Concerned About Employee Groupism? Seeking Advice on Maintaining Team Efficiency

Hello HR Folks! Greetings for the day! Please look into my query. Some of our employees are forming groups. As an HR person, I am concerned that this could affect our company's efficiency. Please guide me on how to prevent this groupism.

Thanks,
NK

This happens everywhere. You can consider this a positive thing. Apply their energy to increase productivity. For example, give them a common task that is a little bit harder than for the other team. How they complete it depends on their behavior. If you find it difficult, you can shuffle them; for example, change their department, shift, or location.

Regards,
Kapil

If those individuals are taking undue advantage of their groupism, then this must be broken down for the betterment of the business. A good way to break the groupism is to assign different tasks to all those individuals in order to keep them busy with their work. It has been noticed that in a company environment, people, when in a group, get a chance to criticize the policies of the system, which cultivates negative thoughts in their minds, and this is not good for productivity.

Please analyze the issues raised by them. Try to redress the grievances at your level or apprise the senior management. Take into confidence the supervisors and pro-management employees. Arrange meetings with the aggrieved employees and their representatives in a cordial manner to find out the solutions.

Regards,
R K SINGH
CHANDIGARH

Addressing Employee Group Formation

Please check what is the reason behind it. If you are biased towards some employees, this could lead to the formation of groups. Please check and try to eliminate the same.

Alternatively, you could call the groups of workmen for a discussion to understand the issue and find a resolution. If they express interest in starting a trade union, explain the advantages and disadvantages of a trade union in an industry. I suggest considering a works committee instead of a trade union. Involve employees in management meetings, get their ideas, and try to implement them during crisis situations. If these strategies prove successful, openly appreciate or reward them. This approach would lead to transparency and build belief in management.

Regards,
Raju

Maintaining Good Employee Relations

Please maintain a good rapport with all employees. Try to understand their feelings and problems and prioritize them. Identify the leaders and negotiate with them regarding their benefits and demands. Most people involved in groupism want to establish their identity within their workmen group.

Therefore, try to avoid favoritism by providing welfare benefits equally to all workmen. Show that management is committed to the well-being of all employees.

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth.

Understanding Tribalism in the Workplace

There is a term known as "tribalism" that is present everywhere, be it in a company, department, or process. It cannot be eliminated. Even in a dictatorship, it exists. It depends on how you harness it.

Exploring Belbin's Technique

Are you aware of Belbin's technique? It sheds more light on team roles such as plants, resource investigators, coordinators, implementers, etc. Try to introduce strong systems, knowledge management, and focus on individuals, etc.

Group formation is a natural process that cannot be doubted. Please try to find out the reasons for such an occurrence by consulting the workers concerned informally. There may be several reasons for this, such as discrimination among workers for any cause, mishandling of workers by managerial personnel, or improper handling of grievances.

Please carefully examine the causes, and if any are found to be incorrect, try to address them. This approach will cultivate loyalty among the workers towards you. If you find some workers to be troublesome, consider befriending them and managing their behavior. Finally, seek assistance from your other colleagues, disband the group by transferring some to other departments, moving others to different positions, and developing friendships with others.

Please remember, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for this issue. You need to foster loyalty among a group of workers to form a cohesive team that can also address any dissenting individuals.

All the best.

Regards,
S.K. Johri

Groupism has two faces. On one side, it helps us resolve issues instead of addressing all employees at once. On the other side, management loses grip among employees.

Based on your organization's situation, you can mold them. Try to break groupism by offering or showing benefits, introducing more HR initiatives, and creating a sense of belonging among the workforce.

I am not saying or supporting groupism. If any of your employees are facing problems, try to resolve the issues individually rather than handing them over to the group. This approach will leave a good impression on the employees' minds.

Try to move closer or friendlier to employees. Attend and visit their homes and occasions. Offer good HR initiatives such as awards, rewards, etc.

I am providing this suggestion to the best of my knowledge. Please revert if there are any mistakes.

Regards,
Srikanth

Understanding Groupism in the Workplace

Groupism saps the energy of the team and spoils the company atmosphere. It is a symptom that arises due to an underlying cause—either due to favoritism (where the boss has some pet employees who wield a lot of influence in the company), lack of transparency, lack of respect, or any other such issue.

Addressing the Causes of Groupism

If the rewards and incentives in the company are connected to performance and merit, and things are done in a clear, transparent way, it significantly reduces groupism. Try to find out what is the reason behind the groupism you see. It is serious because it can reduce the company to a mediocre team.

Regards