Indirekt ledarskap och förtida avgångar av värnpliktiga : En kvantitativ gruppjämförelse mellan förband med olika nivåer av förtida avgångar

Sammanfattning

This study aims to analyze whether there are differences in employees’ perceptions of regimental commanders’ indirect leadership between units with lower and higher rates of early discharge among conscripts. The study is based on Larsson et al.’s model of indirect leadership and applies a quantitative cross-sectional design using data from the Swedish Armed Forces’ employee survey (FM Vind 2024) combined with statistics on early discharges provided by the Swedish Defence Conscription and Assessment Agency. The sample consists of 597 employees from nine units conducting basic military training. Units were divided into two groups based on rates of early discharge and compared across five indicators of indirect leadership. Group differences were analyzed using Welch’s t-test. The results show statistically significant differences across all five indicators. Units with lower rates of early discharge consistently report higher levels of perceived engagement, clarity in handling issues raised in the chain of command, safety conditions, information dissemination, and overall trust in leadership. The findings indicate that regimental commanders’ indirect leadership may constitute a relevant organizational factor in relation to early discharge among conscripts. However, the study does not allow for causal conclusions and the results should be interpreted as indications of covariation. The study contributes a quantitative perspective on indirect leadership in a military context and highlights early discharge as an organizational phenomenon in which higher-level leadership may play a significant role.