Organizations experimenting with new modes of flexible work must acknowledge, respect and cater to new and different group identities, according to a recent study published in Organizational Dynamics, titled “Lessons from a Crisis: Identity as a Means of Leading Remote Workforces Effectively.”
According to the paper, written by Geoffrey Leonardelli — a professor of organizational behaviour and HR management at the Rotman School of Management — understanding identity is key to voluntary compliance in a remote setting. Leonardelli explains that people have a tendency to define themselves and others by categories, often in terms of “us” versus “them,” such as leadership versus staff, remote versus in-office or colleagues versus the competition.
[This article has been reprinted, with permission, from Rotman Management, the magazine of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management]