A Qualitative Study Examining Sensemaking in Remote Work Environments
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(5) hierarchical authority validated plausible interpretations
(4) relationships formed the social infrastructure for constructing a plausible sense
and (6) breakdowns in sensemaking occurred when a plausible sense could not be constructed. These findings contribute to understanding plausibility as a central organizing property of Weick's (1995) sensemaking perspective. The findings also have implications for theory, future research, and practical guidance for federal agencies, leaders, and newcomers as they construct a plausible sense of ambiguity and uncertainty during socialization in remote work environments.
(3) professional identity was an interpretive frame for constructing a plausible sense
Weick, 2020). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand how employees constructed a plausible sense of ambiguous and uncertain work situations during newcomer socialization in a fully remote work environment. Using Weick’s (1995) sensemaking perspective, this study focused specifically on the property of plausibility as a central organizing property through which newcomers working remotely constructed interpretations that were plausible enough for action. One primary research question guided this basic qualitative study
How do employees construct a plausible sense of ambiguous and uncertain work experiences during newcomer socialization in a remote work environment? Using semi-structured interviews, 10 federal civilian employees from diverse occupational specialties, grades, and federal agencies across the United States shared their experiences with ambiguity and uncertainty during their first 18 months of newcomer socialization. Six findings emerged from the data
(1) the remote work context shaped how participants constructed a plausible sense
(2) constructing a plausible sense was an iterative and recursive process of information seeking, clarifying, validating, and learning
Plausibility is widely accepted as a “fundamental criterion” for constructing a plausible sense from ambiguous and uncertain information (Weick et al., 2005, p. 416). Despite its prominence in the sensemaking literature, plausibility has received little theoretical and empirical attention (Christianson & Barton, 2021
Sandberg & Tsoukas, 2015
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