| dc.description.abstract | Hybrid work settings and hybrid teams are increasingly common and already a reality in many
modern professional environments. The adoption of constant, professional hybrid teams has
outpaced the knowledge on such teams which are more complex than purely virtual teams, more
long-lived than project teams, and more professional than student groups. In addition, team
member growth in hybrid teams is understudied. Taking departure in a horizontal psychological
contract perspective, this project aimed to identify the challenges an expanding hybrid team
faces and to research how such a team can collaborate effectively. 12 core members of an
expanding R&D team operating in a hybrid setting were interviewed. Mapping the challenges
faced by the growing hybrid team in collaborating effectively, a broad range of crucial elements
are recognized and discussed. Essentially, team member growth and hybrid collaboration
complicate building a strong psychological team contract. The study finds a perceived difficulty
in building relations through virtual communication. It indicates the superiority of face-to-face
interactions prevails when aiming to develop the psychological contract. This is found to spill
over into making knowledge transfer and the integration of new members more challenging in
a hybrid team. To increase team size successfully the integration of new team members must
be a priority. Further, all team members should understand the bigger picture, it must be focused
on a productive meeting culture, and appropriate tools for internal communication and
knowledge sharing must be used. Additionally, an office environment made for hybrid
collaboration has to be created. The results are important findings constituting
recommendations for practitioners. The study adds to the literature on modern hybrid teams, to
research on team member growth, and to the body of research addressing the horizontal
psychological contract. | en_US |
