デジタル時代の育児休職者復帰支援におけるコミュニケーション・メカニズム

「場」の拡張と意味の重ね合わせ理論の事例研究

抄録

The global COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the spread of remote work, due to which employees who are returning from childcare leave risk facing severe information gaps and alienation. This qualitative study aims to elucidate practical communication methods and the underlying mechanisms by which organizations and individuals can overcome the "spatial and temporal disconnections" created by online environments. Using a practical case of childcare leave returnee support within an internal venturing team, this study employed a case study grounded in a hermeneutic approach and internal observation methods, supplemented by a second author to ensure objectivity. To fill research gaps in existing computer-mediated communication studies, this analysis utilized an integrated conceptual framework combining three perspectives: the theory of Ima Koko (here and now), theory of Ba, and a newly proposed theory of meaning superposition. The results revealed a two-step mechanism enabling smooth reintegration despite physical and temporal disconnections: (1) building a robust contextual foundation (shared consciousness) in advance through communication, including face-to-face interactions, and (2) sharing information in a "superposition state" that allows the returnee to proactively interpret meaning upon this foundation. The findings provide new theoretical insights and practical implications for organizational communication in the digital age.