Hybrid Teamwork: What We Know and Where We Can Go From Here

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Team Dynamics

Background:

• Hybrid teamwork, blending organizational and remote work settings, is increasingly common.
• Despite technological advancements, the team-level impacts of hybrid work remain under-researched.
• Existing literature on virtual teamwork offers a foundation for understanding hybrid configurations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the unique characteristics of hybrid teamwork.
• To critically review relevant theories from virtual teams literature.
• To identify key research questions for advancing hybrid teamwork knowledge.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of virtual teams theories.
• Analysis of theoretical contributions and limitations.
• Synthesis of findings to propose future research directions.

Main Results:

• Hybrid teamwork presents unique challenges and opportunities distinct from fully remote or co-located work.
• Three classes of virtual team theories offer relevant, yet incomplete, frameworks for hybrid contexts.
• Gaps in current theory highlight the need for empirical investigation into hybrid team dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Further research is crucial to understand and optimize hybrid teamwork.
• Theoretical frameworks need adaptation to address the complexities of hybrid work environments.
• Identifying and addressing specific research questions will guide the development of effective hybrid team strategies.