Workload, Team Structure, and Communication in Team Performance

Twenty-four 5-person teams were assigned to perform a synthetic work task incorporating two levels of workload (low vs. high) and two levels of team structure (nonhierarchical vs. product). Team performance and team communication constituted the dependent variables. Results indicated that product structure teams performed relatively ineffectively, particularly under high workload. Communication differences were identified among effective and ineffective teams in the various conditions. The results are discussed in the context of implications for training military teams to perform effectively in operational environments.