Arbetsmotivation och distansarbete - En studie om arbetsmotivation och psykologisk behovsuppfyllelse vid övergången till distansarbete under covid-19

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine employees' perceived work motivation and how it has changed when forced to telework instead of regular office work. The study is based on the Self-determination theory (SDT) and its psychological needs; autonomy, competence and relatedness and will also explore the degree of which the needs are fulfilled and if there are any relations with work motivation. During the winter and spring of 2020, the pandemic of Covid 19 has hit the world, Sweden included. This has forced individuals to social distancing to avoid infection and therefore, employers have chosen to switch to telework in order to follow recommendations. Not only has the employees been affected by current circumstances, but also from a new way of working which they have to adjust to. A new way of working that on one hand may lead to social isolation and less support from the manager, but on the other hand also could promote freer work and increased autonomy. The study was conducted among individuals who usually are working in office, but since the circumstances have changed to telework. To collect quantitative data, a digital survey was sent to two different companies and shared with relevant networks. A total of 143 respondents participated. In order to examine the work motivation and psychological needs, descriptive statistics and correlations were used and analyzed. These tests indicate different opinions on whether the work motivation has changed or not. Almost half of the respondents expressed a decrease in work motivation while only a few experiences an increased work motivation. Yet over all, the work motivation has remained high even during telework. Our study shows that there are a number of factors that may affect how work motivation is experienced, such as individual differences and work climate and context. Results show that employees experienced an decreased relatedness and support from colleagues as well as their manager. At the same time, increased freedom and flexibility is experienced in the telework. Finally, results show that the three psychological needs are more or less fulfilled. There is also a relative strong correlation between work motivation and autonomy, competence and relatedness.