When Crisis Sparks Collaboration: How Conflict and Collectivism Drive Creativity

What is it about?

This study examines how employees can convert pandemic-related stress into creativity through constructive collaboration. Based on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, it explores how perceiving COVID-19 as an organizational threat influences creative behavior, especially through task conflict—the exchange of differing work viewpoints. While crises often deplete energy and morale, the study shows that resource loss can also spark proactive responses, with debate and collaboration serving as adaptive coping mechanisms. Using survey data from 128 employees in Portugal’s real estate sector, the study finds that perceiving strong pandemic threats leads employees to engage more in task-related discussions and solution-focused disagreements. These constructive conflicts enhance creativity, enabling adaptation under pressure. The effect is stronger among collectivistic employees—those who prioritize teamwork and group well-being—who view the crisis as a shared challenge that fuels collaborative problem-solving and innovation. These findings highlight that adversity can stimulate creativity when employees have the right social orientation. By framing conflict as a constructive exchange rather than a personal confrontation, organizations can convert crisis-driven stress into innovation. Encouraging open dialogue, collective responsibility, and team-based reflection helps employees “take the pandemic by its horns,” transforming strain into creative strength.

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Photo by airfocus on Unsplash

Photo by airfocus on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is unique in showing that perceived organizational threats can enhance rather than suppress creativity when employees channel stress into productive task conflict. It integrates COR theory with cultural psychology to reveal how collectivistic orientation—a focus on group harmony and shared success—amplifies this transformation. The findings challenge conventional assumptions that conflict and crisis are inherently destructive, demonstrating instead how they can generate new resources through collaboration and idea exchange. It is also timely, emerging from the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, when organizations worldwide faced profound uncertainty. Conducted in Portugal, a collectivist culture where teamwork and loyalty are valued, the research offers actionable insights: managers should cultivate environments that encourage open debate, mutual support, and shared learning during crises. By doing so, organizations can turn collective stress into a source of renewal—fueling creativity even amid adversity.