Zappos-com - Team Orientation and Use of Culture - Case Study Example

Zappos.com Name Date Course Cultural information of the Company Zappos.com is an international company and it has a lot of diversity in terms of culture. The company employs members of staff from diverse groups. Cultural diversity in the company is enormous due to the high number of employees. However, the organizational culture of the company plays a significant role in terms of dealing with the cultural diversity (Zappos.com, 2014). This is considering that the company requires its members to work as a team. The teams in the company are usually culturally diverse and this but are usually required to achieve the aims and objectives of the team. Team orientation and use of culture The teams within the organization have members from different religion, gender, age and race. These factors contribute to the cultural diversity that is present in all the teams in the company. It is also important to note that the teams have developed their own team cultures for the purposes of ensuring that the common goals can be achieved by the team. The team culture is usually used in the company for the purposes of uniting the team members. This is also used for the purpose of developing a sense of belonging. The team culture is also used for the purpose of ensuring that the team members respect each other at all times and hence increasing the efficiency of the teams. How they gauge their performance The company places a lot of importance on good performance by the teams. This is because the performance of the team contributes to the overall performance of the company. The performance of the team is usually gauged in relation to the targets that have been achieved (Zappos.com, 2014). It is also important to note that the achievement of the team is used for the purpose of gauging its performance. The goals that the team was unable to achieve are usually measured against the goals that were achieved. Setting the standards for team performance In the company, high standards are usually set for to ensure that the performance is high. The standards of team performance are usually set against the previous performance. This is for the purposes of ensuring that the team achieves continuous improvements. The team performance is usually set using new goals and objectives. However, it is important to note that the standards are usually set in relation to the overall goals and objectives of the company. The standards set are also for the purpose of improving on the previous weaknesses of the team. How teamwork is rewarded The company recognizes the good performance by the teams within the company. Good teamwork performance is usually rewarded as a way of motivating the team in order to ensure better outcome. The team is usually rewarded financially and also through recognition of the good results. A trophy is at times rewarded to the team for good performance. The team can also be taken for a trip as a way of rewarding them for good performance. This also plays an important role in terms of uniting the team members and hence encouraging better performance in future. Types of pay incentives used The incentive pay is usually for the purpose of rewarding the team for their good performance and hence motivating the team (Thompson, 2013). In the company, the pay incentives are common and have always played an important role in motivating individuals and teams. Merit pay is one of the pay incentives that are available to the team. This is usually paid after the performance of the team has been reviewed. Incentive benefits are also available for team for the purpose of motivation. The incentives have played an important role in the company in terms of motivating the teams and hence the good performance. Team based pay structure The company does not have a team based pay structure at the moment but measures are being put in place to develop it. The pay for the team is usually dependant on the type of project and the performance of the team. The individual pay structure still plays an important role in the company when payments are made to the team. The method has been efficient in terms of dealing with the issues of payment in the teams. How teams are built in the company The building of a team within the company is a crucial process. This is considering that the teams are responsible for the implementation of the projects of the company. The team members are usually selected from different departments. This is for the purpose of equipping the teams with adequate expertise. The level of experience of the team members is usually considered. Balancing the team members in terms of gender is also observed during the process. This has played an important role in terms of encouraging interaction among different members of the team. An experienced member of the team is usually selected for the purposes of leading the team. It is thus important to note that the purpose of the process is to come up with efficient and effective teams (Zappos.com, 2014). How diversity is promoted within the team members The company has strict policies in terms of respecting diversity. The discrimination of individuals or stereotyping due to their diversity is not allowed. The selection process of the team members plays an important in terms of promoting diversity. Diverse members are usually selected in the team. Interaction between diverse team members is usually allowed in the team for the purpose of promoting diversity. This has played an important role in terms of ensuring that the team members appreciate the importance of diversity. The team building activities are also important in a company in terms of promoting diversity (Thompson, 2013). The appreciation of diversity has played an important role in the company in terms of developing a good working relationship among the members. How the praising of the teams and employees is done The assessment of the team is usually done in accordance with the set goals and objectives. The human resource department of the company usually assesses the performance of the teams in order to determine whether the required targets have been met. The teams that have met their targets are usually recognized and praised for the good work done. They efforts of the teams are usually recognized during the annual meetings where the best performers are usually rewarded. It is important to note that recognizing the team efforts plays an important role in terms of motivating the members and hence encouraging them to perform better in future projects. Types of coaching and training offered Coaching and training plays an important role in terms of developing the capacity of the team members (Thompson, 2013). Training is usually conducted among the team members every members for the purposes of sharpening their skills on different aspects that are important in their operations. The training is usually coordinated by the human resource department of the company. Experts are usually invited from time to time to provide specialized training to the team members. Coaching is also done by experts who are invited by the company from time to time. This plays an important role in enabling the team members to carry out their duties effectively. The training and coaching process also promotes a closer relationship among the team members as it usually brings them together. The training may be done within the facilities of the company or in hired venues. Types of team pay Different types of team-pay are usually used by the company for the purposes of rewarding the team members when they meet their targets. Incentive pay is the most common type of pay that is used for rewarding the members when they meet their targets. Recognition is also a type of pay that is used for the purpose of rewarding the teams for good performance. It is important to note that recognition may not necessarily involve money. The types of team used by the company are effective in and are satisfactory to the team members and hence its use. The pay is also important in terms of motivating the employees. Works Cited Thompson, L. L. (2013). Making the Team: Pearson New International Edition. Pearson Education Limited. Zappos.com. (2014). Our unique culture. Retrieved on 17 February 2014 from, Read More