Arbetstidsförkortning - stress och återhämtning : När kortare arbetstid inte bara handlar om tid - betydelsen av organisatoriska normer, självledarskap och emotionellt arbete

Sammanfattning

The purpose of this study is to contribute to a greater understanding of how reduced working hours affect stress and recovery within the same organizational context. Also highlight how these effects may differ between employees and managers who apply reduced working hours. The study is qualitative with an abductive approach. The empirical data was collected through nine semi-structured interviews consisting of managers and employees from two different organizations. The study shows that the effects of reduced working hours on stress and recovery are context dependent. The results indicate that reduced working hours do not automatically decrease stress. Instead, it appears to function as a norm that creates clearer boundaries for the end of the workday. The study shows that self-leadership is important for the effects of reduced working hours, and that emotional labour is experienced as a strain that the phenomenon necessarily cannot reduce. The study indicates that managers and employees have different conditions for fully applying reduced working hours. The findings indicate that reduced working hours affect experiences differently depending on work role, level of responsibility and the nature of the work.