Research

Socio-material approach in workplace community research

Our research employs a socio-material approach, recognising that workplace communities are complex ecosystems where digital tools, physical spaces, and social relationships are deeply intertwined. This perspective acknowledges that community building involves not just human interactions, but also the technological infrastructure and work environments that shape daily organizational life. As organisational scholars, we are interested in how people make meaning of the word community.

Research questions and methods

Laterna identifies three central research questions:

Research question 1:
What kind of affordances and constraints does the use of digital technologies create for the functioning of workplace communities, and how can these be managed and developed?

Research question 2:
What positive and negative effects do these changes have on the core needs of organisations and workplace communities – such as productivity, coordination and sense of community

Research question 3
What effects do these changes have on employees’ meanings of work, identities, and the fulfilment of their basic psychological needs?

The methodology used during the research combines extensive qualitative data collection through 100-120 semi-structured interviews with corporate partners, complemented by ethnography in both physical and digital work environments to understand group dynamics and interaction patterns.

Dissemination of research results and Impact

The research results offer organizations concrete tools for managing digitalization, developing workplace communities, and strengthening the sense of community. We will actively share research findings during the project in academic networks of organizational research in the form of publications and conference presentations both nationally in and internationally. The goal is to promote understanding of the effects of digital transformation on the sense of community in working life and to provide evidence-based solutions for organizational development.

Throughout the first year we will share latest insights and preliminary findings in three webinars. In late 2026, we will launch a comprehensive open access online course making research findings, practical tools and guides accessible to public and private organisations.

International collaboration includes researcher exchanges at Ulysseus partner university Université Côte d’Azur in Nice and Vienna University of Economics and Business, plus collaboration with Lund University in Sweden, ensuring findings reflect diverse cultural contexts.