This study examines how workplace conflict between multigenerational co-workers arises and can be reduced. Utilizing social categorization and intergroup contact theories, we hypothesized that good quality contact between older and younger employees decreases task and relationship conflict by reducing perceived age discrimination (PAD), above and beyond trust as a typical social exchange mechanism prevalent in relationships between co-workers. Furthermore, we predicted that task interdependence would exacerbate the relationships between PAD with task and relationship conflict. We applied structural equation modelling using a sample of 567 older and younger British employees to test our hypotheses while controlling for trust as an alternative mechanism. In line with our predictions, we found that good quality contact between older and younger employees reduced employees' PAD, which in turn reduced task conflict and relationship conflict (above and beyond trust as a control mechanism). The indirect effects of intergroup contact on workplace conflict via PAD were further enhanced when cross-age co-workers were highly interdependent in conducting their work tasks. Our findings suggest that organizations should create practices to improve cross-age contact in the workplace.
The knowledge integration perspective on team innovation holds that information elaboration – the exchange, discussion, and integration of task-relevant information and perspectives – is the core team process driving team innovation. Factors reflecting the informational resources the team can draw on through information elaboration therefore are important influences on team innovation. In this respect, team innovation research points to team functional diversity and to team boundary spanning scouting to acquire information from outside the team. Team innovation research also makes clear that informational resources (as reflected in functional diversity and boundary spanning scouting) do not guarantee team information elaboration, and that identifying moderation in this relationship is particularly valuable. Building on this state of the science, we focus on the moderating role of the team diversity mindset – members' shared understanding of the importance of information elaboration for team performance – in the relationships of team functional diversity and boundary spanning scouting with information elaboration and team innovation. A multi-wave and multi-source survey of N = 215 teams involved in knowledge work in various Chinese organizations supported our research model for team boundary spanning scouting but not for team functional diversity.
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