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Anoopa, Clare Maria Lima (2024) The Impact of Hybrid Working on Organisational Acculturation in New Starters: A Multidimensional Approach. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.
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Abstract
The Irish Civil service is undergoing a period of reform, currently employing a shared values approach to Organisational Culture (OC) as an approach to improve organisational performance. Recent shifts to hybrid working patterns precipitated by the Covid-19 pandemic and adopted by the civil service through its Blended Working Policy Framework have not been explored adequately in terms of their impact on Organisational Acculturation (OA). The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate how hybrid work environments affect the acculturation process among new starters in a civil service organisation.
Research was conducted in a civil service organisation with over 300 employees, adopting a qualitative approach, underpinned by the multidimensional approach to acculturation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on twelve employees who were in their first six months of employment. Thematic analysis was applied to the data.
Four themes emerged. The first revealed a three-phased model of OA comprising an Impression Phase an Information Seeking Phase and an Experiential Phase, mediated by individual factors resulting in individualised experiences of OA. The second theme revealed that OA was not static but iterative, as respondents reframed their understanding of OC based on their experience and interactions in the organisation. The third theme revealed that interpersonal interactions were paramount to OA and the final theme revealed that hybrid environments could facilitate the development of microcosms of OC. The study revealed a need for thoughtful strategies to support leadership development, reinforce OC and address gaps in communication and collaboration to support better OA in hybrid environments.
This study may be of interest to HR Practitioners and employers as it seeks to understand OA, identify challenges and benefits of hybrid working in relation to OA and provide recommendations for the enhancement of OA in a hybrid setting. Future research could develop the phased model of OA further, contributing to existing literature on OA. It could also evaluate the efficacy of the recommendations proposed herein.
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