Normalising the “new normal”: Changing tech-driven work practices under pandemic time pressure

Highlights

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  COVID-19 has forced organisations into rapid ‘big bang’ adoption of ‘tech-driven’ practices under severe time pressure.

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  More reflection and considered approaches are needed for long-term sustained use of practices.

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  This paper introduces a selection of concepts from normalisation process theory.

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  This paper critiques current approaches and develop a set of recommendations for research and practice.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had massive implications for the nature of work and the role technology plays in the workplace. Organisations have been forced into rapid ‘big bang’ introduction of technology and ‘tech-driven’ practices in an unprecedented and time pressured manner. In many cases there has been little training or reflection on how the practices and associated technology should be introduced and integrated or adapted to suit the new workplace context. We argue that there is a need for a more reflective ‘normalisation’ of work practices and the role technology plays. The paper draws on normalisation process theory (NPT) and its underlying components of cohesion, cognitive participation, collective action and reflexive monitoring. As an exemplar, we focus on the changing nature of work and adoption of remote working practices. The paper uses NPT to examine current thinking and approaches and offering some guidelines to inform research and practice.