Cognitive functioning is important for managing work and life in general. However, subjective cognitive complaints (SCC), involving self-perceived difficulties with concentration, memory, decision making, and clear thinking are common in the general and in the working population and can be coupled with both lowered well-being and work ability. The present thesis investigated the extent to which SCC among people in the work force can be explained by objective cognitive functioning (study I &amp; II) and working conditions (study III), utilizing samples from the working population. The potential roles of other common psychological problems which often co-occur with SCC were also investigated in studies I-III. In Study I, high levels of SCC were associated with significantly poorer episodic memory performance during high executive demands and a trend was found towards poorer episodic memory, while not being associated with semantic memory. In Study II, high levels of SCC were associated with significantly poorer executive cognitive performance on all three executive cognitive tests used. Symptoms of depression, chronic stress and sleeping problems were found to play an important role in the relations between SCC and episodic memory during divided attention in study I and executive cognitive functioning in study II. In Study III, in all cross-sectional data analyses, high quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT) demands, underqualification in the work situation and inter-personal conflicts were positively associated with SCC, whereas social support, good resources at work and overqualification in the work situation were negatively associated with SCC. In all prospective data analyses, quantitative job demands, ICT demands and underqualification were positively associated with future SCC, including when adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints. The findings may guide prevention of and interventions for SCC among people in the work force. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Submitted. Paper 2: Accepted.</p>

Well-being at work is of major public interest, and justice at the workplace can be a key factor contributing to employees and managers feeling well. Research has found direct relationships between organizational justice perceptions and work and health outcomes. With research on the justice–health link still emerging, this thesis examines the moderating and mediating processes for the effects of justice perceptions on work outcomes and especially health outcomes. As little is known about those who enact justice, the antecedents and consequences of justice enactment are also studied. In Study I, the relationships between organizational justice and work and health outcomes were in focus, as the moderating role of job characteristics was investigated utilizing the demand–control(–support) model. Organizational justice and job characteristics were associated with work and health outcomes within and across time. The multiplicative effects showed that the organizational justice effects were stronger when perceived job demands were high, job control was low or social support was low. Study II examined the processes through which justice perceptions translate into health outcomes. Building on the allostatic load model, mental preoccupation with work was found to be a relevant mediator of the justice–health relationship, with locus of control moderating the mediated relationships. Study III focused on the actor perspective. Investigating predictions based on the deontic model of justice and ego-depletion theory, moral regard and justice self-efficacy predicted justice enactment positively, and justice enactment had positive effects on feeling professionally recognized but also negative health consequences for the actors themselves. This thesis contributes to advancing the emergent justice–health research stream by providing insights into the processes underlying these aspects, and by incorporating this stream into the actor perspective. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Submitted.</p>

Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the experience of working environment in open plan office within IT- sector. Background: Previously was the most common office model cell office, open plan office is now the most common. A good working environment in theise two office types needs different attributes. A theory to explain relationship between health and unhealth is Karasek and Theorells demand- control- supportmodel. Method: A qualitative interview study was performed to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of working in open plan office within IT- sector. Ten informants from two different organizations were chosen. The result has been analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Results: The analyses resulted in three themes and six sub-themes. The result showed that there were both positive and negative aspects of working environment in open plan office. Positive aspect was mentioned as good communication and good social interaction while high sound level and disturbing working situation was mentioned as negative aspects. Conclusion: The result shows that there is many aspects to take in consideration white work in open plan office. To have a good working environment there is need to have a deeper understanding from the organization how the open plan office affect the individual. / Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka upplevelsen av arbetsmiljö i öppna kontor inom IT-sektorn. Bakgrund: Tidigare var den vanligast förekommande kontorsmodellen att sitta i enskilt cellkontor numera har öppna kontor blivit den vanligast förekommande arbetsplatsmodellen. Förutsättningen för god arbetsmiljö ser helt olika ut i dessa två kontorsmodeller. I öppna kontor är Karasek och Theorells Krav- kontroll- stödmodell en användbar teori för att tydliggöra förhållandet mellan hälsa och ohälsa på arbetsplatsen. Metod: En kvalitativ intervjustudie genomfördes för att få en djupare förståelse för upplevelsen av att arbeta i öppna kontor inom IT-sektorn. Tio informanter från två olika verksamheter intervjuades och materialet analyserades sedan med kvalitativa innehållsanalys. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i tre huvudkategorier och sex underkategorier. Det framkom både fördelar och nackdelar i arbetsmiljön på öppna kontor. Bland annat god kommunikation och det sociala samspelet lyftes som fördelar medan ljudnivån och brist på ostörd arbetsmiljö ansågs negativt. Konklusion: Studiens resultat visar att det finns många olika aspekter att ta hänsyn till vid arbete i öppna kontor. För att få en god arbetsmiljö krävs förståelse från verksamhetschefer och medarbetare hur det öppna kontoret påverkar individen ur både fysiskt och psykiskt perspektiv

Denna studie grundar sig i Arbetsmiljöverkets föreskrift om organisatorisk och social arbetsmiljö, AFS 2015:4, som tagits fram i syfte att främja en god arbetsmiljö och förebygga risk för ohälsa. Utifrån de ökande antalet anmälningarna om arbetssjukdom med stress och psykiska påfrestningar som orsak ligger fokus i studien på ohälsosam arbetsbelastning och om det inom kommunen finns kunskaper att förebygga och hantera dessa risker. Syftet har varit undersöka hur kommunen praktiskt arbetar med föreskriften inom tre organisatoriska nivåer och hur de anställda uppfattar sin psykosociala arbetsmiljö. Fokus låg även på att undersöka hur de anställda är delaktiga i ovanstående arbetsmiljöarbete. Studien utgick från ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv med en kvalitativ ansats genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. En gruppintervju bestående av två medarbetare som representerade HR-avdelningen och två individuella intervjuer på chefsnivå. På medarbetarnivån genomfördes två gruppintervjuer med tre medarbetare vardera från de avdelningarna som respektive chef leder. Av studien framgår att goda resultat kan uppnås i den psykosociala arbetsmiljön när alla organisatoriska nivåer integrerar frågorna i sitt systematiska arbetsmiljöarbete och upprättar rutiner för att förebygga och hantera ohälsosam arbetsbelastning. Studien bekräftar att socialt stöd, kunskap, kommunikation och delaktighet är viktiga framgångsfaktorer för en god psykosocial arbetsmiljö. I diskussionen lyfts vikten av att avsätta tid i syfte att förebygga ohälsa och förslag lyfts om att använda krav/kontroll/stöd-modellen som verktyg att analysera och reflektera kring de anställdas arbetsbelastning. / This study is based on the Swedish work environment authority statute book about organisational and social work environment, AFS 2015:4 provisions, that has been developed to promote a good work environment and prevent risks of ill health. Because of the increasing numbers of work-related ill health due to stress and mental strain, the focus in this study was unhealthy workloads and if there is knowledge in the municipality about preventing and dealing with these risks. The aim was to examine how the municipality practically work with the provision within three organizational levels and how the employees perceive their psychosocial work environment. There were also focus on investigating how employees participate in the above environment work. The study was based on a hermeneutic perspective with a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews. One group interview consisting two employees representing the HR department and two individual interviews at the managerial level. At the employee level, two group interviews were held with three employees from the departments headed by the managers. The outcome of the study shows that good results can be obtained in the psychosocial work environment when all organizational levels integrates these issues in their systematic work environment and establish routines to prevent and dealing with unhealthy workload. The study confirms that social support, knowledge, communication and employee participation are important factors for a healthy psychosocial work environment. The discussion shows the importance of taking time for preventing ill health and suggestions about using the demand/control/support-model as a tool for analysing and reflect over the employee workload.

Syftet med studien var att studera enhetschefers upplevelse av arbetsrelaterad stress, samt hur stressupplevelsen och balansen på deras privatliv varierade. En kvalitativ metod genomfördes med hjälp av en semistrukturerad intervjuguide. Utifrån syfte och Karaseks och Theorells krav-kontroll och stödmodell utformades fyra frågeställningar. Sex enhetschefer intervjuades och det insamlade materialet analyserades med hjälp av en deduktiv tematisk analys. De fyra huvudtemana: krav på arbetsplatsen, kontroll över arbetssituationen, vikten av socialt stöd samt balansen mellan arbete och privatliv var förutbestämda utifrån teorin. Det övergripande resultatet visade på att respondenterna upplevde höga krav och låg kontroll på arbetsplatsen. Vidare framkom det att det sociala stödet var av stor vikt i respondenternas arbetssituation. Modellens förutsedda stressupplevelse stämde överens med enhetschefernas faktiska stressupplevelse och balansen mellan arbete och privatliv visade sig vara begränsad. / The purpose of this study was to study unit managers' experience of strenuous work and work-related stress, as well as how the stress experience impacted on their privacy. A qualitative method was carried out using a semi-structured interview guide. Based on the purpose and Karaseks and Theorell's demand-control and support model, four questions were formulated. Six unit managers were interviewed, and the collected material was analyzed using a deduction thematic analysis. The four main themes: workplace requirements, control of the work situation, the importance of social support and the balance between work and privacy were predetermined based on theory. The overall result showed that respondents experienced high demands and a low level of control at the workplace. Results also showed that social support was of great importance in the respondents' work situation. The model's predicted stress experience was in line with the unit managers' actual stress experience and the balance between work and privacy proved to be limited.

Vårt gemensamma intresse för arbetsmiljö grundade idén till denna studie, vårt examensarbete, vars syfte är att beskriva lärares arbetssituation med fokus på psykosocial arbetsmiljö och arbetsvillkor samt vilken betydelse ledarskapet har för den individuella arbetsmiljöupplevelsen. Den teoretiska referensramen har sitt fokus på psykosocial arbetsmiljö och behandlar områden som ledarskap, krav-kontroll-stöd modellen, arbetsrelaterad stress, kommunikation samt lärares arbetsvillkor. Metoden är av kvalitativ karaktär där sex semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts med fem lärare och en rektor som alla är yrkesverksamma inom grundskolan. Resultatet visar att lärarna upplever en hög arbetsbörda av administrativ karaktär som behöver minskas för att arbetssituationen ska anses som hanterbar och bidra till ett hållbart arbetsliv. De lärare som ansåg sig ha en rimlig arbetsbelastning har tillgång till stöd, något som de som upplever sig ha en för tung arbetsbelastning saknar. En tematisering av de centrala områden som kunde utläsas ur respondenternas svar upprättades: arbetsbelastning, kommunikation, behovet av stöd och ledarskap, synen på ledarskap samt lärarrollen och det pedagogiska uppdraget. Resultatet analyserades sedan med hjälp av den teoretiska referensramen. De slutsatser som vi kan dra av studien är att det är tre variabler som är avgörande för lärares upplevelser gällande den egna arbetssituationen: tid, stöd och kommunikation. Om dessa variabler är närvarande i verksamheten tenderar personalen att trivas bättre men i de fall dessa variabler däremot är helt frånvarande tenderar det således att få motsatt effekt, en omotiverad och oengagerad personal. Ledare inom skolväsendet bör således arbeta kontinuerligt och strukturerat med dessa tre variabler för att motverka den negativa trenden med sjukskrivningar och uppsägningar bland lärare i den svenska skolan. / Our common interest in the work environment founded the idea of this study, our bachelor degree project, which aims at describing the teachers' work situation with a focus on psychosocial work environment and working conditions and the importance of leadership for the individual work environment experience. The theoretical frame of reference focuses on the psychosocial work environment and addresses areas such as leadership, job-demand-control-support model, work-related stress, communication and teachers' working conditions. The method is of a qualitative nature, in which six semistructured interviews were conducted with five teachers and one principal, all of whom are employed in elementary school. The result shows that teachers experience a high level of administrative burden that needs to be reduced in order for the work situation to be considered manageable and contribute to a sustainable working life. The teachers who considered themselves having a reasonable workload have access to support, something that those who find themselves having a too heavy workload are missing. A thematisation of the key areas that could be read from the respondents' answers was established: workload, the need for support and leadership, the view of leadership, and the role of teacher and the educational task. Then the result was analyzed using the theoretical reference frame. The conclusions we can draw from the study are that there are three variables that are crucial for teachers' experiences regarding their own work environment: time, support and communication. If these variables are present in the business, the staff tend to feel better, but if these variables are completely absent, they tend to have the opposite effect, an unmotivated and unattended staff. Leaders in the school system should thus work continuously and structured with these three variables to counteract the negative trend of sick leave and redundancies among teachers in the Swedish school.

The workplace is an arena that most individuals spend time at. Work-related stress and psychosomatic complaints are problems for the society. Work-related stress has increased in Sweden over the past decades. The aim was to investigate the difference between men and women in work-related stress and psychosomatic complaints among working adults in the Swedish population, and to see if there is a relationship between work-related stress and psychosomatic complaints. The author posted an online survey on Facebook and Discord and 95 adults answered the survey. The result showed that there is a relationship between work-related stress and psychosomatic complaints. Psychosomatic complaints are more common among those who experience more work-related stress. There were no differences between men and women when it comes to work-related stress and psychosomatic complaints. The model Job demand control support model was used in this study. The model is measured with scales such as workload, time pressure and role conflicts. It can be used to see the relationship between job decision latitude and stress indicators. Psychosomatic complaints are more common among those who experience more stress. There are no differences between men and women when it comes to psychosomatic complaints and work-related stress.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka relationen mellan chefens personlighet utifrån femfaktorsmodellen och anställdas arbetsupplevelse utifrån krav-kontroll-stödmodellen när arbete skedde på distans. Pearsons korrelationsanalys genomfördes för att ge en översikt över relationen mellan chefens personlighet och anställdas arbetsupplevelse. Vidare undersöktes hur mycket av chefens personlighet förklarade variationer i anställdas arbetsupplevelse samt om och hur respektive personlighetsdimension predicerade anställdas arbetsupplevelse samt delkategorierna krav, kontroll och stöd. Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) användes för att mäta chefens personlighet. Fem delskalor från QPS Nordic (34+) med koppling till krav-kontroll-stödmodellen användes för att mäta anställdas arbetsupplevelse. Resultaten påvisade signifikanta samband mellan respektive personlighetsdimension och anställdas arbetsupplevelse. 57.9% av variationer i anställdas arbetsupplevelse kunde förklaras av chefens personlighet baserat på femfaktorsmodellen. Samvetsgrannhet var den enda personlighetsdimensionen hos chefen som enskilt hade en signifikant prediktion på anställdas totala arbetsupplevelse och samtliga delkategorier.  Extraversion hos chefen hade en signifikant prediktion på anställdas upplevelse av kontroll. / The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the leader's personality and employees experience of work in a distance context. The study investigated if there was a significant correlation between the leader's personality, based on the five-factory-model, and employees' experience of work, based on the demand-control-support-model. Furthermore, the study explored how much the leader's personality explained the variation in employees' experience of work. Ten Item Personality (TIPI) was used to measure the personality of the boss. Ten questions from QPS Nordic (34+) were used to measure work-experience. The results showed a significant correlation between the leader's personality and distance-workers' experience of work. 57.9% of the variation in the employees' experience of work could be explained by the leader's personality. Concisentiousness was the only dimension that had a significant effect on employees' total experience of work. Extraversion had a significant effect on employees' sense of control.

På senare år har den arbetsrelaterade psykiska ohälsan stått för stora delar av sjukskrivningarna. Man har sett ett mönster mellan långtidssjukskrivningar och de yrkeskategorier som upplevt en ökning mellan psykiska krav och möjligheten för individerna att anpassa sitt egna arbete. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur trafikkonsulenter inom flygsektorn subjektivt upplevt sin psykosociala arbetsmiljö under pandemin. I studien användes QPSNordic som mätverktyg. Totalt var det 82 deltagare som besvarade enkäten, och 72% av de var kvinnor. Studiens resultat jämfördes med QPSNordics referensdata (N=2010) och två separata Pearson korrelationsanalyser genomfördes. Resultatet visade ett positivt signifikant samband mellan socialt stöd och kontroll i arbetet. Medelvärdena i referensdata skiljde sig framförallt åt i skalan ”kontroll av arbetstakt”. Resultaten visade att trafikkonsulenter som upplevde hög grad av socialt stöd också upplevde en hög grad av kontroll i sitt arbete, vilket också stöds i tidigare forskning. / In recent years, work-related mental ill-health has increasingly caused long-time sick leave, and a pattern has been seen, showing increased long-term sick leave for the occupational categories that have increased mental demands and less possibility for employees to control their own work. The purpose of this study was to study how traffic consultants in the aviation industry subjectively experienced their psychosocial work environment during the Covid-19 pandemic. QPSNordic, a questionnaire designed to study psychological, social and organizational working conditions, was used as measurement tool. A total of 82 participants answered the survey, 72% women and 28% men. The results of the study were compared with QPSNordic's reference data (N = 2010), and two separate Pearson correlation analyzes were performed. The results showed a positive significant relationship between social support and individual control of work. The mean values in the reference data differed mainly in the scale range: control of work rate. The results showed that traffic consultants who experienced a high degree of social support also experienced a high degree of control in their work, which corresponds with prior research.

Denna studie hade som syfte att beskriva hur vårdbiträden inom äldreboende och hemtjänst upplever sin psykosociala arbetsmiljö under coronapandemin. Detta genom frågeställningarna: Hur upplever vårdbiträden att deras arbetsinnehåll har påverkats av pandemin? Hur har vårdbiträdenas samarbete påverkats av pandemin? Vilka andra faktorer i den psykosociala arbetsmiljön har vårdbiträdena uppmärksammat i samband med pandemin? Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ ansats och semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra vårdbiträden inom äldreomsorgen. Som analysverktyg användes Karasek och Theorells (1990) krav-kontroll-stödmodell. I resultatet framkom att den största inverkan på vårdbiträdenas psykosociala arbetsmiljö under pandemin var samhällets förändrade rekommendationer och restriktioner avseende skyddsutrustning och att förhindra smittspridning. Detta påverkade hela deras arbetssituation på flera olika sätt genom högre krav och mindre kontroll i arbetet. Stödet i arbetet i form av kollegialt stöd, visade sig vara betydelsefullt för den psykosociala arbetsmiljön under pandemin.