Compassion, remote work and vulnerability: the case of employees with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

PurposeThere is an increasing interdisciplinary interest in studying vulnerability in the workplace. Some scholars highlight the complex interplay of personal and situational factors that create vulnerable employees, while others, like us, view vulnerability as a universal condition with both positive and negative organizational implications. However, how organizations actively shape vulnerability remains unclear.Design/methodology/approachTo this aim, we conducted 56 interviews with employees with disabilities who carried on working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsNew infrastructures - the social connections and structures that enable people to care for and rely on one another - fostered compassion and reduced barriers through remote work, creating hope of shared vulnerability. However, the persistence of ideals of a free and autonomous subject limited recognition of the unequal distribution of vulnerability, ultimately restricting solidarity.Originality/valueThis study introduces the idea of "states of vulnerability," defined as moments when people in otherwise secure and safe employment are exposed to harm through organizational practices. It reflects on the practical requirements for vulnerability to emerge in organizations as sites of ethical engagement, fostering more sustainable careers.