Abstract:

Contemporary organisations are navigating rapid digital transformation, AI integration, hybrid work models, and increasing psychological strain. While emotions are widely recognised as central to decision-making, collaboration, and organisational resilience, they remain difficult to systematically engage with in transformation processes. As work becomes increasingly relational and interpretive, the ability to collectively understand and work with emotional dynamics becomes a critical capability for thriving together.

This developmental paper introduces a novel, multidisciplinary doctoral project that examines whether visualising lived emotional experiences can function as a mechanism for organisational transformation. Drawing on organisational sensemaking theory (Weick) and the theory of constructed emotion (Barrett), emotions are conceptualised as relational and processual phenomena that emerge through interpretation and interaction rather than as fixed internal states.

Empirically, the study collects open-ended descriptions of emotionally significant work situations from knowledge workers across multiple organisations. These narratives are visually interpreted by the researcher as part of the analytic process, positioning illustration not as dissemination but as epistemic practice. The resulting visualisations are analysed across teams with differing employee experience profiles (e.g., high and low eNPS) to explore emotional patterns and their organisational implications.

The study investigates two interrelated questions: (1) What kinds of emotions become visible in organisational settings when employees describe their lived experiences? and (2) whether and how seeing these visualisations enhances emotional understanding and collective sensemaking.

Preliminary insights from the researcher’s prior work with over 500 organisations suggest that visualisation may surface tacit emotional dynamics that remain obscured in standard measurement systems and managerial discourse. By making emotional patterns visible and discussable, visual sensemaking may support more inclusive dialogue, strengthen relational coordination, and enhance organisations’ capacity to navigate uncertainty and change.

The paper contributes to the Organisational Transformation, Change and Development track by advancing a methodological innovation—arts-based visual sensemaking—as a potential tool for fostering inclusive and sustainable transformation in contemporary organisations.

Please choose your submission type: Developmental Paper

Primary Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development

Keywords: Change Management

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Mrs. Camilla Tuominen

Biography