The effects of team reflexivity on psychological well-being in manufacturing teams

Jingqiu Chen, Peter A. Bamberger, Yifan Song, Dana R. Vashdi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

While the impact of team reflexivity (a.k.a. after-event-reviews, team debriefs) on team performance has been widely examined, we know little about its implications on other team outcomes such as member well-being. Drawing from prior team reflexivity research, we propose that reflexivity-related team processes reduce demands, and enhance control and support. Given the centrality of these factors to work-based strain, we posit that team reflexivity, by affecting these factors, may have beneficial implications on 3 core dimensions of employee burnout, namely exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy (reduced personal accomplishment). Using a sample of 469 unskilled manufacturing workers employed in 73 production teams in a Southern Chinese factory, we implemented a time lagged, quasi-field experiment, with half of the teams trained in and executing an end-of-shift team debriefing, and the other half assigned to a control condition and undergoing periodic postshift team-building exercises. Our findings largely supported our hypotheses, demonstrating that relative to team members assigned to the control condition, those assigned to the reflexivity condition experienced a significant improvement in all 3 burnout dimensions over time. These effects were mediated by control and support (but not demands) and amplified as a function of team longevity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)443-462
Number of pages20
JournalJournal of Applied Psychology
Volume103
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 American Psychological Association.

Keywords

  • After-event-reviews
  • Burnout
  • Team reflexivity
  • Teams

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Applied Psychology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The effects of team reflexivity on psychological well-being in manufacturing teams'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this