The Institutional Review Board of Western Kentucky University

approved this research project # 12-152.

THE IMPACT OF ARRANGED SEATING AND TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES ON DEVELOPING A UNIFIED TEAM

Bethany R. VandermolenWestern Kentucky University

Introduction

According to Schwartz (2011), the psychological well-being of employees positively influences

job performance.

An individual’s affect and their job performance includes:

•social relationships

•situational sources

•and dispositional sources within the workplace

(Heaphy & Dutton, 2008; Schwartz, 2011)

This review summarizes:

•Some potential barriers

•How to overcome barriers

•Ways to improve staff morale & teamwork

When turn over occurs with

personnel, new staff members need

opportunities to speak and be heard

without being ridiculed for efforts or

being brushed aside (Meintel, 2005).

What can happen when…Baby Boomer

Generation X

Generation Y (or millennials)

combine within the workforce?

http://youtu.be/IEQ1bEaxJe0

Potential problems

Gaps in ages can often be a cause for

communication problems and staff are

not always aware of how to

communicate. Staff may need to learn

how to communicate with each other.

Potential problems

Hartman and McCambridge (2011)

described millennials as needing to feel

engaged, participating in the learning

process, enjoying the process, and

being social learners who tend to work

best in team environments.

What are some ways to learn to work together?

Day-to-day strategies

• Improve morale

• Change the perspective of the people

• Practice some positive workplace practices

• Managers to show compassion & empathy

• Set positive tone for the beginning of the day

Life balance is critical for teams, for them to have fun together both inside and outside of the work place (Jefferson, 2010).

What are some ways to learn to work together?

Team building activities

Team BuildingKeys to successful team building activities:

• every individual’s contribution

• activities planned and selected with care

• activities be serious business

• activities to involve a set of strategies firmly rooted in workplace dynamics

(Laff, 2006; Sturdivant, 2008; Miller, 2007)

The first step includes….figuring out the goal(s) you are trying to achieve from the use of team building activities.

Activities may include:

• how to communicate better

• manage conflict

• understand skills and talents that everyone brings to the table

(Woodward, 2006)

Two key factors for effective team building activities

the discussion and analysis

seeing teamwork becoming integrated into day-to-day work

(Laff, 2006; Woodward, 2006)

Planning for team building activities

should also require thought about seating

arrangements such as circular or rectangular arrangements, where all participants can see each other work best

(Brotherton, 2010)

Current study

Evaluated the impact of the

implementation of a team building activity

and arranged seating on personnel

teamwork and morale within LifeSkills

Incorporation, the Developmental Services

Department/First Steps staff.

Who & What First Steps is a state-wide program.

The local district is called Barren River with the Point of Entry office housed within LifeSkills Incorporation’s Developmental Services Department (Bowling Green, KY).

History of the personnel2007 – 5 personnel•4 full time employees, 1 part time

2012 – 11 personnel•10 full time, 1 part-time

Out of the 11, seven personnel have been employed for over a year. Four personnel have been employed under a year.

Triangulation of Data

Data was collected:

•To gauge current level of staff morale

•To gauge current level of group teamwork

To determine how effective the addition of team building activities….. and to determine if arrangement of seating arrangement

affected staff morale and teamwork.

Data type one

One-on-one interviews •between each professional and the principal investigator

•used five open ended questions

Data type two

During the implementation, a reflective journal was kept.

•by the principal investigator

Data type three

Upon completion of the implemented activities a survey was completed.

•had eight initial questions based on a Likert scale

•two conclusion questions

•completed by participating professionals

The Implementation

Over three weeks, the weekly staff meeting:

•included one team building activity

•had arranged seating

Common thoughts about staff morale:

Average

(5)

Decent, could be better

Too much negativity

Middle of the road

Positive statements from the interviews:

“no drama, we all get along”

“staff dedication”

the staff help one another, “cover

meetings for one another”, etc.

Recommendations made:

Negativity was listed as a reason for lower staff

morale

“be more positive”“accept you cannot change

the way others feel, that negativity will always

happen, do not let it affect you, and just go on.”

Reflective JournalThere were incidents during the weeks when a professional arrived to the meeting late and/or had to leave early.

• Other than people entering and exiting during meetings no disruptions was noted during staff meetings.

Use of cell phones was observed during meetings.

• No specific disruptions were observed by the use of them.

• A variety of all the professionals was recorded regarding questions being asked and/or being active in discussions.

Survey Results

Pay sufficent attention Self Distracted Distracted by others Seating impacts0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Strongly DisagreePost-SDDisagreePost-DisagreeAgreePost-AgreeStrongly AgreePost-SA

Survey final questions

Team building activities:

Continue monthly

Continue weekly

Do not continue, they

do not help

(six out of eight)

(one)

(one)

Survey last two questions

Seven professionals stated:

neither large group or small group

team building activities to be

large group activities vs. in small groups

One professional stated:

Research Limitations•use of a small number of professionals

•professionals not being truly open or honest in their answers within the interviews or the surveys

•this research may not be able to be applied to different fields or workplaces.

Impacts

•Decision for continuing team building activities on a monthly basis.

•The effect of the arranged seating was extremely hard to determine and was found to have little to no influence with the group.

•The reflective journals also gave no indication that the different seating arrangements resulted in the professionals engaging more or less as their engagement.

Impacts

The team was be able to identify common concerns and strengthens.

•It also impacted planning for the future to include continued team building activities.

References Brotherton, P. (2010, November). Seating arrangements can affect group morale. T+D, 64(11),

24.

Department for Public Health. (2012). 902 KAR 30:150. Personnel qualifications. Retrieved from http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/902/030/150.htm.

Hartman, J. L., & McCambridge, J. (2011). Optimizing Millennials’ communication styles. Business Communication Quarterly, 74(1), 22-44.

Heaphy, E. D., & Dutton, J. E. (2008). Positive social interactions and the human body at work: Linking organizations and physiology. Academy of Management Review, 33(1), 137-162.

Hrmixbag (2010). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEQ1bEaxJe0&feature=youtu.be

Jamail, N. (2011). How to improve your team’s morale. Supervision, 72(9), 13-14.

Jefferson, A. I. (2010, November). Let’s go team. Black Enterprise, 41(4), 48.

Laff, M. (2006, August). Effective team building: more than just fun at work. T+D, 60(8), 24.

Meintel, J. (2005, July/August). Building a team. Mobility Forum: The Journal of the Air Mobility Command’s Magazine, 14(4), 32-34.

Michelini, R. L., Passalacqua, R., & Cusimano, J. (2001). Effects of seating arrangement on group participation. The Journal of Social Psychology, 1976 (99), 179-186.

Miller, B. C. (2007). Quick activities to improve your team: How to run a successful team-building activity. Journal for Quality & Participation, 30(3), 28-32.

Moore, P. (2007, April). Team talk. NZ Marketing Magazine, 26(3), 38-40.

Priebe, S., Fakhoury, W. H., Hoffman, K., & Powell, R. A. (2005). Morale and job perception of community mental health professionals in Berlin and London. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 40(3), 223-232.

Ryan, K. (2012, January/February). Gilt Groupe’s CEO on building a team of a players. Harvard Business Review, 90(1/2), 43-46.

Schwartz, A. (2011). Foster care workers’ emotional responses to their work. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 28(3), 31-51.

Sturdivant, J. (2008, April/May). Make the team. Wearables Business, 12(4), 25.

Woodward, N. (2006, September). Make the most of team building. Hrmagazine, 52(9), 72.