Dilemmas of flexibility

how does new ways of working impact creativity and innovation?

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47456/regec.2317-5087.2025.14.3.47951.132.155

Keywords:

new ways of working, creativity, flexible work arrangements, information and communication technologies, changing workplace

Abstract

This study investigated the impacts of new ways of working (NWW) on creativity and organizational innovation, exploring how practices of flexibility, collaboration, and technologies shape creative and innovative dynamics. Through a systematic literature review that mapped 202 articles and analyzed 28 selected studies, benefits of NWW were identified, such as greater autonomy, stimulation of creativity, and more adaptable collaborative environments, but also challenges, such as information overload, lack of privacy, and difficulties in work-life balance. Gaps in the literature were highlighted, including the predominance of studies in developed regions, the absence of sectoral analyses, and the lack of longitudinal approaches. The research offers theoretical contributions by integrating technological, social, and cultural dimensions of NWW, as well as practical implications for managers and policymakers, highlighting the need for contextual approaches and balanced strategies to maximize innovative potential while promoting organizational well-being.

Author Biography

  • Alessandra do Valle Abrahão, University of Brasília

    Doutoranda em Administração na Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Mestre em Propriedade Intelectual e Transferência de Tecnologia para a Inovação pela UnB (2022), Bacharel em Comunicação Social pelo Centro Universitário de Brasília (1998), com MBA em Marketing pela Fundação Getúlio Vargas (2000) e especialização em Gestão Pública pela UPIS (2009). Possui mais de 20 anos de experiência nos setores público e privado, com atuação em estratégia, planejamento, gestão, inovação, empreendedorismo, comunicação organizacional e políticas públicas. Desde 2009, é gestora pública no Governo do Distrito Federal, onde já ocupou cargos de liderança, além de atuar como professora nas Escolas de Governo do Distrito Federal (desde 2017) e dos Municípios de Santa Catarina (desde 2020). Também desenvolve atividades de ensino, pesquisa e consultoria técnica, com foco em inovação organizacional, criatividade no setor público, governança e novas formas de trabalho. Sua trajetória acadêmica e profissional reflete um compromisso contínuo com a pesquisa aplicada e o desenvolvimento de soluções inovadoras para desafios organizacionais.

References

Abelha, M., Fernandes, S., Mesquita, D., Seabra, F., & Ferreira-Oliveira, A. T. (2020). Graduate Employability and Competence Development in Higher Education - A Systematic Literature Review Using PRISMA. Sustainability, 12(15), 5900. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155900.

Allee, V. & Taug, J.. (2006). Collaboration, innovation, and value creation in a global telecom. The Learning Organization, 13 (6). 569-578. https://doi.org/

10.1108/09696470610705451.

Allen, T. D., Golden, T. D., & Shockley, K. M. (2015). How effective is telecommuting? Assessing the status of our scientific findings. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(2), 40-68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100615593273.

Amabile, T. M. (1988). A Model of Creativity and Innovation in Organizations. Research in Organizational Behavior, 1, 123–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0076-6879(82)89012-5.

Andrews, D. C. (2017). A Space for Place in Business Communication Research. International Journal of Business Communication, 54(3), 325-336. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488416675842.

Anderson, N., Potočnik, K., & Zhou, J. (2014). Innovation and Creativity in Organizations. Journal of Management, 40(5), 1297–1333. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314527128.

Antoniac, P., Pallot, M., & Pulli, P. (2006). Virtual and Augmented Reality supporting group consciousness within collaborative working environments. 2006 IEEE International Technology Management Conference (ICE), Milan, Italy, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICE.2006.7477065.

Aroles, J., Cecez-Kecmanovic, D., Dale, K., Kingma, S. F., & Mitev, N. (2021). New ways of working (NWW): Workplace transformation in the digital age. Information and Organization, 31(4), 100378. https://doi.org/10.1016/

j.infoandorg.2021.100378.

Aroles, J., Mitev, N., & de Vaujany, F.-X. (2019). Mapping themes in the study of new work practices. New Technology, Work and Employment, 34(3), 285-299. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12146.

Baierle, I. C., Siluk, J. C. M., Gerhardt, V. J., Michelin, C. d. F., Junior, Á. L. N., Nara, E. O. B. (2021) Worldwide Innovation and Technology Environments: Research and Future Trends Involving Open Innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Mark and Complexity, 7, 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/

joitmc7040229.

Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership. Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410617095.

Bardin, L. (2016). Análise de Conteúdo. São Paulo: Edições 70 Brasil.

Blomberg, A., & Kallio, T. J. (2022). New ways of working: Discourse and contradictions in activity-based working. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(2), 256-271. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-06-2021-0165.

Bloom, N., Liang, J., Roberts, J., & Ying, Z. J. (2015). Does working from home work? Evidence from a Chinese experiment. NBER Working Paper Series, 16742. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26372598.

Bondarouk, T., & Brewster, C. (2016). Conceptualising the future of HRM and technology research. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 27(21), 2652-2671. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2016.

1232296.

Caldas, P. T., & Cândido, G. A.. (2013). Inter-Organizational Knowledge Conversion and Innovative Capacity in Cooperative Networks. Journal of technology management & innovation, 8(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242013000300009.

Chen, Y., Presslee, A., & Yang, S. (2025). The Effect of Functional Diversity on Team Creativity: Behavioral and fNIRS Evidence. Management Science. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.02157.

Cohen, B., & Muñoz, P. (2017). Sharing cities and sustainable consumption and production: Towards an integrated framework. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140, 77-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.10.093.

Crevani, L., & Manca, C. (2023). Spatial agencing, privilege and new ways of working. In Space and Organizing (pp. 16-30). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014). Society, Culture, and Person: A Systems View of Creativity. In The Systems Model of Creativity (pp. 47–61). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9085-7_4.

Cumming, J. F., Bettridge, N. & Toyne, P. (2005). Responding to global business critical issues: A source of innovation and transformation for FTSE 350 companies? Corporate Governance, 5 (3), pp. 42-51. https://doi.org/10.1108/

14720700510604689.

De Paoli, D., Arge, K., & Moum, A. (2019). Office concepts for new ways of working: A framework for understanding the spatial implications. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 21(1), 56-74. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRE-01-2018-0004.

De Paoli, D., Sauer, E., & Ropo, A. (2019). The spatial context of organizations: A critique of ‘creative workspaces’. Journal of Management and Organization, 25(2), 331-352. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2017.46.

Edmondson, A. C., & McManus, S. E. (2007). Methodological fit in management field research. Academy of Management Review, 32(4), 1246-1264. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20159361.

Elsbach, K. D., & Pratt, M. G. (2007). The physical environment in organizations. The Academy of Management Annals, 1(1), 181-224. https://doi.org/10.1080/

078559807.

Eskola, A. & Neuvonen, H. (2016). A Conceptual Framework for Understanding the Phenomenon of New Ways of Work. Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 183- 186.

Fleming, P. S., Koletsi D. & Pandis N. (2014). Blinded by PRISMA: Are Systematic Reviewers Focusing on PRISMA and Ignoring Other Guidelines? PLoS ONE, 9(5): e96407. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0096407.

Gerards, R., van Wetten, S. & van Sambeek, C. (2021). New ways of working and intrapreneurial behaviour: the mediating role of transformational leadership and social interaction. Rev Manag Sci, 15, 2075–2110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-020-00412-1.

Haddaway, N. R., Page, M. J., Pritchard, C. C., & McGuinness, L. A. (2022). PRISMA2020: An R package and Shiny app for producing PRISMA 2020-compliant flow diagrams, with interactivity for optimised digital transparency and Open Synthesis. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 18, e1230. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1230.

Head, B. W. (2022). The Rise of ‘Wicked Problems’ - Uncertainty, Complexity and Divergence. In B. W. Head, Wicked Problems in Public Policy (pp. 21–36). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94580-0_2.

Huang, Y., Ferreira, F. A. F., & He, Z. (2021). Impact of workspace environment on creativity and innovation: empirical evidence from a makerspace in China. R&D Management, 53(4). 620-637. https://doi.org/10.1111/radm.12504.

Ivanoff, C. S., & Podolskiy, O. A. (2021). Remote work and creativity: The paradox of virtual collaboration. Creativity and Innovation Management, 30(4), 612-627. https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.12433.

Jebali, D., & Meschitti, V. (2021). HRM as a catalyst for innovation in start-ups. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 43(2), 555–570. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-03-2020-0140.

Kniffin, K. M., Narayanan, J., Anseel, F., & Antonakis, J. (2021). COVID-19 and the workplace: Implications, issues, and insights for future research and action. American Psychologist, 76(1), 63-77. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000716.

Kossek, E. E., Thompson, R. J., & Lautsch, B. A. (2015). Balanced Workplace Flexibility: Avoiding the Traps. California Management Review, 57(4), 5-25. https://doi.org/10.1525/cmr.2015.57.4.5.

Laforet, S., & Tann, J. (2006). Innovative characteristics of small manufacturing firms. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 13(3), 363–380. https://doi.org/10.1108/14626000610680253.

Lawson, B., & Samson, D. (2001). Developing Innovation Capability in Organisations: A Dynamic Capabilities Approach. International Journal of Innovation Management, 5, 377-400. https://doi.org/10.1142/S1363919601000427.

Lucius, Z. K., & Damberg, S. (2024). Why we need employees back at the office: The effect of workplace design on creativity in organizations. Creativity and Innovation Management, 33(4), 654-670. https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.12611.

Majchrzak, A. & Malhotra, A. (2013). Towards an Information Systems Research Agenda for Virtual Work. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 22(4), 243-255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsis.2013.07.004.

Manca, F. (2021). Workplace design and employee creativity: A review of open-plan office effects on innovation processes. Facilities, 39(3/4), 197-213. https://doi.org/10.1108/F-07-2020-0087.

Manca C. (2022). Tensions as a framework for managing work in collaborative workplaces: A review of the empirical studies. International Journal of Management Reviews, 24, 333–351. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12280.

Martins, J. & Ling, S.. (2017). Local enterprise partnerships: Socialisation practices enabling business collective action in regional knowledge networks. Knowledge and Process Management, 24. https://doi.org/10.1002/kpm.1546.

Mattarelli, E., Cochis, C., Bertolotti, F., & Ungureanu, P. (2022). How designed work environment and enacted work interactions impact creativity and work–life balance. European Journal of Innovation Management, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-01-2022-0028.

Medik, V. L. & Stettina, C. J. (2014). Towards responsible workplace innovation: The rise of NWW in public knowledge organizations and their impact on governance. Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation (ICE). https://doi.org/10.1109/ICE.2014.6871538.

Mumford, M. D. (2000). Managing creative people: strategies and tactics for innovation. Human Resource Management Review, 10(3), 313-351. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-4822(99)00043-1.

Muñoz, C. F. G. & Romero, A. M. (2021). Organisational innovation in bureaucracies: An impossible mission? Dirección y Organización, 74, 54–66. https://doi.org/

10.37610/dyo.v0i74.602.

Nonaka, I.; Konno, N. (1998). The Concept of "Ba": Building a Foundation for Knowledge Creation. California Management Review, 40(3), 40-54. https://doi.org/10.2307/41165942.

Nonaka, I.; Takeuchi, H. (1997). Criação de conhecimento na empresa: como as empresas japonesas geram a dinâmica da inovação. Campus, Rio de Janeiro.

Ogunmakinde, O.E., Egbelakin, T., Sher, W., Omotayo, T. & Ogunnusi, M. (2024). Establishing the limitations of sustainable construction in developing countries: a systematic literature review using PRISMA. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 13(3), 609-624. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-10-2022-0223.

Oldham, G. R., & Cummings, A. (1996). Employee creativity: Personal and contextual factors at work. Academy of Management Journal, 39(3), 607-634. https://doi.org/10.2307/256657.

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., ... Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372(71). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71.

Pallot, M., Ruland, R., Traykov, S., & Kristensen, K. (2006). Integrating shared workspace, wiki and blog technologies to support interpersonal Knowledge Connection, 2006 IEEE International Technology Management, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICE.2006.7477066.

Palumbo, R., Fakhar Manesh, M., & Petrolo, D. (2022). What makes work smart in the public sector? Insights from a bibliometric analysis and interpretive literature review. Public Management Review, 26(6), 1449–1474. https://doi.org/

10.1080/14719037.2022.2152479.

Panic, N., Leoncini, E., De Belvis, G., Ricciardi, W. and Boccia, S. (2013), Evaluation of the Endorsement of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Statement on the Quality of Published Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. PLoS ONE, 8(12): e83138. https://doi.org/

10.1371/journal.pone.0083138.

Pinnington, A., Alshamsi, A., Karatas-Özkan, M., Nicolopoulou, K., Ozbilgin, M., Tatli, A., Vassilopoulou, J. (2015). Early Organizational Diffusion of Contemporary Policies: Narratives of Sustainability and Talent Management. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 213. 807-811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.

2015.11.480.

Putnam, L. L., Myers, K. K., & Gailliard, B. M. (2014). Examining the tensions in workplace flexibility and exploring options for new directions. Human Relations, 67(4), 413-440. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726713495704.

Qi, X., Liu, H., Li, X., & Liu, H. (2021). The influence of flexible work arrangements on innovative employee behaviour in China: a perspective of person-job fit. Asia Pacific Business Review, 29(3), 479–500. https://doi.org/10.1080/

13602381.2021.2001181.

Ru, Y., & Zhou, W. (2024). A study on the impact of knowledge heterogenity on team creativity. The EUrASEANs : Journal on Global Socio-Economic Dynamics, 5(48), 252–269. https://doi.org/10.35678/2539-5645.5(48).2024.252-269.

Sarker, S., Ahuja, M., Sarker, S., & Kirkeby, S. (2011). The Role of Communication and Trust in Global Virtual Teams: A Social Network Perspective. Journal of Management Information Systems, 28(1), 273–310. https://doi.org/10.2753/

MIS0742-1222280109.

Schumpeter, J. A. (1984). Capitalismo, socialismo e democracia. Rio de janeiro: Zahar.

Sewell, G., & Taskin, L. (2015). Out of sight, out of mind in a new world of work? Autonomy, control, and spatiotemporal scaling in telework. Organization Studies, 36(11), 1507-1529. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840615593587.

Sicotte, H., De Serres, A., Delerue, H., & Ménard, V. (2019). Open creative workspaces impacts for new product development team creativity and effectiveness. Journal of Corporate Real Estate. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRE-10-2017-0039.

Sousa, A. S., Ferreira, P. L., & Santos, R. M. (2023). Digital tools for innovation and collaboration: A meta-analysis. Technovation, 124, 102672. https://doi.org/

10.1016/j.technovation.2022.102672.

Spreitzer, G. M., Cameron, L., & Garrett, L. (2017). Alternative work arrangements: Two images of the new world of work. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 473-499. https://doi.org/

10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113332.

Taskin, L., Parmentier, M., & Stinglhamber, F. (2019). The dark side of office designs: Towards de-humanization. New Technology, Work and Employment, 34(2), 123-136. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12150.

van der Voordt, T. J. M. (2004). Productivity and employee satisfaction in flexible workplaces. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 6(2), 133-148. https://doi.org/10.1108/14630010410812306.

Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y., & Xu, X. (2012). Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), 157-178. https://doi.org/10.2307/41410412.

Warwick, R. (2016). Routine innovation: Complex processes from policy development to implementation. International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 17(5), 541-555. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBG.2016.079334.

Wood, A. J., Graham, M., Lehdonvirta, V., & Hjorth, I. (2019). Good Gig, Bad Gig: Autonomy and Algorithmic Control in the Global Gig Economy. Work, Employment and Society, 33(1), 56-75. https://doi.org/10.1177/

0950017018785616.

Woodman, R. W., Sawyer, J. E., & Griffin, R. W. (1993). Toward a theory of organizational creativity. The Academy of Management Review, 18(2), 293–321. https://doi.org/10.2307/258761.

Worthington, J. (2001). Reinventing the workplace: The impact of new forms of work and work environments on creativity. Facilities, 19(3/4), 136-142. https://doi.org/10.1108/02632770110381692.

Yacoub, G., & Haefliger, S. (2022). Coworking spaces and collaborative practices. Organization, 31(1), 87-114. https://doi.org/10.1177/13505084221074037.

Published

2025-09-22

Issue

Section

Edição Especial Criatividade(s): caminhos, interfaces e contextos na área organizacional no Brasil

How to Cite

Dilemmas of flexibility: how does new ways of working impact creativity and innovation? (2025). Management and Connections Journal, 14(3), 132.155. https://doi.org/10.47456/regec.2317-5087.2025.14.3.47951.132.155