publications

Informal communication is a key factor in knowledge sharing and social interaction in the workplace, and is becoming increasingly important in the design of modern work environments. But how can spontaneous exchange succeed when chance encounters in the office are becoming increasingly rare? Vanessa Begemann, Lisa Handke, Vanessa Begemann, and Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock discuss this in the focus issue “From New Work to Better Work” in the zfo (Zeitschrift Fühurung und Organisation).

Hybrid Teamwork has emerged as an omnibus term for teams with members who switch between remote and on-site work and has become a critical aspect of modern work environments. But what exactly characterizes hybrid teamwork and how is it different to what we already know? Find out more by checking out the publication (open access) here

New publication in the „Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication“ by Vanessa Begemann, Lisa Handke and Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock Informal interactions are vital in daily workplace communication, shaping performance, well-being, and collaboration in organizations. In light of the ongoing trend of remote and hybrid work, supporting remote informal communication (RIC) is crucial. Adopting a socio-technical systems perspective, the authors employed semi-structured interviews to identify enabling and constraining factors related to RIC and discuss their results in terms of their practical implications for effectively facilitating RIC in organizations.

New publication in 'Information and Learning Science' by Frederike Henning, Jenny S. Wesche, Lisa Handke and Rudolf Kerschreiter. The COVID-19 pandemic created a strong impetus for the deployment of virtual mentoring programs (VMPs). In a qualitative study with 200 participants, the authors explored potential mentors’ and mentees’ motivation to participate in a virtual mentoring program, even in post-pandemic times. The article concludes with practical recommendations for the effective design of virtual mentoring programs.

In her publication (together with Prof. Patricia Costa, ISCTE-IUL Lisbon and Prof. Jennifer Feitosa, Claremont McKenna College), Lisa Handke demonstrates the validity and reliability of the Team Perceived Virtuality Scale in 5 studies with a total of more than 2,000 teams. The aim of the scale is to measure virtual collaboration beyond structural factors (such as geographical distance and the use of specific communication technologies).