Social Loafing: Contradictory Force To Effective Work Groups

By establishing work teams, organizations can leverage the creative ability of a group to accomplish desired goals. However, the efficiency of the team can be thwarted by several negative traits that can plague groups. Two behaviors that can undermine the covenantal attitudes within a team are the presence of groupthink and social loafing (Fischer, 2015). Neither of which support the development of mutual respect and care of the individuals within the group. This paper will expound on those two negative group behaviors and provide biblical support for appropriate covenantal work team behavior.

Groupthink

One major contradictory force to effective work teams is the presence of the phenomenon of groupthink, which corrodes the decision-making abilities of a group. Robbins and Judge (2009) describe groupthink as “situations in which group pressures for conformity deter the group from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views” (p. 304). Group members feel compelled to kowtow to the conclusions of the majority or of those as seen as more popular or charismatic. Consequently, viable alternatives may go undiscovered, and group performance can stagnate. In these situations, the individuals of the group receive

When groups become too large or group members feel insignificant, social loafing can result. Social loafing is defined as “the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually” (Robbins & Judge, 2009, p. 299). This also contradicts a covenantal approach to group behavior and the biblical admonition to “do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3, NASB). In fact, Kayes, Kayes and Kolb (2005) noted that self-centered behaviors and self-promotion may be the cause of social