Understanding trust in virtual work teams

Trust development in virtual teams is a growing area of emphasis for both researchers and practitioners. This chapter reviews trust research and introduces a new conceptual framework that identifies trust implications across the transition, action, and interpersonal phases of a team. Specifically, interpersonal processes such as communication and conflict management are explored as moderators that can enhance or detract from trust in the transition and action phases, contributing to a virtual team’s success in activities such as strategizing and coordinating action. Trust in virtual teams is also described from a multi-level perspective detailing how both individual and organization level constructs, such as propensity to trust and organizational support, respectively, impact team level trust. Shared mental models and conflict are identified as emergent states that influence team trust and outcomes. Future directions for advancing trust in virtual teams are provided.