Seeing Is Believing? Why Virtual Teams Work Differently Than You Think.

How does a virtual team, whose members have never met in person, quickly build the essential trust it needs? Ross Gardner explored this pressing question and came up with surprising conclusions. His PhD research shows: forget cultural stereotypes and focus on references from sources people already trust. That’s the key to a successful start.

“My motivation came from realizing how much work is done remotely, especially during and after the pandemic, and that much of the research on trust was still based on teams that meet physically,” Gardner explains. “I wanted to understand what really helps new teams connect quickly in a digital environment. If trust doesn’t develop early on, it will likely have a negative impact on collaboration within the virtual team.”

From Stranger to Colleague

Gardner studied how people in new virtual teams decide to trust each other in the early stages. He focused on transference-based trust, which means trusting someone because a reliable third party vouches for them or by looking at their online profile. Gardner conducted studies with virtual team members from 51 countries, combining surveys, interviews, and statistical analyses to identify clear patterns. He also examined whether cultural backgrounds influence this process.

Digital References Matter More Than Cultural Differences

“My main conclusion is that references matter far more than expected,” Gardner says. “People use information from sources they already trust, such as social media or word-of-mouth, to quickly form an opinion about new teammates. This gives team trust a strong initial boost.” The impact of cultural differences turned out to be much smaller than anticipated. “National differences didn’t have nearly as much impact as many theories predict. Individual choices seem to override cultural stereotypes in diverse virtual teams. The classic ideas about quickly building trust based on roles or reputations still apply online, but we absolutely need to pay more attention to these digital references.”

Creating a Credible Foundation

In practice, this means that managers assembling virtual teams should share credible recommendations from the start—think, for example, of sharing LinkedIn profiles. This helps teams come together faster and can prevent early misunderstandings. Gardner notes that managers shouldn’t worry too much about cultural differences. “The focus should be on clear communication and reliable information. In companies or schools with global remote projects, this can lead to better team building and smoother projects. It also reduces frustration or staff turnover caused by mistrust.”

Future Plans

Gardner will continue sharing his findings through his teaching roles at several universities and international programs where he already lectures on organizational behavior and remote work. “That way, students and colleagues can learn from my research and build on it. I also plan to organize online webinars to reach professionals and team leaders.” Gardner also intends to delve deeper into the interaction between human teams and technology, especially as artificial intelligence and virtual reality become more common in the workplace. “Now that remote work is here to stay, it’s essential to understand how trust in digital collaborations evolves. I plan to contribute to follow-up studies that examine long-term effects over several months, rather than just the initial phase. Moreover, teaching students from diverse backgrounds offers a valuable opportunity to refine and deepen these insights.”

Read here the summary: Summary dissertation RG