TIME, TEAMS, AND TASK PERFORMANCE: CHANGING EFFECTS OF SURFACE- AND DEEP-LEVEL DIVERSITY ON GROUP FUNCTIONING.

TLDR

Time facilitates collaboration by enabling team members to share personal and task‑related information. The study proposes that stronger team reward contingencies stimulate collaboration. Over time, growing collaboration reduces the influence of surface‑level diversity while amplifying deep‑level diversity effects, and perceived diversity mediates the link between actual diversity and team social integration, ultimately impacting task performance. Four‑wave data from 144 student teams confirm the propositions and underscore time’s importance in team diversity research.

Abstract

Time serves as a medium for collaboration in teams, allowing members to exchange personal and task-related information. We propose that stronger team reward contingencies stimulate collaboration. As time passes, increasing collaboration weakens the effects of surface-level (demographic) diversity on team outcomes but strengthens those of deep-level (psychological) diversity. Also, perceived diversity transmits the impact of actual diversity on team social integration, which in turn affects task performance. Results from four waves of data on 144 student project teams support these propositions and the strong relevance of time to research on work team diversity.