“Just be yourself!”. Towards neo‐normative control in organisations?
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450910991730 |
| Date | 02 October 2009 |
| Pages | 569-583 |
| Published date | 02 October 2009 |
| Author | Peter Fleming,Andrew Sturdy |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
“Just be yourself!”
Towards neo-normative control in
organisations?
Peter Fleming
Queen Mary College, University of London, London, UK, and
Andrew Sturdy
Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
Abstract
Purpose – The paper seeks to explore the nature and employee experience of an emergent approach
to managing employees which emphasises “being yourself” through the expression of fun,
individuality and difference.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilises interviews and observations in a US-owned
call centre in Australia.
Findings – The management approach outlined is located within the emergence of market
rationalism and associated claims of the limitations of normative control. With its emphasis on
diversity and identity derived from non-(paid) work contexts, it is presented as complementary to, but
distinct from, the group conformity and organisational identity associated with conventional culture
and “fun” management. The seemingly liberal regime is shown to be controlling in its limited scope
and by exposing more of the employees’ self to the corporation. This raises questions about the nature
of workplace control, resistance and the meaning of authenticity at work.
Originality/value – The research provides an insight into an approach to management which has
been largely neglected in research and proposes a modified concept of culture and “fun” management
– neo-normative control. It also serves to challenge the liberal claims made by proponents of the new
approach and of “fun at work” more generally, that it is liberating for employees, a form of “existential
empowerment”.
Keywords Workplace, Employeeattitudes, Employee involvement,Equal opportunities, Call centres
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Individuality is not just tolerated [...] but actively encouraged – particularly when it comes
to employees expressing the fun side of their personalities [...] All of this is based on the
belief that when people are happy and have the freedom to be themselves, they are more
productive and give more of themselves (Bains, 2007, p. 241).
The concept of normative control has a long conceptual lineage in organisational
research (e.g. Etzioni, 1964). It is seen to operate internally by moulding common
attitudes, beliefs and values among employees. However, numerous commentators
have pointed to its limitations, in terms of the rigidity of homogeneous cultures and the
cynicism it provokes from employees who distance their “authentic” selves from the
collective norm (Jermier et al., 1991; Kunda, 1992). Indeed, some have noted a recent
shift whereby normative alignment is downplayed or even redundant in favour of
“market rationality” (Foster and Kaplan, 2001; Adler, 2001). The new discipline, it is
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
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“Just be
yourself!”
569
Received 29 August 2008
Revised 7 May 2009
Accepted 11 May 2009
Employee Relations
Vol. 31 No. 6, 2009
pp. 569-583
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/01425450910991730
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