Members of a cross-functional team must work together.
Cross-functional teams are units within a company that include members from various company departments. The team may come together temporarily to work on a specific objective and short-term goal, or it may be a permanent unit designed to address ongoing business issues. The use of cross-functional teams can be a very effective business strategy for companies in many different industries.
Cross-functional teams include people from various departments within a company.
The origins of the cross-functional team seem to date back to the 1950s, when companies began exploring the idea of bringing together teams with members drawn from multiple departments. By combining people with different areas of expertise and skills, a company can create a very small functional unit capable of accomplishing a great deal. For example, a company working on new product development can move the process much faster with cross-functional teams than when moving product sequentially from one department to another.
Cross-functional teams can work quickly and efficiently and can be given a lot of autonomy.
Members of a cross-functional team work together, but also take into account the needs of their home departments. For example, someone in marketing will remember marketing needs when discussing goals with team members and may set the direction for decisions made by the team in a way that benefits the marketing department. Similarly, a person in the department that focuses on packaging and distribution would consider issues related to that department, and so on. This can reduce inefficiency down the line by ensuring that the needs of different departments are considered at every step of the decision-making process.
Cross-functional teams may be tasked with making decisions, developing products, and solving problems facing the business. They can work quickly and very efficiently and can have great autonomy. The use of cross-functional teams in operations can stimulate innovation, as people may feel more comfortable exploring and presenting new ideas in small groups.
When building cross-functional teams, companies need to think about their needs and how to get the right mix of people. A team leader is usually assigned to coordinate the group, but since the group is small, making sure everyone works well together is critical. Interpersonal conflicts can decrease efficiency as well as create an unpleasant work environment, making it difficult for the team to achieve its goals. On the other hand, like-minded team members may not make a great team because they will find it hard to see the big picture or think about problems in new ways.