"Carriers of Hope." Creating Organizational Spaces of Hope During COVID-19

Abstract

In this empirical study, we aim to explore how organizations can be targets of hope during COVID-19. More specifically, we ask: how do managers create spaces of hope, and what are the underlying mechanisms facilitating these processes of hope in a crisis situation? Based on an investigation of essays written by managers prior to and during the COVID19 pandemic and drawing on analyses from a focus group interview with managers, this article shows how creating organizational spaces of hope is part of a dynamic, relational and spiritual process. The managers are working on recognizing and affirming the organizational members' situation, helping them envision hope through a process of noticing despair, searching for meaning, and creating actions of hope to establish a horizon of possibilities. This hope process is facilitated through group reflection in safe spaces as well as times of slow-thinking, enabling hope practices in organizations to be part of viewing future horizons.