This paper aims to uncover how employees make sense of the implementation of holacracy in their organization.
Our research is based on a case study of a Swiss SME (of 160 employees) that is about to implement a holacratic mode of governance. Data was collected using questionnaires (completed by 57 employees) and 12 interviews.
At the level of individual, team and organization, driving forces toward implementing holacracy are stronger than restraining forces.
Implementing holacracy requires careful planning, detailed communications, strong support and training of employees by managers to ensure that they are less fearful of holacracy’s structures and more positive and understanding of its benefits.
This study contributes to a better understanding of holacracy and employees’ sensemaking of the added value of this unconventional structure.
