The impact of virtual meetings on organisational culture in the South African banking industry

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant global disruption, which has accelerated various business trends, including the rise of working from home (WFH). The sudden implementation of stay-at-home regulations by governments has resulted in a significant shift from in-person work meetings to virtual meetings. However, existing studies on working from home do not provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of abrupt enforced WFH policies on organisational culture. As a result, this phenomenon presents an opportunity for researchers to explore further.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of the transition from physical to virtual meetings on organisational culture. The study sought to determine the degree of adaptability or resistance of physical meetings to the virtual environment within a South African bank context. Schein’s Model of Organisational Culture was employed as the theoretical framework to examine organisational culture, and the Process Virtualisation Theory was used to evaluate the feasibility of virtualising physical meetings.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This study employs a qualitative approach that focuses on a single case of a banking organisation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10participants selected from the Johannesburg head office of a major bank in South Africa. Originality/Value: This study aims to provide insights into the impact of virtual meetings on organisational culture within the South African banking industry. The study aims to inform banking organisations of the implications of virtualising meetings, thereby facilitating the maintenance of “business as usual”. Therefore, this study extends the existing literature on working from home, work meetings, and organisational culture, specifically within the context of the banking industry in South Africa.

Findings: Examining the data through the lenses of Process Virtualisation Theory, the findings of this study reveal a significant increase in the number of meetings, which has led to a high cognitive load on employees. The study also identifies new cultural behaviours such as multitasking during meetings and joining multiple meetings simultaneously. Furthermore, the study indicates that virtual meetings pose challenges in building interpersonal relationships and promoting effective collaboration within teams, particularly for new employees. The research suggests that banking organisations should strive to strike a balance between on- site and virtual meetings to avoid losing the essence of interpersonal relationships and team collaboration. The study concludes by recommending the creation of meeting guidelines/policies to foster the desired organisational culture.