Visstid som livsstil - En studie om anställningsbarhet och osäkra anställningar i kultur- och mediavärlden

Abstract

The aim of our study is to understand of how professionals within “the cultural- and media work field” experience reoccurring short-term contracts. Our purpose is also to understand what strategies they use to keep them selves employable and get an idea of what long-term consequences according to their experiences various temporary employments have had. To examine this, we conducted a study based of qualitative interviews. Six respondents aged between 29-35 years old, were interviewed about their experiences of a long period of various forms of temporary employments. The interviews were semi-structured and between 50-80 minutes long. We have built our analysis based on theories regarding: Flexibility, Employability, Job Insecurity, social capital, Emotional Labour. We then analysed our empirical data using thematic analysis. Our results show that the respondents experience an uncertainty about their future and a longing for security on many different levels. We also see that fierce competition in the labour market has contributed a feeling of having to do work beyond their employment agreement. Furthermore they seem to be using a combination of networking and Emotional Labour to make themselves indispensable to stay employable. Over time, this has contributed to several consequences such as; lack of confidence in both the system and the employers. Some respondents even expressed resignation and bitterness. Another consequence is how the respondents reflect on how to handle the challenge of choosing between security and their occupation. A theme that stands out is how to balance family life and employability in precarious employments. 3 Based on the results, it becomes clear just how difficult it is to conduct a good Systematic Work Environment Management, in respect to the prevention of psychosocial conditions linked to the work of these groups. In the new working environment regulation (AFS 2015: 4), steps are taken to prevent an increase in work-related psychosocial health issues. We ask ourselves how effective this steps will be for our respondents, since they have mentioned attempt to hide weakness and disguise their emotions due to the interchange ability to make them selves employable. Creating security and sense of belonging for this group will become increasingly important as the number of temporary employments increase in the labour market, as does psychosocial health issues. This study contributes to the HR-field because the describing of how people with a long-term experience of insecure employments experience their situation will be important knowledge in the future. This is not something that seems to be easily resolved on an individual, organizational or societal level alone, but requires coordinated action on all levels.