Exploring a sense of community in multi-location work in VET context

Abstract

The fast digital transformation in work practices in vocational education and training (VET) organisations, including the shift to remote and multi-location work and the use of online platforms for workplace meetings, poses challenges to developing a sense of community. Feelings of belonging, positive relationships and engagement with work colleagues that support a sense of community become more complex in virtual interactive environments. The aim of our study is to explore and expand the understanding of the development of a sense of community in multi-location work environments when interaction primarily takes place online. The research data comprises 11 online focus group discussions with 53 participants from nine Finnish VET organisations. The study utilised ATLAS.ti software for qualitative content analysis of the transcribed data, following Braun and Clark (2006). The findings reveal that participants expressed their viewpoints on a sense of work community in online interaction within three themes. First, participants sought contextual reference points by drawing upon their previous face-to-face interaction experiences. Second, the discussions highlighted various participation modes and involvement levels in online interaction. Lastly, the discourse underscored the importance of different prerequisites in shaping the development of a sense of community within the multi-location work environments. The study provides insights into how contemporary work changes the dynamics of work and the formation of a sense of community. It suggests that VET work communities are in a liminal space, reflecting the uncertainty in transitioning from established work practices to new, unfamiliar ways of working and interacting.