Chronotype Diversity in Teams: Toward a Theory of Team Energetic Asynchrony

We introduce the concept of chronotype diversity into the team diversity literature. We define chronotype diversity as the extent to which team members differ in their biological predispositions toward the optimal timing of daily periods of activity and rest. To explain the effects of chronotype diversity on team outcomes, we develop a theory of team energetic asynchrony. Team energetic asynchrony refers to temporal asymmetries among team members’ daily peaks and troughs in physical and psychological energy. In our theoretical model we delineate how chronotype diversity affects team performance by specifying three specific team processes (coordination, information processing, and backing up behavior) that convey unique team diversity effects of energetic asynchrony. In doing so we propose that chronotype diversity can have either positive or negative effects on team processes and outcomes, depending on whether teams recognize differences in members’ chronotypes and structure team work accordingly. We also...