Social interactions in mandatory teleworking: From instrumental rationality to the theory of communicative action in the workplace context

Abstract

Interpersonal relationships at work usually occur face-to-face. During the Covid-19 pandemic, these interactions shifted to a virtual way. This essay intends to analyze telecommuting from an individual perspective, bringing Max Weber’s theory of social action and Jürgen Habermas theory of communicative action to the discussion. Instrumental rationality has prevailed since the Second Industrial Revolution, reaching its apogee in the capitalist production system with Taylor-Fordism. It was not found in the literature an approach to telework with a focus on the interaction between individuals, the core of the Weberian theory of social action. Habermas’ theory of communicative action, in this approach, is used to emphasize the importance of language and communication in telework.