Organizational Behaviour

Group Work Analysis

Examining workplace harassment as a group has personally taught me much more than the contents of our research. On a larger scale, it was also a great exercise in organizational and group behaviour. A topic which was extensively covered throughout this project can be found within chapter 9: Work Teams and Groups. In chapter 9 of our textbook, it describes a work team as “a group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common mission, performance goal, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.” This definition is a perfect example of what we achieved by participating in this exercise. Our common mission was to create a ten page paper documenting several aspects of harassment within the workplace. We were individually able to bring common and unique skills to the table, and apply these skillsets in various areas throughout. I am stronger in the area of writing, and so volunteered to form our research into a cohesive paper. The visual aspect of PowerPoint is a different topic altogether, and so Laura was able to tackle this task much more efficiently. With the help of all members within the group, we were able to perform a humorous skit in front of the class. Our combined skills turned this project into an excellent effort we were all proud of, as we merged our unique talents together in a common cause.

In the beginning stages of our project, I experienced an example of social loafing amongst some peers. This is recorded on my journal entry dated April 26th, when agitated feelings towards group projects were discussed. At the time, I felt that group members were failing to contribute their own time, effort, and thoughts to the project. As the project went on however, I saw them work hard on other aspects of our assignment, and make important contributions towards our end goal. When I saw this happening, I felt that the group dynamic advanced into a mature group. As a mature group we were “able to work...