Team integration for new project recruits: the case of heavy engineering sector

Effective integration of project teams is considered key to employee satisfaction and long term commitment, which in turn enhances organisational effectiveness. It is important that heavy engineering organisations understand how to influence the process to ensure that project teams integrate satisfactorily for the benefit of both employee and organisation. This paper examined factors which influence team integration. A case study company, typical of many organisations in the engineering sector, was used to analyse factors in a work scenario. Interviews, questionnaires and observation techniques were used to obtain data with internet-mediated questionnaires forming the prime source of data. Team integration was found to be closely linked to job satisfaction. However, it did not have as notable affect on organisational commitment nor performance. Top management expressed an integrationist perspective in their corporate strategy, lower management adopted a differentiationist perspective with a focus on team goals and objectives rather than corporate goals and objectives.