“I miss those chance encounters” : Innovative work behavior in hybrid and remote work

Abstract

The contemporary work environment is characterized by hybrid work arrangements. However, both researchers and practitioners have voiced concerns about what such freedom and emphasis on technology-mediated communication in organizations might do to innovation which has traditionally been seen as benefiting from face-to-face interaction. This paper aims to understand employees' perceptions of engaging in innovative work behavior (IWB) in hybrid work contexts. Acknowledging IWB's collaborative nature, we draw on social capital theory and analyze 25 interviews with knowledge workers using a grounded theory approach. Our findings show that even with the availability of different technological tools to connect to others, individuals found that bridging new networks and creating new connections was substantially decreased. Furthermore, the nature of interactions has shifted in ways that undermine the relationship building that is essential for IWB. We categorize challenges in IWB into four dimensions: dispersement, disrhythm, disengagement, and lack of depth. The results reflect the weakened interaction in hybrid work that hampers the different stages of IWB. In addition, the results signal decreased motivation to engage in the innovation process. For practitioners, these insights are crucial for developing hybrid work guidelines that safeguard and foster organizations' innovation activities.