Managers invest heavily in tools that keep employees constantly connected. Platforms like enterprise chat and social software promise faster sharing and smarter decisions. The assumption is clear. More collaboration should lead to better problem-solving. Research shows that this belief is only partly true. In some cases, collaboration can actually make work outcomes worse.
This tension is explored in the study Facts and Figuring: An Experimental Investigation of Network Structure and Performance in Information and Solution Spaces. The research was conducted by Ethan Bernstein of Harvard Business School, Jesse Shore of Boston University, and David Lazer of Northeastern University. Their work examined how different levels of connectedness affect problem-solving. Using a controlled experiment modeled on a high-stakes intelligence task, they tested how people search for facts and develop solutions under different collaboration structures.
The researchers found that tightly connected teams excel at gathering information. Because team members see what others are doing, they avoid duplicate work and coordinate their searches. This mirrors many workplace tasks, such as research, audits, or data collection. In these situations, collaboration saves time and improves coverage. Teams get more facts, faster, and with less wasted effort.
The downside appears when teams move from facts to answers. Bernstein and his colleagues found that highly connected groups generated fewer ideas and explored fewer solutions. People were more likely to copy what others believed, even when those beliefs were wrong. Loosely connected groups produced more independent theories and were more likely to reach correct conclusions. Too much visibility pushed teams toward early agreement instead of deeper thinking.
For the workplace, the lesson is clear. Collaboration should not be constant or automatic. Managers need to match collaboration to the task. Use a strong connection for gathering information. Allow independence when forming judgments and solutions. The best organizations treat collaboration as a tool, not a rule.
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