Question

One way to diminish the effects of social loafing may be to

A - use personality tests to hire those people who are group-oriented and want the group to do well
B - use team rewards, so everyone works hard to maximize their share of the entire reward
C - seek out and punish those who have let the team down
D - provide feedback to team members detailing the importance of their individual effort
E - always have a supervisor present to make sure people do not have the chance to loaf

Answer 1

To reduce the impact of social loafing, teams can employ strategies such as using personality tests for selecting team-oriented individuals, instituting team rewards, offering clear individual feedback, and requiring self-evaluations to emphasize the importance of individual contributions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alleviating Social Loafing in Teams

One way to diminish the effects of social loafing is by implementing strategies that ensure individual contributions are recognized and valued within a team. Options include:

• Using personality tests to hire group-oriented individuals who take pride in their team's success.
• Introducing team rewards to encourage concerted efforts towards a common goal.
• Providing clear feedback to highlight the importance of each team member's individual efforts.
• Requiring self-evaluations to make individuals accountable for their portion of the work.

Research suggests that teams are less likely to experience social loafing when group members value their collective success and when tasks are complex, which motivates individuals to contribute. Also, individuals from collectivist cultures, where team-oriented values are prominent, are less likely to engage in social loafing. A key to reducing social loafing is ensuring that all team members understand the significance of their individual contributions, which can be achieved through management strategies aimed at reinforcing team dynamics and accountability.