Covid-19 made working from home more accessible, and even after the pandemic is over, numerous organizations in Sweden have made the choice to continue work from home through so-called hybrid work models. This study is done in a co-creation with a large Swedish retail company, ICA that uses the hybrid model.  The study examines how the hybrid work model has affected office workers' sense of belonging through a survey consisting of a quantitative and a qualitative part. The effect on social, professional, and environmental sense of belonging is examined in this research. The study also investigates how and if factor such as gender, age, and length of employment have affected the sense of belonging for office worker. The results of the study show that the change to the hybrid work mode has influenced the sense of belonging for the office worker. The effects on social belonging are found to be both beneficial and detrimental, while the influence on professional sense of belonging whit the implementation of the hybrid work model is showing mostly beneficial outcomes. The impact on environmental belonging is that the office is preserved as more of a social workplace where ideas are exchanged, social contacts are held, whilst the home office is space where work can be done in peace and without distractions.

Bakgrund: När covid-19 plötsligt drabbade världen förändrades arbetssätt och branscher fundamentalt då distansarbete blev en påtvingad arbetsform. Uppmärksammande fördelar med arbetsformen medför en förväntan att distansarbete ska bli varaktig i den postpandemiska eran. Emellertid påträffades svårigheter att vidhålla en överenstämmelse mellan företagsintressen och medarbetarintressen avseende distansarbete. Följaktligen introduceras en hybrid arbetsform som kombinerar kontors- och distansarbete efter det påtvingade distansarbetet hävts. Företag utsättas för komplexa förändringar vid applikationen av en hybrid arbetsform, vilket förorsakar att det föreligger väsentliga ställningstagande inom chefers verksamhetsstyrning som måste beaktas för att kunna hantera övergången till en hybrid arbetsform. Således finns det anledning att öka förståelsen för chefers verksamhetsstyrning i angiven kontext. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att ur ett styrningsperspektiv bidra med ökad förståelse för förändringsarbete genom verksamhetsstyrning vid arbetsplatser som efter påtvingat distansarbete tillämpat en hybrid arbetsform. Metod: Med utgångspunkt i det tolkande perspektivet har studien antagit en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi med en abduktiv ansats. Empiriskt material har insamlats genom en intervjustudie som konstruerats av tolv intervjuer med chefer från fem olika företag. Slutsats: Vid förändring av arbetsarrangemang framgår det att chefer tillämpat handlingsstyrning i avsikt att förverkliga kombinationen av arbetsutförande i kontorsmiljö och distansarbete. I avsikt att övervinna och bemöta upplevt motstånd från medarbetare att samverka i arbetsformen har resultatstyrning, i förbindelse till icke-finansiella incitament nyttjats, samt kulturstyrning i form av medarbetarrelationer och justering av fysiska arrangemang. Det framgår att chefer inte brukat personalstyrning i form av utbildning eller resursfördelning för att säkerställa att medarbetare innehar rätt kompetens att arbeta i rådande arbetsform. Avslutningsvis synliggör studien att upplevd bristande företagskultur till följd av covid-19 ligger till grund för justering av fysiska arrangemang, tillförsel av formella och informella sociala sammankomster, tillämpning av handlingsstyrning och incitamentsystem. / Background: When COVID-19 suddenly hit the world, work methods and industries were changed fundamentally as remote work became a forced work form. The perceived benefits of this work form led to an expectation that remote work will be long-lasting in the post- pandemic era. However, difficulties are observed in maintaining an alignment between company and employee interests regarding remote work. Consequently, a hybrid work form, combining office and remote work, is introduced after the enforced remote work has been lifted. Enterprises are exposed to complex changes because of the application of a hybrid work arrangement, causing significant managerial decisions that need to be considered to effectively manage the transition to a hybrid work form. Thus, there is reason to increase the understanding of managers' governance in the given context. Purpose: The purpose of the study is, from a governance perspective, to contribute to increased understanding of change management through management control systems at workplaces that have applied a hybrid work form after forced remote work. Method: Based on the interpretive perspective, the study has taken a qualitative research strategy with an abductive approach. Empirical material has been collected via an interview study composed of twelve interviews with managers from five different companies. Conclusion: When changing work arrangement, it appears that managers have applied action control to realize the combination of work performance in an office environment and remote work. To overcome and respond to the perceived resistance of employees to engage in the work form, result control in connection with non-financial incentives has been used, as well as cultural control in the form of employee relations and adjustment of physical arrangements. It appears that managers have not used personnel controls in the form of training or resource allocation to ensure that employees have the right skills to work in the current work form. Finally, the study reveals that perceived lack of corporate culture because of COVID-19, is the basis for the adjustment of physical arrangements, provision of formal and informal social gatherings, application of action management and incentive systems.

Many organizations have chosen to implement hybrid working models, in the aftermath of Covid-19. As transformations in organizations often are followed by organizational cultural change, it is of interest to investigate how expressions of culture are manifested within organizations that have implemented hybrid models. The aim of the study was to get an in-depth understanding and contribute to the field of organizational culture research and hybrid workplaces. A theoretical framework for the study was created based on a combination of the cultural web and a three-perspective approach. The research was conducted through a qualitative case study with semi-structured interviews, at a professional bureaucracy. The results of the study indicated that the paradigm of the organization, with a hybrid model, is expressed through several common values. Some cultural expressions were shown to vary between different groups, mainly based on the teams of the organization. Overall, the results indicated that the office remains the foundation for many cultural expressions, despite some parts of the daily business being adapted to remote work. For future research it would therefore be interesting to conduct a study over a longer period, thus seeing how the organizational culture changes and adapts over time.

Bakgrund: Hybridarbete är en arbetsform som växt fram de senaste åren där distansarbete kombineras med arbete på kontor. I samband med Covid-19 pandemin var många kontorsarbetare tvungna att arbeta på distans och det är något som många har velat och haft möjlighet att göra efter. Flera arbeten kan göras fullt ut på distans och fler företag implementerar olika policys kring detta.   Syfte: Syftet med studien är utifrån den anställdes perspektiv vid kontorsarbeten undersöka och få en ökad förståelse kring hur deras motivation påverkas av hybridarbete. Studien ämnar även att urskilja både positiva och negativa konsekvenser av hybridarbete. Metod: Studien har använts en kvalitativ metod och semi-strukturerade intervjuer med respondenter från flera olika företag. Vidare har en induktiv ansats använts. Totalt intervjuades sex personer och resultatet av detta analyserades med tematisk analys.   Slutsats: Hybridarbete möjliggör mer självbestämmande kring hur arbetet ska utformas samt var det utförs vilket ökar motivationen. Både formell och informell kommunikation mellan kollegor blev sämre de dagar respondenterna arbetade hemifrån vilket påverkar feedback och därmed motivationen negativt. Vid arbete på distans blev det mindre variation i arbetsuppgifter än arbete på kontoret vilket påverkar motivation negativt. Flera utmaningar upplevdes i samband med hybridarbete som exempelvis mindre vardagsmotion, sämre ergonomi och färre pauser. / Background: Hybrid work, a type of employment that combines office and remote work, has become more popular lately. Many office workers were obliged to work remotely during the Covid-19 outbreak, and many of them have wished and had the chance to do so ever since. Many occupations can be completed entirely online, and more businesses are introducing different policies in this area.   Aim: The purpose of the study is to examine and gain an increased understanding of how motivation is influenced by hybrid work from the perspective of employees in office settings. The study also aims to identify both positive and negative consequences of hybrid work. Methodology: The study used a qualitative approach and included semi-structured interviews with respondents from a range of firms and a qualitative approach. In addition, an inductive strategy was used. Six people in all were interviewed, and theme analysis was used to examine the findings. Conclusion: Hybrid employment promotes motivation because it gives workers greater freedom over how their jobs are organized and where they are carried out. On the days when the respondents worked from home, formal and informal communication among coworkers worsened, which had a negative impact on feedback and, subsequently, motivation. When compared to working from the office, remote work produced less variation in the duties, which had a negative impact on motivation. Hybrid work presented several difficulties, including less daily physical activity, inferior ergonomics, and fewer breaks.

Background: The traditionally homogeneous work environment, historically associated with physical locations such as offices and buildings, has undergone significant changes in recent years. This change has been driven by technological innovation, cultural development and external challenges, an accelerator in this process was the global spread of covid-19, which radicalized the traditional way of working. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to create a deeper understanding of how leadership has been affected in step with work environment changes. A delimitation has been made towards an explicit work environment, the hybrid environment.  Methodology: Through a combination of literature review and qualitative data collection methods such as interviews, has this study investigated how leadership practices have changed and adapted to the hybrid work environment in symbiosis with what challenges and adaptations, have developed.  Result: The results show that leaders must now be more empathetic, communicative, and consultative than before. They also need to possess a combination of emotional and technical skills to effectively navigate the complexity that the combined work environment entails. In addition, the importance of being able to manage and understand team dynamics and the emotional needs of individuals has become more prominent. Conclusion: Today's leaders, which are operating in hybrid work environments, face the challenging task of balancing technical competence along with human dynamics. To be effective, these leaders must be agile, forward-thinking and tech savvy. Success lies in their ability to combine innovative methods with a deep understanding of human interaction, which is critical to their effectiveness in this rapidly changing work environment.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka de förhoppningar som kontorsanställda hade om hur ett framtida arbetsliv, enligt deras mening, bör te sig efter det att de har blivit tvingade att arbeta på distans. Studien genomfördes med kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med bekvämlighetsurval kombinerat med snöbollsurval vilket resulterade i tolv intervjudeltagare (n=12). De kom från flera olika verksamheter och hälften var kvinnor och hälften var män. Data från intervjuerna bearbetades med en tematisk analys och resulterade i fyra teman vilka var: 1) frihet i arbetslivet, 2) stöd från arbetsgivare, 3) socialt behov samt 4) attraktiv arbetsgivare. Slutsatsen av studien var att det viktigaste för alla deltagare var att ha en valfrihet gällande var de utförde sitt arbete och de hade en förhoppning att fortsättningsvis kunna ha någon form av hybridlösning. Flera deltagare hoppades även att deras arbetsgivare skulle ta ett större arbetsmiljöansvar vid distansarbete. Vidare uttryckte några deltagare en förhoppning att framöver fortsätta kunna utföra affärsresor för att få det fysiska mötet med kollegor och samarbetsparter från andra orter och länder. / The purpose of this study was to explore the wishes of office employees who have been distance working as prompted by the Covid-19 Pandemic. More specifically, we wanted to find out what wishes that the participants had for their future work life after the pandemic. The qualitative study was designed based on semi-structured interviews. A convenience sample, using a snowball strategy, was selected resulting in 12 participants (n=12) divided equally between men and women. Data was analysed with a thematic analysis resulting in four main themes: 1) a freedom of choice, 2) employer support experience, 3) social needs and 4) employer attractiveness. Overall, participants expressed wishes for choosing their own workplace and have some form of hybrid solution. The participants also hoped that the employer would take a greater work environment responsibility. Some participants wished for the opportunity to still have business trips to get the physical meeting with colleagues and partners from other cities in Sweden and other countries.

Under de senaste åren har distansarbete, mycket tack vare Covid-19-pandemin, blivit ett högaktuellt arbetssätt. Distansarbete skapar nya möjligheter samt nya utmaningar i arbetslivet och kan av många upplevas effektivt och smidigt ur ett rent produktivitetsperspektiv. Det finns motstridig information angående distansarbete, då många individer uppgav att de ville fortsätta med distansarbete efter pandemin, samtidigt som andelen distansarbetare stadigt har sjunkit efter pandemins slut. En potentiell negativ aspekt av distansarbete är att det riskerar att minska mängden arbetsrelaterade sociala utbyten för individen, vilket kan vara problematiskt då dessa sociala utbyten är viktiga för individens sociala välbefinnande. Syftet med studien är att skapa en djupare förståelse för hur anställda upplever sitt sociala välbefinnande i relation till distansarbete och tillgång till organisatoriskt stöd gällande teknisk support. Studien har antagit ett socialpsykologiskt angreppssätt och använt sig av de teoretiska utgångspunkterna socialt välbefinnande och teknostress. Tio respondenter deltog i studien och intervjuades genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer. Dessa intervjuer transkriberades sedan och tematiserades därefter. Resultatet visade att det fanns positiva och negativa aspekter av distansarbete relaterat till socialt välbefinnande. Respondenternas ställningstagande visade tydligt på att varken distansarbete eller arbete på plats var att föredra som arbetssätt utan att en blandning av båda var det bästa alternativet. Vidare visade resultatet att vissa aspekter ur det sociala välbefinnandet fungerade bättre genom distansarbete och vissa aspekter var svåra att uppnå genom enbart distansarbete. / In recent years remote work has become a highly relevant way of working, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Remote work creates new opportunities as well as new challenges in the workplace and can be perceived by many as efficient and smooth from a pure productivity perspective. There is conflicting information regarding remote work, as many individuals indicated that they would like to continue remote work after the pandemic, while the percentage of remote workers has steadily decreased after the end of the pandemic. One potential negative aspect of remote work is that it risks reducing the amount of work-related social exchanges for the individual, which can be problematic as these social exchanges are important for the individual's social well-being. The purpose of the study is to create a deeper understanding of how employees experience their social well-being in relation to remote work and access to organizational support regarding technical support. The study has adopted a social psychological approach and used the theoretical perspectives of social well-being and techno-stress. Ten respondents participated in the study and were interviewed through qualitative semi-structured interviews. These interviews were then transcribed and themed accordingly. The result showed that there were positive and negative aspects of remote work related to social well-being. The respondents' position clearly showed that neither remote work nor on-site work was preferred as a way of working, but that a mix of both was the best option. Furthermore, the results showed that some aspects of social well-being worked better through remote work and some aspects were difficult to achieve through remote work alone.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka hybridarbetets påverkan på work-life balance utifrån småbarnsföräldrars upplevelse av vad som sker när sfärerna arbetsliv och privatliv flyter samman och gränsdragningarna tenderar att suddas ut. Fokus ligger på att ta reda på hur deltagarna i studien definierar begreppet work-life balance samt vilka potentiella möjligheter och utmaningar det finns med att segmentera respektive integrera sfärerna arbetsliv och privatliv. Resultatet har samlats in genom åtta semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer. En abduktiv förståelseansats och ett hermeneutiskt förhållningssätt har tillämpats. För att analysera resultatet har teorier om gränser, flexibilitet och konflikter, segmentering och integrering samt krav, resurser och stöd använts. Det huvudsakliga resultatet visar att en optimal kombination av arbetsliv och privatliv är högst individuellt och preferenserna skiljer sig åt mellan deltagarna. Det som däremot inte skiljer sig åt är den positiva attityd som samtliga har till hybridarbete som ses som en viktig förutsättning för att sfärerna ska kunna balanseras och manövreras. Med ett flexibelt arbete framkommer ett flertal möjligheter som bland annat berör tid och plats för utförande av arbetet men också utmaningar med bland annat social samvaro, gränsdragning och återhämtning. / The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of hybrid work on work-life balance based on the experience of parents of young children, focusing on the aspect of what happens when the spheres of work life and private life merge and the boundaries tend to blur. The focus is on understanding how the participants in this study define the concept of work-life balance and what opportunities and challenges may occur by segmenting or integrating the spheres of work life and private life. The results have been collected through eight semi-structured qualitative interviews. An abductive understanding approach and a hermeneutic approach have been used. To analyze the results, theories about boundaries, flexibility and conflicts, segmentation and integration as well as requirements, resources and support have been used. The main result shows that an optimal combination of work life and private life is highly individual and the preferences differ between participants. What does not differ, however, is the positive attitude expressed towards hybrid work as an important prerequisite for the spheres to be balanced and maneuvered. Along with flexible work several opportunities arise which, among other things, concern time and place for carrying out the work, but also challenges regarding aspects such as team building, boundary setting and time for recovery.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to undergo a rapid digital transformation, including a shift towards remote-hybrid work structures. This has disrupted traditional ways of working, including strategic knowledge management (SKM). Effective SKM is crucial for organizations to succeed under remote-hybrid working arrangements and requires modernization of knowledge management strategies. Despite significant research on SKM and remote-hybrid work separately, there is a lack of understanding of how remote- hybrid work structures affect SKM, and the development of effective strategies to manage strategic knowledge in this new digital environment. Purpose: This thesis aims to investigate how remote-hybrid work structures influence the management of strategic knowledge in organizations. It aims to bridge the fields of SKM and hybrid organizations by exploring how organizations can design their infrastructures and processes to succeed with SKM under a remote-hybrid work structure. Method: This study adopts a critical realism research philosophy, an abductive research approach, and an exploratory single case study design to explore SKM in the context of remote- hybrid work structures. Data was collected through seven semi-structured interviews with CEOs and partners at different offices of the case company, as well as four observation sessions. The analysis of data was conducted in three steps, namely empirical analysis, abstraction, and retroduction. Conclusion: This study offers a unique perspective on the relationship between remote-hybrid work structures and SKM processes in organizations. By highlighting the importance of digital infrastructure and knowledge-sharing culture, the study identifies key factors for successfully managing strategic knowledge in this new work context. The study also provides a new conceptual framework that bridges the fields of remote-hybrid work and SKM, emphasizing the interlinks between infrastructures, organizational culture, and SKM processes. These insights provide a valuable contribution to both SKM research and practical implications for managers seeking to design effective SKM infrastructures and processes that provide a strategic advantage.

Aim: This thesis aims to investigate the varying needs and perceptions of employees in different positions within a single organization in Brazil with regard to flexiblework arrangements. Methodology: The study selected eight employees from diverse positions within the organization through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The datacollection process employed a semi-structured interview approach, using an interview guide exploring the perception and needs of the employees regarding flexible work arrangements. The primary objective of the interviews was to offer valuable insights into employees' experiences and viewpoints, which aids in understanding the workforce's needs and requirements. Findings: The analysis found that employees across the different hierarchies in the organization exhibited a shared inclination towards remote work due to its advantages. However, the choices made by the employees were influenced by the team and managerial dynamics, client demands, and peak periods of activity. The findings disclosed that the advantages of flexible working arrangements are multifaceted encompassing work-life balance, quality of life, and cost savings. Conversely, challenges in the form of limited communication and relationship building opportunities, hierarchical complexities, and the high commuting costs incurred by hybrid workers were identified. The findings, therefore, emphasized the importance of fostering support, collaboration, and a positive work environment. Conclusion: Overall, the organization actively promotes adaptability to remote work, offering incentives and the necessary equipment to facilitate work-from-home arrangements. This research, therefore, underscores the need to embrace remote work and advocate for an enabling environment that addresses the diverse needs and challenges encountered by employees engaging in flexible work practices.