Ledarskapets roll för skapandet av hållbara arbetsförhållanden i ett gränslöst arbetsliv

Abstract

Increased competition and fast changing markets, combined with the development of Information and Communication Technology have changed modern working life. Due to this development work can be carried out regardless of time and place. Therefore, the traditional boundary between home and work has become blurred. People have different preferences regarding how the borders between home and work should be constructed. It is important that individuals feel that they are in control of defining their boundaries, which is referred to as boundary control. Boundary control is associated with increased wellbeing and lower level of burnout. In this study, boundary control is used as a definition of sustainable working conditions. The aim of this study is to investigate the role that leadership plays in fostering sustainable working conditions in today’s boundaryless working life. In order to understand the role of leadership it is important to understand how boundaryless work affect individuals’ ability to enact their preferred boundaries between home and work. This study is based on a qualitative research method. The empirical data was gathered through 15 in-depth interviews with employees and leaders from three companies in three different industries. The empirical data has been analysed from a perspective of leadership, named medledarskap, which emphasizes that leadership is created by the formal leader and employees together. The conclusion of the study states that boundaryless work increase individuals’ responsibility to enact and maintain their own border between home and work. This study shows that even though the respondents knew how they preferred to construct the boundaries between home and work, these borders were continually challenged by external factors and internal factors. The study also finds that when fostering sustainable working conditions in today’s modern working life, the formal leader has an important role. Although the role of the formal leader is important they have limited scope of action. The formal leader and employees are mutually dependent, which means that they must cooperate and take responsibility for establishing sustainable working conditions. According to this study, many of the factors that are important in developing medledarskap, such as trust, commitment and cooperation, is also significant for the development of sustainable working conditions, yet in today’s boundaryless working life these factors are associated with great complexity.