Vem fångar upp HR? : En kvalitativ studie om krav, stöd och emotionellt arbete bland HR-praktiker

Sammanfattning

Today´s working life is characterized by high demands and significant levels of stress, while the work environment has become an increasingly central aspect. Previous research shows that HR practitioners’ work is shaped by conflicting demands and they must balance organizational goals with employees´ needs. At the same time, research highlights that emotional labour is a central component of the role, as HR practitioners are expected to manage conflicts and emotions in a professional manner. The aim of this study is to examine the organizational and social work environment of HR practitioners within the private sector, with focus on demands, social support and emotional labour. This is to enhance the understanding of how HR practitioners manage their workload and what resources they are given to facilitate their experience at work. There are expectations that the role is supposed to be accessible for the company, but our aim is to examine the support HR acquires. This qualitative study is based on interviews with individuals working in HR and the theoretical framework consists of the demand, control and support model and Hochschilds theory of emotional labour. The results show that HR practitioners face high demands, which are primarily managed through adaptations in working methods rather than reductions in workload. The work environment serves as an important source of support, particularly through collaboration and a high degree of autonomy; however, this support is not always sufficient, as high demands and workload persist. The study also shows that emotional labour is an integral part HR work, although the level of awareness varies and it has largely become a normalized aspect of the role.