Organizational Team Structure

It can be difficult to organize a large group.

As an organization grows, its structure becomes increasingly important. A large organization can't be managed properly unless it has an strong internal structure. There are several ways to structure an organization, including by function or by department. One of the most common is a team structure. A team is composed of employees who work together on a specific project; it's a pragmatic way to group employees.

Cross-functional

A team structure is cross-functional. It combines workers with various skills, like management, administrative assistants and sales.

Interdepartmental

Cross-functional teams are also interdepartmental; this means that people from various departments are included. For example, staff from marketing may work with staff from accounting on a specific project.

Advantages

A team structure has the advantage of speeding up the work flow and lowering costs. It also generally improves employee motivation and eliminates unnecessary layers of management.

Disadvantages

The disadvantages to a team structure are that it increases the time spent in meetings, and that time management is more challenging. What's more, staff may feel that their work with the team conflicts with their work in their department.

References

• Cliffs Notes: Five Approaches to Organizational Design