Mellan organisation och människa : En kvalitativ studie om hur mellanchefer hanterar organisatoriska krav och medarbetares behov i det dagliga ledarskapet

Sammanfattning

This study examines how middle managers handle organizational demands and employees’ needs, and how these considerations shape everyday leadership. Previous research describes leadership as a complex and context-dependent phenomenon, influenced by organizational conditions, work demands, and relational processes. Research has also shown that middle managers are expected to balance organizational expectations while simultaneously supporting employees and maintaining functional workplace relationships. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach and is based on semi-structured interviews with middle managers working within a transport organization. The empirical material was analyzed through thematic analysis using an abductive approach, where interpretation occurred in interaction between empirical data and theory. The study adopted an empirical phenomenological perspective focusing on the respondents’ lived experiences of leadership. The theoretical framework consisted of the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model and a strategy-as-practice perspective. The findings show that middle managers’ daily leadership is characterized by continuous balancing between organizational demands and employees’ needs. Leadership is described as complex and dynamic, where high work demands, reprioritization, and continuous adaptation constitute recurring aspects of the work. At the same time, presence, accessibility, and relationship-building emerge as important components in how middle managers shape their leadership and create conditions that support employees in their work. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how middle managers’ leadership is shaped through the interaction between organizational demands and employees’ needs.