How to create team design in tourism and hospitality organizations: Through team‐level autonomy and task interdependence

Abstract Team‐based organizational structures have been widely adopted in tourism and hospitality firms. Based on socio‐technical systems theory, this study focused on two critical components of team design: team‐level autonomy and task interdependence. The impacts of these elements on team outcomes vary by context (e.g., organizations and task types). Exploration of these features' relationships with teamwork processes in tourism and hospitality settings is thus warranted. This study took a social process (i.e., team communication) as a mediating mechanism to explain team‐level organizational phenomena. A total of 312 responses from tourism and hospitality employees were collected through Qualtrics. Structural equation modeling using the R Lavaan package showed that team‐level autonomy and task interdependence were positively and indirectly related to team performance through team communication. Also, their interaction was positively associated with team outcomes. These findings contribute to the team effectiveness literature and provide tourism and hospitality organizations with practical guidance.