A teambuilding intervention for swift-starting action teams: Implications for trust and team process

Although several studies have provided evidence for the link between trust and performance in employee teams, little attention has been given to actually training team members to trust one another. This is problematic, given that many teams are formed to address short-lived, immediate problems (i.e., swift-starting action teams), and may not have the opportunity to naturally engage in more traditional forms of teambuilding and social orientation. The present study uses an experimental methodology to test the effectiveness of a trust-building intervention in short-lived teams. A sample of 133 participants took part in a simulation task meant to emulate the work of a swift-starting action team using a networked computer simulation. Participant teams were randomly assigned to either a trust-building intervention, an equal-length placebo intervention (based on goal setting), or a control condition with no intervention, after which they worked together to complete the work simulation. The results indicate that the experimental intervention was successful at fostering trust-building behaviours, which in turn predicted higher levels of trust and team process. These results were also moderated by uncertainty about the task, highlighting the need for clear training to facilitate trust. Implications and future directions are discussed.