This thesis delves into the exploration of meaningful work by examining the narratives and experiences of employees. Employing a theory-elaborative approach while utilizing Laaser and Karlsson's (2022) typology of autonomy, recognition, and dignity as a foundational framework of meaningful work. This investigation centers on firsthand accounts, with four social workers from a municipality in Sweden providing insights through four in-depth interviews and thus shedding light on what holds importance within the context of their work.  Aligned with the theory, patterns surfaced in informants' statements, indicating interdependent relationships among conditions fostering recognition, dignity, and autonomy at work. While cautioning against asserting causation, this observation emerged organically during empirical analysis. Additionally, the study identifies an unexplored dimension within the typology of meaningful work—the emotional dimension. Recognizing the pivotal role of emotion management and emotional experiences, this dimension can enrich our understanding of employees' perceptions of meaningful work. The essay demonstrates the foundational role of formal and informal autonomy, acting as a cornerstone where other dimensions converge to create a meaningful work experience. Whether originating from formal or informal channels, autonomy empowers employees to establish a sphere independent of the formal organization. This autonomy, illustrated by examples such as schedule flexibility and break adjustments, strengthens the informal organization's capacity to uphold dimensions of dignity, recognition, and emotional well-being (cf. Laaser & Karlsson, 2022).

The benefits of occupying multiple roles have typically been overlooked. One reason for this oversight is the lack of a well-established scale measuring work-family facilitation. This study developed and validated short, self-report scales of work-to-family facilitation and family-to-work facilitation. Based on conceptualizations of work and family facilitation presented in current research content domains and definitions of the constructs are presented. Work-to-family facilitation is defined as a form of role facilitation in which the experiences in the job, work skills, and emotional gratification from work makes participation in the family easier. Family-to-work facilitation is defined as a form of role facilitation in which the experiences in the family, family skills, and emotional gratification from family makes participation in work easier. Advocated procedures were used to develop the scales and test dimensionality and internal consistency.

Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka lärares upplevda grad av och syn på autonomi i sin yrkesutövning, inom områdena kompetens-utveckling och klassrumspraktik samt skolan som helhet. I studien ses dessa tre områden som del av övergripande skolutveckling, något som utvecklas i bakgrundskapitlet. Autonomi – i studien definierat som det professionella manöverutrymme inom vilket lärare kan påverka och fatta beslut – och dess potentiella relevans som verktyg inom kompetens-utveckling, och därmed skolutveckling, utgår från self-determination theory, där autonomi tillsammans med kompetens och social tillhörighet ses som centralt för inre motivation. Tidigare forskning visar att lärare värderar sin autonomi högt, men att de inte alltid åtnjuter den, och denna studie bekräftar detta: högst autonomi återfinns i klassrumskontexten, medan lägst grad av inflytande återfinns inom ramen för kompetensutveckling. Det är också inom området kompetensutveckling som störst glapp mellan upplevd och önskad autonomi uttrycks, något som tyder på en underutnyttjad potential. Denna studie bygger på ett mindre dataunderlag (från en enkätundersökning där 70 grundskollärare från två skolor deltog) vilket gör att dess resultat i första kan ses som indikatorer på utgångspunkter för fortsatta och fördjupade studier. / The purpose of this study is to examine which level of autonomy teachers experience and which level they desire in the contexts of professional development, classroom and the school as a whole. In this study, teacher’s professional development is seen as being a part of the overall school development, which is addressed in the background chapter. Autonomy – in the study defined as the degree of professional leeway in which teachers can influence and make decisions – and its potential relevance as a tool in professional development, is grounded in self-determination theory, where autonomy together with competence and social relatedness is seen as central to intrinsic motivation. Earlier research shows that teachers value their autonomy highly, but that they do not always experience it, and this study confirms that: the highest level of autonomy is found within the context of the classroom, while the lowest level of autonomy is found within the context of professional development. It is also in the latter context that the largest difference between experienced and desired level of autonomy is found, something that might suggest an underused potential. This study is based on smaller sample (the survey had 70 participants from two elementary schools), and its results should therefore primarily be seen as indicators, or stepping stones, for continuing and deepened studies.