There are fundamentally two types of groups that can be observed in many contexts, from church to
school, family to work. These two types are primary and secondary groups. The hierarchy denotes the
degree to which the group(s) meet your interpersonal needs. Primary groups meet most, if not all, of
one’s needs. Groups that meet some, but not all, needs are called secondary groups. Secondary groups
often include work groups, where the goal is to complete a task or solve a problem. If you are a member of
the sales department, your purpose is to sell.
In terms of problem solving, work groups can accomplish more than individuals can. People, each of
whom have specialized skills, talents, experience, or education come together in new combinations with
new challenges, find new perspectives to create unique approaches that they themselves would not have
formulated alone.
Secondary groups may meet your need for professional acceptance and celebrate your success, but they
may not meet your need for understanding and sharing on a personal level. Family members may
understand you in ways that your coworkers cannot, and vice versa.