Hybrid Happiness: Fun and Freedom in Flexible Work

This book offers a unique exploration of the social and emotional impacts of working in new, flexible ways such as the increasingly popular hybrid work modes. With a specific focus on fun and play, the book is based on recent ethnographic research exploring how hybrid work has changed workplace behaviours and interactions, and how these social aspects of work are increasingly important in hybrid work. Fun and play are still happening but are occurring in new ways and forms as workers navigate fast-changing workscapes while still seeking happiness, frivolity, and laughter in their work relationships. The book presents current debates on these topics along with rich organisational (observed) examples, online chat, and interview excerpts from a variety of workers and managers.

Barbara Plester is Associate professor in the Department of Management and International Business (MIB) at the University of Auckland. She is also Associate Dean Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for her faculty. Her research explores workplace humour, fun, organizational culture, technological behaviour, food rituals and organizational life. She is currently researching the impact of hybrid work on fun and well-being. Within her department Barbara belongs to the Organisation Studies research group and she teaches critical management, people management and organizational theory at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her previous books include: The Complexity of Workplace Humour (Springer, 2016) and Laugh Out Loud (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019).