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Managers often preach the importance of teams, yet our workforce management systems continue to be oriented largely on the individual.

If teams are that important, shouldnt we re-engineer our workforce management practices around teams rather than individuals? Consider the following aspects of management:

Individual employees are given a job description, and this job description is often supported by a comprehensive job analysis. Teams, on the other hand, often have vague goals and unclear work processes.

Individual employees are optimally provided with an orientation to their job and ongoing training to improve their performance.

How often are teams provided with a similar orientation to their work and training to improve team performance?

Complex systems have been established to select job applicants for work in an organization. With some exceptions, technical qualifications are deemed to be of paramount importance in the selection process. Systematic evaluation techniques are used to assess technical qualifications.

If organizations are truly interested in improving team performance, should we not employ similar methods to determine the teamworthiness of job applicants? Organizations orient their motivational and reward systems around individual employee performance.

Given the importance of teams and team performance, should we spend energy developing effective ways of motivating and improving team performance?

If so, how should such reward systems be structured, and what are the risks around team-based reward systems?

Performance management systems are designed to provide feedback, coaching, and goal-setting for individuals.

How often are teams provided with feedback on their performance, along with strategies for improving team performance?

The question is not whether we should ignore the individual and individual reward systems. The larger question is how do we design the workforce management process in our healthcare organizations to truly do justice to the prominent role of teams, now and in the future?

Can our culture change from one that views the individual as the sole unit of value to one where the work team is recognized as having similar values?

Is it possible for our bureaucratic organizational systems such as personnel systems to recognize and accommodate the value of teams? Are the obstacles insurmountable, is it worth the effort?

What is it you want to achieve?

What do you need to achieve this?

How will achieving this outcome benefit your team, the service, and those who use it?

What might stop you from achieving this objective?

How will you know youve achieved your objective?

How will achieving this objective affect other aspects of the teams working and delivery of services?

What is the first necessary step the team needs to take to achieve the objective?