The Differentiation–Integration Paradox of Hybrid Work: A Focus Group Exploration of Team and Individual Mechanisms
Despite the growing prevalence of hybrid work, our understanding of its effects on employees and teams is still restricted by ambiguous and conflicting findings. We draw on findings from 11 focus groups with 48 hybrid workers from various fields to examine how hybrid work transforms teamwork and per...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Administrative Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/6/201 |
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| author | Elena Cristina Manole Petru Lucian Curșeu Sabina Ramona Trif |
| author_facet | Elena Cristina Manole Petru Lucian Curșeu Sabina Ramona Trif |
| author_sort | Elena Cristina Manole |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the growing prevalence of hybrid work, our understanding of its effects on employees and teams is still restricted by ambiguous and conflicting findings. We draw on findings from 11 focus groups with 48 hybrid workers from various fields to examine how hybrid work transforms teamwork and personal experience in a post-pandemic context. Drawing on paradox theory, differentiation–integration theory, and psychological needs theory, our analysis reveals that hybrid work has differential effects at the individual and team levels of analysis. At the individual level, hybrid work fosters the integration of work and family roles while hindering balanced need satisfaction in the form of role differentiation. At the team level, hybrid work preserves structural differentiation across work locations, while preventing effective integration and coordination across team roles. Based on our findings, we develop practical implications and discuss future research avenues for navigating the complex differentiation–integration dynamics of hybrid work. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7dfd404d124147b3baa9b0b04d773cc4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3387 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Administrative Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-7dfd404d124147b3baa9b0b04d773cc42025-08-20T03:30:24ZengMDPI AGAdministrative Sciences2076-33872025-05-0115620110.3390/admsci15060201The Differentiation–Integration Paradox of Hybrid Work: A Focus Group Exploration of Team and Individual MechanismsElena Cristina Manole0Petru Lucian Curșeu1Sabina Ramona Trif2Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDespite the growing prevalence of hybrid work, our understanding of its effects on employees and teams is still restricted by ambiguous and conflicting findings. We draw on findings from 11 focus groups with 48 hybrid workers from various fields to examine how hybrid work transforms teamwork and personal experience in a post-pandemic context. Drawing on paradox theory, differentiation–integration theory, and psychological needs theory, our analysis reveals that hybrid work has differential effects at the individual and team levels of analysis. At the individual level, hybrid work fosters the integration of work and family roles while hindering balanced need satisfaction in the form of role differentiation. At the team level, hybrid work preserves structural differentiation across work locations, while preventing effective integration and coordination across team roles. Based on our findings, we develop practical implications and discuss future research avenues for navigating the complex differentiation–integration dynamics of hybrid work.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/6/201hybrid teamsvirtualityflexible workhybrid workfocus groupqualitative |
| spellingShingle | Elena Cristina Manole Petru Lucian Curșeu Sabina Ramona Trif The Differentiation–Integration Paradox of Hybrid Work: A Focus Group Exploration of Team and Individual Mechanisms Administrative Sciences hybrid teams virtuality flexible work hybrid work focus group qualitative |
| title | The Differentiation–Integration Paradox of Hybrid Work: A Focus Group Exploration of Team and Individual Mechanisms |
| title_full | The Differentiation–Integration Paradox of Hybrid Work: A Focus Group Exploration of Team and Individual Mechanisms |
| title_fullStr | The Differentiation–Integration Paradox of Hybrid Work: A Focus Group Exploration of Team and Individual Mechanisms |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Differentiation–Integration Paradox of Hybrid Work: A Focus Group Exploration of Team and Individual Mechanisms |
| title_short | The Differentiation–Integration Paradox of Hybrid Work: A Focus Group Exploration of Team and Individual Mechanisms |
| title_sort | differentiation integration paradox of hybrid work a focus group exploration of team and individual mechanisms |
| topic | hybrid teams virtuality flexible work hybrid work focus group qualitative |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/6/201 |
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