Disrupted teams, hidden knowledge: a multilevel study of temporal leadership and time control under workplace interruptions

Purpose This study aims to investigate how workplace interruptions shape collective knowledge-hiding behavior in team contexts, emphasizing the mediating role of perceived time control and the moderating effect of team temporal leadership. The authors challenge the assumption that time-oriented leadership always mitigates disruption, proposing instead that it can exacerbate cognitive withdrawal in high-pressure team environments. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a three-wave, time-lagged survey design involving 356 employees nested within 82 organizational teams across the Asia-Pacific region. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, the authors tested a cross-level moderated mediation model grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. Findings Workplace interruptions reduced individuals’ perceived control of time, which in turn increased knowledge hiding within teams. Team temporal leadership, typically seen as a coordination asset, amplified this effect when experienced as rigid or excessively time-bound. The indirect relationship between interruptions and knowledge hiding was strongest in teams with high temporal leadership, revealing a paradox of managerial control. Originality/value This study reframes knowledge hiding as an emergent outcome of team-level time pressure and leadership dynamics, rather than a purely individual choice. It extends COR theory to team settings and surfaces a dark side of temporal leadership under disruption. By integrating team structure, leadership and time cognition, this study contributes to research on team resilience and knowledge coordination.