SAMMANFATTNING   Titel: Vad händer med kunskapen när medarbetarna arbetar på distans? En kvalitativ studie om distansarbetets påverkan på organisatoriskt lärande. Nivå: Examensarbete på Grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi  Författare: Maria Larsson Szöges och Sara Stranne Handledare: Jean Claude Mutiganda Datum: 2022 – Januari Syfte: Covid-19 pandemin har medfört att många organisationer har tvingats att övergå till distansarbete vilket ändrar förutsättningarna för organisationer och deras arbetssätt. Det är av yttersta vikt för organisationer att ständigt utvecklas och dra nytta av olika kompetenser som finns inom företaget. Därmed är organisatoriskt lärande väldigt viktigt för organisationers konkurrenskraft och överlevnad på lång sikt. Studiens syfte är att skapa förståelse för vilken påverkan det plötsliga införandet av distansarbete har på organisatoriskt lärande. Syftet besvaras med hjälp av forskningsfrågan: Hur påverkar distansarbete processerna i organisatoriskt lärande? Metod: Studien är utförd med hjälp av kvalitativ metod, där semistrukturerade intervjuer utförts. En fallstudie har utförts på en av Sveriges storbanker där tio medarbetare på ett bankkontor har intervjuats. Intervjuresultatet har analyserats med hjälp av tematisk analys som utgår från processerna i 4i framework. Resultat och slutsats: Resultatet visar att distansarbete påverkar delaktigheten och det informella lärande, vilket i sin tur har en påverkan på det organisatoriska lärandet. Slutsatsen är därför att det finns en påverkan på organisatoriskt lärande när medarbetarna arbetar på distans. Examensarbetets bidrag: Studiens teoretiska bidrag är att vi tydligt har sett att organisatoriskt lärande blir påverkat av distansarbete, men även att vissa delar inte blir påverkade. Med bakgrund av att distansarbete anses av tidigare forskning vara den nya arbetsnormen är studiens praktiska bidrag att dels uppmärksamma att distansarbete påverkar det organisatoriska lärandet. Samt att visa på faktorer som påverkar organisatoriskt lärande vid distansarbete och hur befintliga strukturer och forum behöver anpassas vid distansarbete.  Förslag till fortsatt forskning:  Ett förslag till fortsatt forskning är att utföra en longitudinell studie för att se hur organisatoriskt lärande påverkas på längre sikt av distansarbete.  Nyckelord: Organizational learning, 4i framework, distance work, telework, remote work / ABSTRACT   Title: What happens to knowledge when employees work remotely? A qualitative study of the impact of telework on organizational learning. Level: Student thesis, final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration Author: Maria Larsson Szöges and Sara Stranne Supervisor:  Jean Claude Mutiganda Date: 2022 - January Aim: The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that many organizations have been forced to switch to teleworking, which changes the conditions for organizations and their working methods. It is of outmost importance for organizations to constantly develop and benefit from the various competencies that exist within the company. Thus, organizational learning is very important for organizations' competitiveness and long-term survival. The purpose of the study is to create an understanding of the impact that the sudden introduction of telework has regarding organizational learning. The purpose is answered with the help of the research question: How does teleworking affect the processes in organizational learning? Method: The study is performed using a qualitative method, where semi-structured interviews are performed. A case study has been carried out at one of Sweden's major banks where ten employees at a bank branch have been interviewed. The interview results have been analyzed using thematic analysis based on the processes in the 4i framework. Result and Conclusions: The results show that telework affects participation and informal learning, which in turn has an impact on organizational learning. The conclusion is therefore that there is an impact on organizational learning when employees work remotely. Contribution of the thesis: The theoretical contribution of the study is that we have clearly seen that organizational learning is affected by distance work, but also that certain parts are not affected. Given that teleworking is considered by previous research to be the new work norm, the study's practical contribution is to draw attention to the fact that teleworking affects organizational learning. And to show factors that affect organizational learning in telework and how existing structures and forums need to be adapted in telework. Suggestions for future research: A proposal for further research is to carry out a longitudinal study to see how organizational learning is affected in the longer term by teleworking. Key words:  Organizational learning, 4i framework, distance work, telework, remote work

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.

Work motivation has been a topic of significance for a very long time, however, since there has been a recent shift towards remote work, traditional motivational theories might need to be reconsidered and applied to the new way of working. The self-determination theory (SDT) is one of many motivational theories, which says that once the three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are reached, individuals will experience high amounts of motivation. In order to dive deeper into the topic of motivation in remote work, the purpose of our study is therefore to explore this area of research by examining how managerial support measures could be aimed at ensuring the feeling of autonomy, competence and relatedness, and in turn manage to possibly sustain motivation among remote workers.  With the aim of reaching and fulfilling the purpose of this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with five remote workers working in start-ups or SMEs within the IT sectors, or within companies with a digital focus. The data which we collected through interviews was then thematically analysed by careful coding and put into a variety of themes. Following the presentation of our findings was a meticulous analysis of the generated data, which was the base for our final conclusions drawn on the subject.  From the findings, we were able to conclude that autonomy achieved high scores in remote work, and was without exceptions fulfilled for all of our interview subjects. Within competence, the most challenges were detected, however the right supporting measures, like facilitating information sharing, would be able to work against these issues. Lastly, relatedness is oftentimes severely lacking within remote work due to the implied distance, however due to conscious choices to work remotely, individuals will be aware of decreasing relatedness when they start their journey of working remotely. Nonetheless, supporting measures like organising social gatherings or workshops, can limit the lack of feeling relatedness in the remote workplace.  This study can assist future researchers that are conducting studies within the growing remote work environment. Furthermore, it can help managers in the workplace to gain an updated view on motivation in remote working, and shift perspective to remotely adapted supporting measures.

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.

Syfte: Studien har ett tvådelat syfte. Den första delen av syftet är att undersöka hur flexibelt arbete påverkar jobbtillfredsställelse, inkludering och mångfald. Den andra delen av syftet är att undersöka hur inkludering och mångfald påverkar jobbtillfredsställelse. Följande forskningsfrågor besvaras: -Hur påverkar flexibelt arbete jobbtillfredsställelse?-Hur påverkar flexibelt arbete inkludering och mångfald?-Hur påverkar inkludering och mångfald jobbtillfredsställelse?  Metod: Denna studie bygger på en kvantitativ metod med ett deduktivt tillvägagångssätt, där en enkätundersökning via olika kanaler legat till grund för insamlingen av data. Populationen av studien är anställda som jobbar på företag med flexibla arbetsarrangemang i Sverige, med 132 respondenter. Undersökningen av data har skett genom statistikprogrammet ‘’JASP’’, där en bivariat korrelationsanalys utförts.  Resultat och slutsats: Resultatet av studien har visat att flexibelt arbete inte har någon korrelation till jobbtillfredställelse. Vidare visar resultatet även att flexibelt arbete inte heller har någon korrelation till inkludering och mångfald. Dessa fynd ligger inte i linje med vad tidigare forskning kommit fram till. Slutligen har studien påvisat att inkludering och mångfald har en stark korrelation till jobbtillfredsställelse vilket tidigare forskning även påvisat. Slutsatsen som dragits är att studiens utformning, och de respondenter som deltagit, skiljer sig i flera aspekter från tidigare studier.  Examensarbetets bidrag: Studiens bidrag är en ökad förståelse för effekterna som flexibelt arbete har, samt hur inkludering och mångfald kan påverka jobbtillfredsställelsen. Det praktiska bidraget denna studie genererar är ett verktyg i form av en enkätundersökning, som beslutsfattare i olika instanser kan använda sig av för att se hur de anställda upplever mångfald och inkludering på sin arbetsplats.  Förslag till fortsatt forskning: En förståelse kring hur de olika dimensioner kring flexibelt arbete påverkar jobbtillfredställelse är fortsatt outforskat och vi ser att denna riktning kan bidra till en ökad förståelse för ämnet. Vidare ser även att framtida forskning kan beröra mer detaljerat kring hur de olika dimensionerna av flexibelt arbete påverkar inkluderingen inom organisationer. Vi föreslår även en framtida inriktning på ledarskapets betydelse vid flexibelt arbete. / Purpose: The study has a twofold purpose. The first part of the aim is to investigate how flexible working affects job satisfaction, inclusion and diversity. The second part of the aim is to investigate how inclusion and diversity affect job satisfaction. The following research questions are answered: -How does flexible work affect job satisfaction?-How does flexible work affect inclusion and diversity?-How does inclusion and diversity affect job satisfaction?  Method: This study is based on a quantitative method with a deductive approach, where a survey through various channels was the basis for the collection of data. The population of the study is employees who work at companies with flexible work arrangements in Sweden, with 132 respondents. The examination of the data has taken place through the statistics program "JASP", where a bivariate correlation analysis was performed.  Results and conclusion: The results of the study have shown that flexible working has no correlation to job satisfaction. Furthermore, the result also shows that flexible working has no correlation to inclusion and diversity either. These findings are not in line with what previous research has concluded. Finally, the study has shown that inclusion and diversity have a strong correlation to job satisfaction, which previous research has also shown. The conclusion drawn is that the design of our study, and the respondents who participated, differ in several aspects from previous studies.  Contribution of the thesis: The study's contribution is an increased understanding of the effects that flexible working has, as well as how inclusion and diversity can affect job satisfaction. The practical contribution this study generates is a tool in the form of a survey, which decision-makers in various instances can use to see how the employees experience diversity and inclusion in their workplace.  Suggestions for further research: An understanding of how the different dimensions of flexible work affect job satisfaction is still unexplored, and we believe that this direction can contribute to an increased understanding of the subject. Furthermore, we also see that future research can touch in more detail on how the different dimensions of flexible work affect inclusion within organizations. We also propose a future focus on the importance of leadership in flexible work.

The coronavirus was declared a health emergency in 2020, which led to many employers let their employees work from home to decrease the virus. After the restrictions regarding working from home were removed, some people continued to work from home for a few days a week and spent the other days at the office, which is today called the hybrid solution. As the hybridly way of working is relatively new, there is a lack of research on how the employees perceive the mix of working from the office and home. In order to recruit and retain employees, it can be essential to know if the hybrid solution is perceived as an advantage or disadvantage. Therefore, this thesis explains how the employees perceive the hybrid solution, with the perspective of how it affects their motivation, well-being, and group dynamics. The study is going to answer the research question: If offering a hybrid solution to work is attractive to prospective employees, how does the opportunity to work hybridly affect their motivation, well-being and group dynamics and consequently organizational retention? Based on that, the theoretical framework has come into existence that connects the different themes: of motivation, social identity theory, and talent management into the research. It is a qualitative study with ten semi-structured interviews. The respondents have answered how they perceive the hybrid solution and its effects from their perspective. After the execution of the interviews, we analyzed the material and connected it to previous studies and the theoretical framework. In the analysis, we focus on the outcome of our interviews connected to concepts such as social identity theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the equity model, extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and talent management strategy.The findings are that the employees find the hybrid solution as an advantage but that it is not required for them in order to be motivated and feel satisfied with their employers. Employees working remotely today would feel dissatisfied if the opportunity were taken away. Moreover, from the social perspective, work groups must often meet to have great work dynamics.

The aim of the study is to study how the employees at a public sector organization have perceived the implementation of mediated communications during remote work, due to Covid-19. This studies the current situation of the transition in time which made it possible to include both the remote work and current state in which restrictions regarding remote work are lifted. This in relation to organizational culture and organizational communication. To study this, the theoretical framework of communicative figurations by Hepp and Hasebrink (2018) and organizational culture by Schein and Schein (2017) was used. Data from interviews with six employees at a public sector organization in Sweden and organizational documents was collected and analyzed with a qualitative content analysis. The main result of the study is based on employees' perception. The results show that organizational culture has changed in terms of changing norms and behaviors in the organization. The implementation of digital tools and mediated communication in the organization have been perceived to increase availability and a change in how to communicate in an acceptable way. This includes both employees and leaders. Employees have perceived remote work and the technological switch in some aspect’s problematic, although to a large extent interviewees have expressed a willingness to continue working from home in the future.

In the context of Covid-19, significant changes have occurred in the way people work. This qualitative study investigates how individuals working in agile software development have been affected by the transition to remote work as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Using thematic analysis and a comparative case study as the methodology, the study focuses on areas such as communication, collaboration, cohesion, performance, and outcomes. A summary of the results from the semi-structured interviews in this study reveals that the transition to remote work has not had a negative impact on the outcomes in agile software development. These findings suggest that despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, agile teams have been able to maintain their high levels of performance and results despite the shift to remote work. These conclusions can assist organizations in developing effective strategies to manage and adapt to changes in the work environment, including the transition to remote work.

Remote work has significantly grown in recent decades, facilitated by technological advancements that allow work outside the employer's premises. This shift has blurred the boundaries between work and personal life, giving rise to questions regarding Work-Life balance in remote work.  Previous research has primarily been quantitative, providing limited insight into employees' experiences. Hence, this qualitative study aims to investigate the experiences of work-life balance in remote work among office-based employees in a municipality in central Sweden.  Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with eight participants and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three main categories emerged: "Better compatibility with personal time," "Challenges establishing boundaries but potentially improved work performance," and "Transformed relationships." The main theme was "Remote work can enhance personal time, family life, and individual work performance, but requires strong boundary-setting skills and hinders informal learning."  The findings reveal that remote work is compatible with personal time and generates a productive work environment for those who can work from home uninterrupted. Not meeting colleagues daily minimizes distractions, but also affects informal learning negatively. Participants described remote work as advantageous for family life. However, the risk of overwork is perceived to be higher, underscoring the importance of developing strategies to establish Work-Life balance. / Distansarbete är en arbetsform som ökat drastiskt under de senaste decennierna, bland annat i takt med att tekniken utvecklats och gjort det möjligt att utföra många arbeten utanför arbetsgivarens lokaler. Detta har medfört att gränsen mellan arbete och fritid har förändrats, vilket väcker en fråga om Work-Life balance vid distansarbete. Tidigare forskning har främst haft en kvantitativ ansats, men det finns desto mindre kvalitativ forskning där ingående information om medarbetares upplevelser framgår.  Denna studies syfte är att undersöka upplevelser av Work-Life balance vid distansarbete bland kontorsanställda medarbetare på en kommun i Mellansverige.  Datainsamlingen har genomförts genom digitala semi-strukturerade intervjuer med åtta respondenter och data har analyserats genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys, vilket har mynnat ut i kategorierna: ”Mer kompatibelt med fritiden”, ”Utmaningar med gränssättning men möjlighet till ökade förutsättningar för arbetsprestation” och ”Förändrar relationer”. Temat blev ”Distansarbete kan vara mer gynnsamt för fritiden, familjen och individuell arbetsprestation men ställer högre krav på individuell gränssättningsförmåga och hämmar det informella lärandet”.  Resultatet visar att distansarbete är mer kompatibelt med fritiden samt gynnande för arbetsro och effektivitet för de som har förutsättningar att arbeta hemifrån ostört. Det upplevs också finnas både för- och nackdelar med att få distans till kollegorna – man blir mindre distraherad, men går miste om informellt lärande. Distansarbete beskrivs som underlättande för familjelivet. Risken för överarbete upplevs öka vid distansarbete, så utvecklingen av strategier för gränssättning mellan arbete och fritid beskrivs som central för Work-Life balance.

The covid-19 crisis accelerated the remote work trend and led to a new landscape in business. This sudden shift posed unique challenges for managers and middle managers in particular. Forcing them to adapt their leadership styles and lead their teams remotely. This paper explores the challenges for middle managers imposed by remote work and what is required of them to address them. This is done through a case study on a company's accounting department that has managed to transition to remote successfully. The research takes an inductive, qualitative approach using semi-structural interviews with three middle managers as a data collection method. The challenges are grouped into the themes of communication, team building, trust, technology, management of change, and social aspects. The study concludes that even though some challenges for the middle managers were present in all areas, their teams were well suited for a shift to remote. This was mainly due to low task interdependence, and high self-leadership. Social challenges required regular attention, even though the daily operations worked smoothly.