Rethinking Work: Organizing People for Sustainability and Well-Being at Work

Dear Colleagues,

After having faced the pandemic outbreak, leading organizations are now using it to reconfigure work and pave the way for future sustainable growth (Lund et al., 2021). New hybrid remote work models have been developed and are currently being tested to merge the benefits of remote working with those deriving from the physical aspects of work. In this new context, just like organizations, employees rethink and proactively revise their work tasks and activities (Parker and Grote, 2020), directly contributing to the success of distributed work organizations. Hence, the outcomes and sustainability of hybrid work are determined by the choices that both companies and employees make in rethinking work. This awareness implies that successful hybrid working requires organizational planning and intentional efforts to redesign jobs, processes, and expected outcomes (Kniffin et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020). Moreover, within these new work configurations, innovative ways of working and their success are strongly shaped by employees’ choices that reflect their proactivity and skills (Parker and Grote, 2020).

Now that the pandemic emergency is over and new work configurations are being implemented, research is needed to shed light on the conditions for positive work behaviors to emerge in the new context. Against this background, this Special Issue aims at deepening knowledge and collecting evidence on the impact of innovative ways of organizing people on individual and organizational outcomes related to sustainability and well-being at work. Contributions may focus on but are not limited to exploring, discussing, and investigating the effectiveness of organizational initiatives implemented to reorganize people’s jobs and boost sustainable work-related outcomes. Evidence-based case studies, as well as quantitative or qualitative longitudinal investigations that can provide fruitful insights on how to successfully reimagine roles, activities, and tasks for future growth, are welcome.

References:

• Kniffin, K. M., Narayanan, J., Anseel, F., Antonakis, J., Ashford, S. P., Bakker, A. B., Bamberger, P., Bapuji, H., Bhave, D. P., Choi, V. K., Creary, S. J., Demerouti, E., Flynn, F. J., Gelfand, M. J., Greer, L. L., Johns, G., Kesebir, S., Klein, P. G., Lee, S. Y., Ozcelik, H., … Vugt, M. V. (2020). COVID-19 and the workplace: Implications, issues, and insights for future research and action. The American Psychologist, doi.org/10.1037/amp0000716
• Lund, S., Madgavkar, A., Manyika, J., Smit, S., Ellingrud, K., Meaney, M., & Robinson, O. (2021). The future of work after COVID‑19. McKinsey Global Institute.
• Parker, S. K., & Grote, G. (2020). Automation, algorithms, and beyond: Why work design matters more than ever in a digital world. Applied Psychology.
• Wang, B., Liu, Y., Qian, J., & Parker, S. K. (2020). Achieving effective remote working during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A work design perspective. Applied Psychology.

Dr. Arianna Costantini
Guest Editor

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• human resource management
• hybrid work
• proactive work behaviors
• remote working
• work design
• work redesign