An Exploratory Study of the Team Characteristics Model Using Organizational Teams

Abstract

Research on teamwork in organizations has typically found positive outcomes for employees, such as high productivity, improved satisfaction, and a greater feeling of influence over their work. An important research question is, How does participating on teams lead to these positive work outcomes? In 1976, Hackman and Oldham developed their Job Characteristics Model to explain how effective job design can lead to positive work outcomes for individuals. A Team Characteristics Model was developed to explain how effective work group design can lead to positive work outcomes for teams, and it was tested on team members working on six organizational teams over a period of 4 months. The Team Characteristics Model was generally supported for the critical psychological states but generally not supported for work outcomes. Across all employees, higher levels of the critical psychological states were significantly correlated with higher levels of work outcomes. Suggestions are made for future research using the model.