The enormous variety of digital communication tools can harm the sociability and effectiveness of teams when team members do not synchronize how the different tools are used.
The shift to virtual work is undeniable. We equip our teams with collaboration platforms, video conferencing, and instant messaging, often assuming technology alone ensures effective communication.
Imagine one subgroup primarily using instant chat for quick exchanges while another relies heavily on email and formal documents. When these patterns diverge sharply, information flow gets fragmented, shared understanding suffers, and synchronicity breaks down.
In a new study, we found that when team members rely on different digital communication tools, it can create invisible divides—or “faultlines”—that hurt collaboration and productivity. The study, published in the Journal of Management Information Systems, offers key insights for business leaders managing remote or hybrid teams.
If sociability suffers, coordination fails
The research, based on a field study of 37 virtual teams and an experiment with 385 participants, found that sociability—how easily people connect, chat informally, and build rapport—is a key link between communication habits and teamwork.
When communication patterns clash it creates distinct subgroups. This makes it harder to build social connections across the divides. Think of the 'water cooler' moments or informal check-ins – these become less frequent or effective when subgroups operate in separate digital spaces. This decline in sociability, the study found, makes aligning efforts become much harder.
For instance, one team in the study used Slack for most work-related updates. But some members—like business stakeholders—weren’t on Slack at all. This made it hard for the team to maintain a shared understanding, leading to poor coordination and missed information.
Imbalance Makes It Worse
The challenge intensifies when the subgroups of are unequal in size. Larger subgroups may consciously or unconsciously dominate communication channels and norm-setting, potentially marginalizing the tools, preferences, and input of minority subgroups.
This can further reduce overall team sociability and hinder effective coordination, as valuable perspectives might be lost. Conversely, when subgroups are more balanced, different perspectives are more likely to be shared, potentially mitigating the harshest effects of differing communication patterns.
What can managers do?
This research offers valuable guidance for managers leading virtual teams. Here are 3 things to pay attention to:
- Set clear guidelines on which tools to use for what types of communication. Don't leave tool use entirely to personal preference. Guide your teams to develop shared understandings and norms about which communication channels are best suited for specific tasks (e.g., quick updates via chat, complex problem-solving via video calls, documentation via shared platforms). Regularly discuss and refine these communication protocols.
- Observe Communication Patterns. Pay attention to how information flows. Are there distinct communication divides within the team? Are some members or groups excluded from important channels?
- Foster Inclusion and Balance: Cultivate psychological safety where all members feel comfortable communicating, regardless of their preferred tools or subgroup size. Be particularly mindful in teams with imbalanced communication patterns to ensure minority voices are heard and included.