Boosting team flow through collective efficacy beliefs: A multilevel study in real‐life organizational teams

Abstract

AbstractTeam flow is a positive team state that may augment team performance and well‐being of team members. Although gaining momentum, the topic of collective flow in a work team context is still largely unexplored and little is known about what factors foster it. In addition, research into this topic has so far been conducted predominantly outside real‐life organizational work settings. In the study reported on in this paper, 386 respondents from 60 teams in four public organizations in different domains were included in a survey study. Results of a multilevel analysis showed that, at the between‐group level and the within‐group level, team goal commitment was positively associated with team flow, and collective efficacy beliefs served as a mediator in the relationship between team goal commitment and work team flow. Moreover, at the within‐group level, support was found for a positive, mediated association of team proximity with team flow and for a moderating role of collective challenge‐skills balance. Conclusions from this study provide more insights into the complex mechanisms involved in establishing collective flow within a work team context, with implications for both researchers and managers.