointly responsible for the internal operations of the organization.

If we move away from organized groups focused on productive activity, the truth is that any human being, throughout his life, is part of a group of similar in order to achieve a common goal that would otherwise be much more complicated. We join with others to satisfy some individual need, be that of affiliation (provides security, protection, physical defense, emotional support) or simply because we like the type of activities that you carry out or because we share your goals (or even, due to individual inability to face challenges, which we could not overcome without the support of others subjects).

But in the formation of groups certain dynamic processes are observed, as explained in the following article on groups and the relationship between groups from social psychology.

All of us are undoubtedly part of a group. Survival as human individuals would be of questionable viability without the support of other conspecifics. (the family, a clan of affective and protective ties), at least in the early evolutionary stages of the human being. As we grow we become part of other groups (school, work, sports or recreational clubs, communities of owners, religious, political and social activities). social organization), of increasing difficulty in terms of established relationships - of operation, organization, communication, contribution - and, in the adult stage, when we join the work environment we do it, first voluntarily and then we are subjected to a dynamic - in this case, more forced - experienced by the different subgroups in which we have to participate.

In any case, the dynamic circle of Worchel, although it does not fully explain the processes that are experienced in all the groups, it refers in a fairly exact way some of the phases we go through in our participation in some of the groups we are part of, voluntarily or involuntarily.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Differences between group and work team, we recommend that you enter our category of Social psychology.

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