Examining the impact of social media use on team performance: evidence from construction projects in Australia

Purpose This study investigates how social media use (SMU) affects construction management practices (such as coordination (COO), knowledge sharing (KS), member support (MS), team feedback (TF) and team performance (TP) in Australia. Design/methodology/approach We surveyed 258 employees with relevant experience in SMU within the construction industry in Australia and analyzed the data using the SPSS PROCESS macro. Specifically, we employed multiple regression analyses and tested a moderated mediation model to examine the proposed hypotheses. Findings The findings reveal a segmented social media platform landscape in Australia’s construction management practice with SMU positively impacting TF and KS practices and driving improved TP. The greatest impact on the overall construction management practice was the use of SM for COO and MS regarding TP. Originality/value This study advances contextual understanding of SMU within Australian construction teams by integrating insights from social exchange theory and the theory of communication visibility. It highlights how digitally mediated communication practices shape exchange relationships and visibility of work, and it encourages further research into how digital tools can be leveraged to optimize teamwork and COO in project-based industries.