We examine gender differences in individual contributions to team performance using data from a field experiment of 108 randomly assigned, mixed-gender teams working together to complete a project over several months. As suggested by extant research, we confirm that in mixed-gender teams, women contribute more than men to a collective output. We extend this work by examining the moderating influence of varying levels of familiarity between teammates. We document an important downside to joining teams with familiar teammates. Namely, familiarity with teammates tends to increase the contribution gap between men and women. A qualitative analysis of participants’ experiences with teammates sheds light on a process by which men exhibit a much greater propensity to freeride than women, and the burden of this freeriding falls disproportionately on familiar women who feel responsible for picking up the slack. By describing how familiarity can increase inequality in team contributions between men and women, we provide a novel, relational perspective on gender dynamics in teams.
