Building a strong team will encourage better communication and productivity, giving your employees the chance to express their ideas in a collaborative workplace. As a manager or team leader, however, you may need help figuring out where to start when organizing your team structure.
A well-functioning team ensures that employees work together. Sharing plans and collectively improving a project enables teams to achieve outstanding goals.
But how do you create the perfect team structure?
You can’t rely on one person to carry out most duties, so getting team organization right is essential. Keep reading our comprehensive guide for the best advice on assembling and structuring your winning team.
Table of contents
- What is team structure in an organization?
- Importance of team structure
- Team structure examples
- Team structure advantages and disadvantages
- 5 tips for building an effective team structure
- What to remember when creating your winning team structure
- ✅ Create a winning team structure with the help of TestGorilla
What is team structure in an organization?
A team structure in an organization is a professional framework that defines key responsibilities, leadership, and relationships between employees. The structure you choose can change how your employees collaborate and complete tasks for your business’s projects.
Team structures are there to help processes run smoothly. One team could be dedicated to each department to work on several parts of a project. For example, the marketing department may require a team comprising research experts and brand strategists.
Importance of team structure
Did you know that 73% of employees think about quitting their jobs because they don’t feel engaged?
Poor engagement derives in large part from the lack of effective teamwork and collaboration. One way to help employees feel excited about their roles is to introduce good team structures.
A team structure is vital because it encourages employee communication, productivity, motivation, and innovation. With a clear team structure, people understand their roles within a project instead of feeling lost or confused when completing their responsibilities.
The flow of communication in the workplace drives a team to success. Not having a suitable structure in an organization will negatively impact employees.
Here are some other reasons why team structure is important:
- Helps employees to achieve goals
- Increased efficiency
- Empowers team members
- Greater employee engagement
- Ownership and accountability
- Positive work culture
- Collaborative environment
Team structure examples
Below are some team structure examples you can implement in your business.
Team structure in management
A management team usually comprises accounting, marketing, business strategies, operations, and sales departments. Each role supports the management of the business and how it performs when competing against other brands in the market.
| Role | Responsibilities | Department |
| Accounting manager | Financial reporting preparing monthly statements reviewing ledger entries organizing payroll budget preparation performance evaluation | Accounting |
| Marketing lead | Analyzing competitors overseeing marketing campaigns creating new strategies promoting products identifying target audience market research | Marketing |
| Operations analyst | Reviewing company data solving internal problems monitoring team performance building reports identifying opportunities for improvement highlighting operational requirements | Operations |
| Sales representative | Pitching relevant products identifying customer needs obtaining new orders contacting potential consumers building professional relationships studying target markets | Sales |
Team structure in design
Design teams can have content strategists, visual designers, user researchers, front-end developers, and interaction designers. The structure depends on how extensive your projects are and the type of professional skills employees possess when designing.
| Role | Responsibilities | Department |
| Content strategist | Publishing relevant content setting business goals developing promotional strategies meeting customer needs spreading brand awareness channel selection | Marketing |
| Visual designer | Developing campaigns creating digital experiences providing graphic designs designing user-centered models following creative direction conversing with marketing experts | Design |
| User researcher | Collaborating with designers data collection recruiting people for research studies defining timelines and budgets conducting primary and secondary research reporting insights | Product development |
| Front-end developer | Optimizing user experience implementing new designs on mobile devices managing new software coding designimproving landing pages designing web structures | IT |
| Interaction designer | Determining customer goals compiling business requirements Product design strategy performing market research implementing unique solutions creating web interfaces | Engineering |
Team structure in project management
Project-management teams may contain roles like product managers, engineers, operations, customer service, marketers, and graphic designers. Many different roles help the wider team finish a project and ensure it meets the highest standards.
| Role | Responsibilities | Department |
| Product manager | Monitoring the current market defining a vision overseeing team members strategic planning planning meetings handling customer needs | Management |
| Graphic designer | Studying design briefs presenting new ideas scheduling big projects determining requirements creating visual concepts meeting with clients | Design |
| QA tester | Documenting testing results tracking defects collaborating with engineers performing tests on products troubleshooting errors communicating operational problems | Engineering |
| Director of operations | Evaluating business procedures documenting manufacturing processes Improving day-to-day operations liaising with clients providing new goals designing strategies | Operations |
| Marketing manager | Understanding trends evaluating pricing strategies representing the business identifying new markets locating target audiences posting on social media | Marketing |
| Customer service representative | Helping customers with complaints giving information about products answering questions taking new orders processing returns managing incoming calls | Customer service/sales |
Team structure advantages and disadvantages
Here are the pros and cons of using a team structure to improve the organization.
Advantages
Business leaders and HR professionals should never overlook team structures in any organization. Only 15% of employees feel engaged in the workplace, meaning that productivity is often lacking. Changing employee engagement requires a collaborative team that can complete all tasks and meet project deadlines.
Some notable advantages include:
Stronger communication
Employees need to communicate when completing their tasks. They can take it upon themselves to discuss new ideas and see how everyone is progressing. A collaborative workplace reinforces positive and constructive communication, making everyone feel included.
Better problem-solving
Structured teams can identify and solve problems quickly. A group of employees working in a structured team is more likely to notice mistakes during project development. Working as a team can strengthen problem-solving skills and help overcome any business challenge.
Increased productivity
Higher productivity levels mean your employees work to the highest standard, as they feel more engaged with their duties and peers. And if teams are productive when collaborating, the organization will make higher profits and improve employee retention.
Sense of community
Reinforcing a positive work culture within teams will make a big difference. Employees may feel that sense of community when discussing their problems or concerns with projects. It’s important to give team members the confidence that they can be honest about their feelings.
Empowered team members
Empowering employees leads to improved work performance. This correlation happens because the employees take ownership of their tasks and individual role in a team. You should help empower team members by stressing their strengths and promoting collaboration.
Disadvantages
Creating a team structure won’t always be an easy task. There are bound to be some obstacles or drawbacks that impact progress or create tension among employees. It’s important to remain aware of these challenges before deciding on a team structure that works for your organization.
Below are some common disadvantages:
Potential conflict
Conflict may occur when employees disagree on the scope and remit of specific roles. One person might feel comfortable in marketing, while another person wants to be in the same department. You should negotiate responsibilities with each individual beforehand to ensure they’re happy.
Interdependence
It’s only natural for team members to rely on one another. However, interdependence can stop people from taking accountability or strengthening skills on their own. Avoiding interdependence requires holding regular meetings that encourage team members to follow their own lead in projects.
Slow decision-making
Potential conflict slows down decision-making within teams, if employees cannot agree on a single solution. Making quick decisions is essential for speedy projects. To resolve this issue, it’s worth creating a plan that helps team members make decisions.
5 tips for building an effective team structure
Here are five tips that will help you create the best team structure for your organization.
1. Create achievable goals
Team members have to know which goals they need to achieve, but they must also be attainable. You can emphasize the most important objectives and define the company’s mission to create achievable goals. It’s worth arranging in-person meetings to discuss their targets and how they can achieve them as a collaborative team.
Before creating goals, think about the following questions:
- What will motivate the team?
- How can they earn rewards?
- What are the short- and long-term goals?
- Can you use SMART goals to define a mission?
- Can employees adjust their goals?
- Are they achievable?
2. Define company expectations
Employees should be aware of expectations when working together. This awareness prevents confusion and arguments over designated tasks. You can make expectations clear by hosting meetings and answering questions from team members.
3. Focus on a positive work culture
It’s common knowledge that a positive work culture can boost employees’ mental health. Without a positive environment, your staff won’t gain the motivation and inspiration to focus on teamwork. Maintaining clear and consistent expectations could also help employees meet company requirements.
Other ways to reinforce positive work culture include:
- Promoting diversity in the team
- Giving frequent feedback
- Creating a sense of purpose
- Praising people when necessary
- Arranging fun events
- Providing training
4. Leave room for professional development
Employees need to work on their skills to progress and excel in their careers. You can design development plans before making the team structure, ensuring each employee can use their skills in dedicated roles and participate in extensive training programs.
5. Engage with all team members
You should never exclude someone in a team structure. It’s important that all employees feel equal when it comes to earning rewards and gaining new tasks. Consider arranging individual meetings to determine how each employee performs in the team.
What to remember when creating your winning team structure
Creating a team structure requires time and planning. You should carefully evaluate each employee’s skills, experience, and knowledge before setting them clear tasks.
For more guidance, TestGorilla has everything you need to hire the right candidates and assess the abilities of your current employees. Take a look through our test library to find high-quality assessments that will help you evaluate each team member before you build an organizational structure.
