Module 3 - SLP GROUPS AND TEAMS AT WORK

MGT302 SLP 3 Your Name Trident University International MGT302 Organizational Behavior and Teamwork Due Date MGT302 SLP 3 In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, technology has become essential to an individual's daily existence, altering the manner in which individuals operate and engage with one another. MYSAN Management Consulting (2024) asserts that the contemporary workplace has undergone a substantial transition, challenging conventional work concepts and introducing opportunities and difficulties in successfully managing work groups. Comprehending the dynamics of onsite, remote, and hybrid work arrangements is crucial for enhancing productivity, collaboration, and employee well-being in the contemporary workplace. This paper identifies the challenges and opportunities presented by different work arrangements. The paper will finally propose strategies organizations can utilize to promote productivity, collaboration, and well-being among team members. Modern Work Arrangements Originally, work models were characterized by rigid archetypes, with employers demands that employees work within stipulated timeframes and locations. Nowadays, society faces many changes, and to cope with them, organizations must be flexible, innovative, creative, and sensitive on all levels. According to Hunter (2019), the shift towards flexible work modalities has become more prominent due to several factors, including technological advancements, globalization, and evolving employee expectations. Initially, work was predominantly performed onsite, where teams collaborated face-to-face within physical offices. The COVID-19 epidemic has necessitated the transfer of teams globally from co-located to virtual formats (Zolotina et al., 2023). Remote work provides individuals with enhanced autonomy and facilitates a more effective balance between personal and professional responsibilities. As the workplace continues to evolve, hybrid work arrangements, combining remote and onsite work, have emerged as a popular model. Bate (2024) claims that, with the hybrid model, employees can work to their strengths and increase productivity, and one could also benefit from lower overheads. Hybrid remote work concept has gained prominence as a feasible work framework, tailored to effectively respond to the global changes and technological improvements that have impacted cultural perspectives towards workplace flexibility and work in general. Onsite Work Groups Onsite work groups comprise employees who predominantly collaborate in a physical office setting. Werker and Ooms (2019) assert that impromptu brainstorming sessions, prompt feedback, and the capacity to interpret non-verbal signals enhance effective collaboration and problem resolution. Furthermore, onsite staff typically have enhanced access to resources such as office equipment, meeting places, and direct oversight. However, there is the potential of increased anxiety, less flexibility, and regular distractions attributed to the increasingly rigid work routine. According to Bate (2024), problems may occur, including work-life balance, limited flexibility, and elevated sickness rates. The research asserts that an office job entails commute time, which can considerably prolong an employee's workday (Bate, 2024). Conversely, familial interactions and domestic life are impacted, creating conflict opportunities. An imbalance in professional life subsequently results in a discontented personal life, as indicated by the study by Budhiraja and Kant (2021). Employees must be at the office by a specific time and leave when the office is closing. Employees could feel resentful as they have little or no flexibility. The proliferation of individuals in a shared workspace heightens the likelihood of transmitting colds and influenza (Bate, 2024), adversely affecting productivity. Remote Work Groups Remote workgroups consist of employees operating from diverse places, utilizing digital tools and communication channels for collaboration (Bate, 2024). This structure has...