"It´S Complicated" : A qualitative study exploring closeness in Leader–Employee Relationships

Sammanfattning

Relationships between leaders and employees play an increasingly important role in organizational life. While existing literature has a tendency to emphasize the benefits of relational closeness, there remains limited exploration of the conditions under which closeness may generate ambiguity and difficulties in the workplace environment. This thesis explores how managers and employees experience and interpret relational closeness in the workplace, understanding when closeness is supportive and when it begins to blur the professional boundaries and lead to difficulties. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with both leaders and employees, providing insight into when relational closeness becomes challenging rather than supportive. The data collected through the interviews were analyzed using a systematic thematic analysis process, enabling the identification of the main dimensions of relational closeness, from both the perspective of leaders and employees. The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of leader and employee relationships, demonstrating that closeness is not inherently beneficial. While it can foster trust and support, it may also obscure boundaries and generate professional difficulties, highlighting the importance of balancing relational proximity with role clarity in organizational settings.