March 19,2001

Written by: Kelli Dammen

Green, F.B. & Henderson, D.A. (March/ April 2000). "Tools @ work: Nine ways to evaluate the effectiveness of your team-based organization." Journal for Quality and Participation, Volume 23, number 2.

"Despite the promise of teams and the exceptional performance reported by some organizations, many work teams do not prove to be as effective as companies expect." In this article, Green and Henderson discuss nine ways to evaluate the effectiveness of team-based organizations. Evaluating the effectiveness of a team-based organization is essential if companies want their people to work well together. Organizations need an effective way to be provided with feedback regarding their readiness and support of a team-based structure. Green and Henderson say that this is where surveys come into play.

There are two types of surveys that organizations can use: those designed in-house with the assistance of an organizational consultant, and those that are ready-made, designed for specific uses. Even though in-house surveys have several advantages over ready-made surveys, Green and Henderson suggest using a ready-made survey due to the fact that they have already been found scientifically valid.

Finding the right survey to administer in your particular organization can be difficult. This is why Green and Henderson discuss nine surveys that have some level of "perceived value to organizations involved in the implementation of team-based management." The nine tools include:

1. Campbell-Hallam Team Development Survey (TDS) - this survey is designed to identify team strengths and weaknesses and stimulate discussion about critical team issues. For more information, visit www.ncs.com.
2. Group Styles Inventory (GSI) - this survey is designed to be administered after a team tackles and attempts to solve a particular problem. It measures the patterns of behavior that emerge when people work together toward a solution. For more information, visit www.hsnz.co.nz.
3. Organizational Analysis Survey (OAS) - this survey measures employee opinions and attitudes which allow management to see how employees feel and compare it to how management thinks employees should feel. For more information visit www.novations.com.
4. Employee Opinion Survey (EOS) - this survey is designed to elicit opinions employees have about their workplace.
5. Winning Manufacturing Diagnostic (WMD) - this survey may be used to evaluate or determine the continuous improvement priorities of a manufacturing firm.
6. Organizational Culture Inventory (OCI) - this survey is designed to assess thinking and behavioral styles. The scores identify the type of corporate culture. For more information visit www.hsnz.co.nz.
7. Organizational Effectiveness Inventory (OEI) - this inventory seeks to identify structural features, processes, practices, and outcomes that affect service, quality, and productivity. Some outcomes that are assessed include quality of service, teamwork and coordination, etc. For more information visit www.hsnz.co.nz
8. Team Climate Inventory (TCI) - this survey focuses on four characteristics of group innovation and effectiveness )vision, participative safety, task orientation, and support for innovation).
9. Quality Performance Teamwork Questionnaire (GOTEAMS) - this survey is designed to measure and assess each feature and stage within the "GOTEAMS framework" which includes seven features identified as having a bearing on successful implementation of team-based organizations.

These surveys provide an opportunity to assess the gap that exists within an organization. Using one of more of these instruments to aid in the evaluation process can help management better understand team-based organizational effectiveness.