How and when does trust in coworkers make newcomers more innovative?
This article explains that for a new employee to be innovative, their trust in coworkers must be combined with the right kind of workplace conflict, all working through a feeling of psychological safety. Specifically, newcomers who trust their colleagues feel safe to take risks and suggest new ideas (innovation). However, this positive effect is strongest only when the team engages in high task conflict (disagreements about work-related ideas and strategies) and low relationship conflict (minimal personal tension or friction). In essence, managers should aim to build trust and encourage healthy debate over work ideas, but must actively suppress personal clashes, as high relationship conflict or a total absence of idea debate will undermine the newcomer's psychological safety and, consequently, their innovative potential.
Montani, F., Dufour, L., & Andiappan, M. (2025). How and when does trust in coworkers make newcomers more innovative? The dual roles of psychological safety and interpersonal conflict (external link, opens in new window) . Journal of Applied Psychology. DOI: 10.1037/apl0001297