Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education
The aim of this study was to investigate experiences of relatedness among higher education staff during enforced remote work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Experiences were investigated both at the earliest stages of enforced remote work (April 2020) and in November/December 2021. Remote work expe...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Challenges |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/13/2/55 |
| _version_ | 1797460947204308992 |
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| author | Annukka Tapani Merja Sinkkonen Kirsi Sjöblom Katrien Vangrieken Anne Mäkikangas |
| author_facet | Annukka Tapani Merja Sinkkonen Kirsi Sjöblom Katrien Vangrieken Anne Mäkikangas |
| author_sort | Annukka Tapani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this study was to investigate experiences of relatedness among higher education staff during enforced remote work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Experiences were investigated both at the earliest stages of enforced remote work (April 2020) and in November/December 2021. Remote work experiences were analysed through the lens of Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory, especially through the concept of relatedness. Within this framework, relatedness is described as one of three basic psychological needs affecting health, well-being, and productivity. The main research focus includes ascertaining which factors affect experiences of relatedness among employees in higher education at work at the beginning of enforced remote work and at the end of it. The study uses qualitative data collected from Finnish university employees, analysed using theory-driven content analysis. The analysis of the two datasets enabled us to identify three categories of relatedness: (1) interaction among co-workers, (2) feelings of care and (3) experiences of connectedness. The results showed that the experience of relatedness was severely challenged during the enforced work period. In the future, the need for relatedness needs to be addressed more deliberately in multi-locational work conditions because remote work is especially affecting the experiences of relatedness. Positive experiences of relatedness can be achieved even in remote work conditions with deliberate and thought-out actions, for example by developing good remote interaction practices within the team and remote leadership practices that convey care for the employees. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:12:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6e31aedb60b645408e7b724615956796 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-1547 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:12:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Challenges |
| spelling | doaj.art-6e31aedb60b645408e7b7246159567962023-11-24T13:57:46ZengMDPI AGChallenges2078-15472022-10-011325510.3390/challe13020055Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher EducationAnnukka Tapani0Merja Sinkkonen1Kirsi Sjöblom2Katrien Vangrieken3Anne Mäkikangas4School of Pedagogical Innovations and Culture, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 3, 33520 Tampere, FinlandSchool of Social Services and Health Care, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 3, 33520 Tampere, FinlandWork Research Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, FinlandOccupational and Organisational Psychology and Professional Learning, KU Leuven, Dekenstraat 2, P.O. Box 3772, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumWork Research Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, FinlandThe aim of this study was to investigate experiences of relatedness among higher education staff during enforced remote work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Experiences were investigated both at the earliest stages of enforced remote work (April 2020) and in November/December 2021. Remote work experiences were analysed through the lens of Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory, especially through the concept of relatedness. Within this framework, relatedness is described as one of three basic psychological needs affecting health, well-being, and productivity. The main research focus includes ascertaining which factors affect experiences of relatedness among employees in higher education at work at the beginning of enforced remote work and at the end of it. The study uses qualitative data collected from Finnish university employees, analysed using theory-driven content analysis. The analysis of the two datasets enabled us to identify three categories of relatedness: (1) interaction among co-workers, (2) feelings of care and (3) experiences of connectedness. The results showed that the experience of relatedness was severely challenged during the enforced work period. In the future, the need for relatedness needs to be addressed more deliberately in multi-locational work conditions because remote work is especially affecting the experiences of relatedness. Positive experiences of relatedness can be achieved even in remote work conditions with deliberate and thought-out actions, for example by developing good remote interaction practices within the team and remote leadership practices that convey care for the employees.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/13/2/55higher education employeesenforced remote workself-determination theorybasic psychological needsrelatednesscontent analysis |
| spellingShingle | Annukka Tapani Merja Sinkkonen Kirsi Sjöblom Katrien Vangrieken Anne Mäkikangas Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education Challenges higher education employees enforced remote work self-determination theory basic psychological needs relatedness content analysis |
| title | Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education |
| title_full | Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education |
| title_fullStr | Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education |
| title_short | Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education |
| title_sort | experiences of relatedness during enforced remote work among employees in higher education |
| topic | higher education employees enforced remote work self-determination theory basic psychological needs relatedness content analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/13/2/55 |
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