Kontorets osynliga börda: Gör kvinnor mer än hälften? : En kvantitativ analys om osynligt arbete på kontorsarbetsplatser

Sammanfattning

Invisible work consists of informal tasks that extend beyond the formal job description, but which are often necessary for an organization to function. However, research shows that invisible work is rarely rewarded, especially when performed by women. This type of work is often unequally distributed between women and men, with women performing it to a higher degree, which has been shown to negatively affect women in their professional lives. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between gender and invisible work within a Swedish context, and to explore whether this relationship is moderated by holding a leadership position. The theoretical framework of the study is based on West and Zimmerman´s theory of “doing gender” and Kanter´s theory of opportunity and power structures. The research questions are investigated through a survey, with the sample consisting of individuals from the office and service sector in Sweden. The collected data were analyzed using a comparison of means and multiple regression analyses. The findings of the study indicate that gender is a central factor in how invisible work is distributed, with women performing invisible work at the workplace to a greater extent than men. Leadership positions moderate the relationship between gender and the extent of invisible work to some degree, suggesting that the distribution of such tasks can also be understood through other factors and not solely based on gender.