A2 Types of Team
Unit 9: Teambuilding in Business. Resources for BTEC Business Studies
Teams are groups of people who are brought together to collaborate on a shared goal. Decisions on how to form teams can depend on their purpose.
Types of teams include;
Formal or informal teams
Different sizes of teams
Temporary or permanent teams
The Structure of Teams
Formal Teams: These are the teams that staff members are assigned to as they share the same objectives and purpose and members complete similar tasks or tasks that support each other. Formal teams ensure there is clear accountability for the responsibility of tasks, they establish a clear chain of command so employees know who to go to for support and they avoid duplication of work.
Formal teams that staff members at John Lewis may be assigned to include;
Women’s clothing: Staff in women’s clothing will be responsible for ensuring that all clothing is displayed neatly and customers are supported in their purchases.
Customer service: Customer service staff are responsible for the satisfaction of customers. This may be through dealing with queries, locating items in other stores and handling complaints effectively.
Warehouse: Staff in the warehouse are responsible for locating and distributing stock to the store when requested and ensuring good stock control systems are in place to maintain appropriate levels of stock.
Informal Teams: These are teams that emerge as people who have similar interests choose to spend time together and collaborate on tasks. This provides opportunities for staff to connect and collaborate with people outside of the formal team they are assigned to with their job role. These connections can foster a culture of teamwork and collaboration that benefits the organisation as a whole.
Informal teams that have emerged at John Lewis include;
The Wellbeing Champions Network: This is a group of over 700 staff who work together to offer support and activities to promote wellbeing.
Community Matters Volunteers: This is an opportunity for staff at John Lewis to support local causes through fundraising or community projects.
Social Groups: John Lewis provides subsidised meals and dining spaces for employees while they are working, providing space for staff to connect with people from other departments. They also promote a range of clubs such as abseiling, skiing, drama and photography where people can connect based on shared interests.
Types of Teams
Temporary teams are formed for a specified time period to work on a particular task such as a project.
Due to the large increase in sales during the Christmas period, John Lewis recruits large numbers of temporary workers. In 2024, this was estimated to be 12,500 staff. Temporary teams will likely be formed consisting of a range of temporary and permanent staff. This allows more experienced staff to guide and support the temporary workers.
Permanent teams are groups of people in a business who work together on a continuous basis.
Staff in John Lewis are allocated to a team depending on the position they apply for such as reservations, stock control, cheffing and maintenance. They work in those teams for long periods allowing them to develop the skills and experience needed to enhance their performance.
Remote or virtual teams are formed by people in different geographic locations working on a shared project.
John Lewis has introduced its “blended working” policy which allows head office workers to work from home. To facilitate this, they use a technology called Cisco Telepresence to facilitate effective communication between team members.
Vertical teams are organised so a team leader or manager sets objectives and priorities and is responsible for deciding actions to achieve goals.
At John Lewis, a vertical approach is used during time of crisis. For example, due to the rise of e-commerce and the fallout from the Covid-10 pandemic, the retail sector faced significant disruption. During this time, the leadership at John Lewis centralised some of their strategic decision-making.
Horizontal teams are organised so team members work together to decide objectives, priorities and actions to achieve goals.
At John Lewis, there is a large emphasis on “employee-centric leadership” where employees are invited to be part of the decision-making process. This includes the establishment of the “partner council” where employees are invited to voice their opinions.
