Relationship Between Work Team and Support Units
The relationship between a work team and support units or staff is crucial for the overall success and efficiency of an organization. Support units, such as HR, IT, finance, and customer service, provide essential services and resources that enable the work team to focus on their core tasks and responsibilities. A strong collaborative relationship fosters communication, alignment of goals, and more efficient problem-solving.
Utilization of Support Staff by Managers
Managers can leverage the expertise and resources of support staff in various ways:
-
Delegation of Administrative Tasks: Managers can assign routine or administrative tasks to support staff to allow their team to concentrate on higher-priority projects. For instance, instead of spending time on scheduling interviews or compiling reports, the manager can delegate these tasks to HR or administrative staff.
-
Access to Resources: Support units can provide tools and resources that the work team may not have direct access to. For example, if a product development team is working on a new product, they may require specific market analysis data. The manager can reach out to the market research team in the support unit to gather this information.
-
Training and Development: Managers can collaborate with HR to facilitate training sessions for their team, ensuring continuous professional development. For instance, if a manager identifies a skills gap in their team's software proficiency, they can partner with the IT support unit to organize workshops or training sessions.
Example: In a marketing department, the work team may need to execute a large-scale campaign. The manager can use the finance team to assist in budgeting and tracking expenses, while the IT department can help set up digital marketing tools and analytics software to monitor the campaign's success.
Organisational Activities
Organisational activities are the essential tasks and processes that organizations undertake to achieve their goals. Different types of activities can include:
-
Strategic Planning: Developing long-term goals and strategies for the organization. For example, an annual strategic retreat to set organizational objectives for the coming year.
-
Performance Management: Assessing and improving employee performance. For example, conducting performance reviews bi-annually to evaluate employee contributions and set goals.
-
Training and Development: Providing learning opportunities for employees to enhance their skills. For instance, running workshops on new software tools for team members.
-
Product Development: Creating new products or improving existing ones. An example could be a software development team implementing user feedback to enhance their application features.
-
Marketing and Sales Activities: Promoting products and services to increase sales. An example is running a promotional campaign or participating in trade shows to showcase products.
-
Financial Management: Monitoring and controlling organizational finances. For instance, preparing quarterly financial reports to analyze profitability and expenses.
-
Customer Service: Engaging with customers to address inquiries, complaints, or feedback. Providing support via phone, email, and online chat services is a common activity.
-
Compliance and Risk Management: Ensuring organizational practices align with legal regulations and addressing potential risks. For example, conducting audits to ensure compliance with industry regulations.
These activities drive the organization forward and ensure that teams work effectively and cohesively toward shared objectives.
1 answer