Definition of Teamwork

Definition 

The ability to work as part of a team is one of the most important skills in today’s job market. Employers are looking for people who can contribute their own ideas, but also want them to work with others to create and develop projects and plans (Hashim, 2015).

Teamwork is an essential part of workplace success. Like a basketball team working together to set up the perfect shot, every team member has a specific role to play in accomplishing tasks on the job. Staggers, Garcia and Angelhood (2008) suggest that teamwork is incorporated within the higher education curriculum for a number of reasons including:

• assisting students to construct knowledge with alternative viewpoints,
• improving communication, and
• providing students with the opportunity to practice the generic skills required for the workforce.

Teamwork must be considered an individual skill and the responsibility of every individual in the organisation. Not treating teamwork as an individual skill and responsibility allows otherwise highly skilled employees to justify their non-performance by pointing fingers at others (Avery, 2009). A team is a living and dynamic entity. It could progress from an early to a mature phase, independent of the nature of the team or the task it must perform.