Reasons of formation of informal groups:
Employees can join the various informal groups in the organization for many reasons. Some them are discussed here.
Companionship: Every individual has a strong need of relationship with other human beings. One can convey his feelings to his companions easily. Many researchers found in their studies that people having less interaction or less companions at workplace experience lack of satisfaction and tend to remain absent from work. People are highly dissatisfied from the job positions where work is to be done at isolated places. It can lead to less production and poor quality. So management also tries to satisfy them and allow them to take rest in groups. So people who join informal group remain satisfied as their social needs are fulfilled.
Sense of identification: Small groups can increase the morale of employees and they get identified in these small groups. It is not satisfactory to work in large departments where everyone does same kind of work as it is hard to be social in large groups and to achieve personal identity.
Source of information: Communication in the informal groups is very fast. These groups work as source of information for the members of group. Information with one member can reach to every member in very less time in the informal groups.
Job satisfaction: Many jobs which are dull and boring are protected and made interesting by encouraging employees to be in groups. When the work is done as team or group, increases motivation and can lead to higher job satisfaction level. People working in isolated workplace are less satisfied with their jobs.
Protection of members: Being a group member every person is protected by the extra pressure of the management. Management can demand extra production, increase in working hours and high quality from workers and can pressurize them to work accordingly. But if the demands are fair the workers group can deny to them.
Outlet of frustration: A worker can express his feelings and emotions to the group members whenever required. An individual may face problems in family and workplace. At some times he may feel frustrated and can release his tension in front of his group members to feel relax and outlet his frustration.
Generation of new ideas: Informal groups can provide base to the new ideas and improvement. It gives a supportive environment to the employees so that they can think creatively and share the same. Workers can meet regularly and discuss about problems like less production and quality and can solve the problems by sharing their views.