(IN)VISIBILITY IN NEW WORKSPACES: THE EXPERIENCE OF TELECOMMUTING DURING THE COVID19 CRISIS REVISITED THROUGH THE LENS OF RECOGNITION THEORIES

Abstract

The COVID-19 crisis led to a massive surge in remote work in the spring of 2020. Interacting with their employees from a distance, organizations had to rethink their work practices in exclusively digital spaces, where new (in)visibilities blurred traditional reference points and generated new organizational behaviors. This paper analyzes the experience of visibility at work during the crisis from the perspective of recognition. A case study conducted in a large insurance company reveals that during the pandemic, teleworking exacerbated and challenged the need for existential recognition at work. It also shows that digitization of workspaces can lead to a perception of invisibilization of practices and commitment due to the shift in focus towards workflows and results. This phenomenon contributes to the feeling of a denial of recognition for some people - in particular for local managers -, while, at the same time, others managed to gain new recognition following the crisis. This research on the experience of working from home in a period of lockdown throws new light on what might be at stake in terms of social visibility and recognition in the new spatialization of work. In terms of management, the results are likely to contribute to current reflections in companies on the future of work and its new spatializations, as well as on the role of the manager, whose experience of visibility during the crisis appears ambivalent.