Exploring the future of work: The effects of distributed work on social capital and innovation

David Baxter (SBS), Lisa Harris (SBS), Rebecca Taylor (Sociology)

@sotonwsi Stimulus Fund Project ReportMarch 2017

Project overview • This project set out to investigate the effects of web-based and

distributed working practices on team effectiveness. • 16 interviews have been carried out with a range of practitioners

sourced via LinkedIn, working across a spectrum of distributed working practices. • We have conducted data analysis using NVivo on 10 transcripts so far.• A full conference paper has been submitted to BAM17, and an

abstract for WORK2017 (Finland)

Background• 1.9 million UK freelance workers now account for 5% of the working

population (Kitching 2015). • 29% of UK graduates now report that freelancing is part of their career

strategy for the next 5 years. • In the UK, 13% of IT professionals and 12% of engineering professionals are

self-employed. • Freelance platforms enable professional on-demand project teams to be

assembled in real-time and coordinated to deliver multidisciplinary projects. • Working practices which use the web both as a resource and a space of action

mediate social learning and provide access to diverse audiences, i.e., a diversified social capital.

Digital by Default?• The contemporary web provides spaces for engagement in wider

contexts than a traditional workplace setting. • Emergent digital culture is facilitated by low barriers to collaboration

and strong support for openness, interaction and knowledge sharing (Jenkins et al, 2009). • Effectiveness of the web as a workplace includes the technological

solutions AND appropriate digital literacies AND supportive working cultures

Interviewee data

Interim findings• Analysing the perceived effect of remote working on social capital and work

performance, we find some complex relationships:

• Remote working may reduce social capital in terms of social relationships through the loss of face to face contact.

• The benefits of the global talent pool and working free from distractions offset these problems to a large degree.

• Major innovation and innovation relating to physical objects may be hampered by distributed working.

• The potential of web-based tools to enhance collaboration and offset the loss of face to face contact is considerable, if employed effectively

• The impact of working practices (meeting structure, team structure, task definition) also appears critical.