Emotions are a part of social work, and how the employees manage and process them can affect the quality of the services that they provide. It is therefore of importance to explore how social workers can manage and process their emotions and which support and possibilities to do so their organizations provide. This study is based on Hochschild´s theory of emotional labour, using her concept deep acting and surface acting. The aim of this study has been to examine similarities and differences in managing emotions between two different social work practices, one social services unit and one treatment unit. In order to explore this we conducted two focus group interviews, one at each unit. The study showed that both units were affected emotionally by their work and the actions of their clients. The treatment unit appears to primarily use deep acting and the social services unit appears to primarily use surface acting. The need to process their emotions is fulfilled in both places, primarily through collegial support and because they themselves creates the time to process, but the organization does not create any specific space for this.

The purpose of this thesis is to reach a deeper understanding of how boundary spanners are bridging boundaries between uniformed bureaucratic organisations and their environment, characterised by demanding conditions. The main part of this thesis is based upon empirical data gathered through 71 interviews with Swedish civil and military informants from several uniformed organisations. Four articles have been included in this thesis in order to address the overarching aim. The results show that boundary spanners are crucial to the adaption of uniformed organisations to demanding conditions. A number of aspects that are included in the process of organisational adaption have been identified. One of the tasks is to balance between structuring and improvisation where much is at stake. The other task is to create confidence among the involved actors and contribute in different ways to create a sense of symmetry between partners. Finally, the third task for boundary spanners is to recognise improvised roles such as spontaneous links in order to maintain stressful conditions and bridge a gap in the bureaucratic organisation.  The present thesis contributes to sociological theory of emotions, disaster management and military studies through a common denominator, namely the demanding context. Taken together, the findings increase awareness of how organisations act towards their environments and how individuals, especially boundary spanners, adapt the organisation to its environment. For leaders and managers, it is important to make decisions, provide mandates and authorisation, as well as invest confidence in boundary spanners. The hierarchical chain may remain in existence, but it can be made shorter and more transparent through this kind of knowledge. / BAKSIDESTEXT: Organisational adaption to the environment is a complex area of research, necessitating enquiry into how such adaption may take place. The purpose of this thesis is to reach a deeper understanding of how boundary spanners are bridging boundaries between uniformed bureaucratic organisations and their environment, characterised by demanding conditions such as disasters and war. The main body of the thesis is based upon interviews with Swedish civil and military informants. The results show that boundary spanners are crucial to the adaption of uniformed organisations to demanding conditions. Their tasks involve balancing between structuring and improvisation, creating confidence among the involved actors and recognising improvised roles such as spontaneous links in order to maintain stressful conditions and bridge a gap in the bureaucratic organisation.  Taken together, the findings increase awareness of how organisations act towards their environments and how individuals, especially boundary spanners, adapt the organisation to its environment. For leaders and managers, it is important to make decisions, provide mandates and authorisation, as well as invest confidence in boundary spanners. The hierarchical chain may remain in existence, but it can be made shorter and more transparent through this kind of knowledge. The present thesis contributes to sociological theory of emotions, disaster management and military studies through a common denominator, namely the demanding context.

In our society it’s implied that humans have a duty to work. In his article “The Duty to Work” the philosopher Michael Cholbi (2018) challenging that normative narrative of our contemporary society. Cholbi hold the thesis that the common argument of fair play is invalid in our industrialized society and therefore are most individuals living in the circumstances of such society free from the interpersonal duty to work. I will in this paper analyse Cholbis’ arguments and try to bring nuance to the debate by bringing in other perspectives such as empirical studies about empty labor (meaningless work) of sociologist Roland Paulsen (2015). I will also try to show how structural powers hinders the individual to both talk and act outside of the norms of our work centred culture. The duty to work can be described in two aspects, the interpersonal duty to work, but also personal. I will argue that for most individuals, either personal or interpersonal duty exists.

Denna intervjubaserade studie om emotionellt lönearbete hos skolkuratorer i Sverige visar att det emotionella lönearbetet präglas av olika normer för framträdanden och uttryck av känslor. Det emotionella arbetet är ett för skolkuratorn centralt verktyg för att upprätthålla känsloregler och sociala normer. Det emotionella lönearbetet används på olika sätt, genom ytagerande och djupagerande. Emotionellt lönearbete betraktas som en färdighet som kan förändras över tid, och som kan innebära en separation mellan privatperson och yrkesroll.  Hanteringen av andras känslor verkar som ett emotionellt lönearbete riktat mot den som bemöts. Auktoriteten som kurator ger möjligheter att agera som påminnare om känsloregler för andra. Arbetet innefattar bearbetningar av känslor personligen och med andra. Studien bygger på interaktionistiska och emotionssociologiska perspektiv från Arlie Russell Hochchild och Erving Goffman. Tillvägagångssättet baseras på fenomenologiska perspektiv. Med hjälp av ett målstyrt urval och semistrukturerade intervjuer har information inhämtats från fem skolkuratorer på svenska gymnasieskolor.