Sustainable Virtual Teams: Promoting Well-Being through Affect Management Training and Openness to Experience Configurations

Baltasar González-Anta, Virginia Orengo, Ana Zornoza, Vicente Peñarroja and Nuria Gamero
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Baltasar González-Anta: Research Institute IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Virginia Orengo: Research Institute IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Ana Zornoza: Research Institute IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Vicente Peñarroja: Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Nuria Gamero: Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Seville, 41018 Sevilla, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-22

Abstract: A disruptive digitalization recently occurred that led to the fast adoption of virtual teams. However, membership diversity and team virtuality threaten members’ well-being, especially if faultlines appear (i.e., subgroups). Considering the job demands–resources model and the role of group affect in shaping members’ perceptions of well-being, we test the effectiveness of a short-term affect management training for increasing members’ eudaimonic well-being. Moreover, based on the trait activation theory and the contingent configuration approach, we draw on the personality composition literature to test how different openness to experience configurations of team level and diversity together moderate the effect of the training. Hypotheses were tested using a pre–post design in an online randomized controlled trial in an educational context in Spain, with a sample of 52 virtual teams with faultlines. Results show that affect management training increased eudaimonic well-being. Furthermore, there was a moderation effect (three-way interaction) of openness to experience configurations, so that the training was more effective in teams with high levels and low diversity in openness to experience. We discuss implications for training, well-being, and personality composition literature. This study helps organizations develop sustainable virtual teams with engaged members through affect management training and selection processes based on the openness to experience trait.

Keywords: sustainable virtual teams; eudaimonic well-being; affect management training; faultlines; personality composition; team configurations; openness to experience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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