Arbetstidsförkortning är ett begrepp som avser en reducerad arbetstid, exempelvis att gå från en standardiserad åtta timmars arbetsdag till en sex timmars arbetsdag. I denna kandidatuppsats var syftet att undersöka medarbetares upplevelse av en sex timmars arbetsdag. För att uppfylla syftet utfördes en kvalitativ studie med en induktiv ansats. I studien användes ett målstyrt bekvämlighets urval där 10 deltagare med en sex timmars arbetsdag deltog. Intervjuerna som genomfördes var semistrukturerade och samtliga intervjuer spelades in och transkriberades. Därefter utfördes en tematisk analys på det insamlade materialet, vilket resulterade i tre huvudteman med tillhörande underteman. Resultatet visade att nästan samtliga deltagare hade liknande upplevelser av en sex timmars arbetsdag och därav resonerat likartat gällande tre huvudteman. Vidare framkom det att deltagarnas upplevelse av en sex timmars arbetsdag är positiv, dock tillkommer utmaningar som ojämn fördelning av vardagssysslor och försämrad dynamik bland kollegor. Studiens resultat diskuterades i förhållande till tidigare forskning, som till stor del stämde överens med det som framkommit i studien.

Abstract  The concept of balancing work and life has been actively discussed for over 150 years. Whereas people today are experiencing difficulties managing their work and life and the time spent on each, something that is causing them feelings of stress, fatigue and conflicts between their job and life sphere appear. This is an indication of a non-working work-life balance. Meanwhile, organizations both globally, and in Sweden, are getting more pressure on how the social environment and social aspects of an organization is doing and being handled, i.e., the employees and their wellbeing. New directives, like the EU's CSRD, are reshaping how organizations approach social sustainability alongside the established CSR framework, prompting a heightened focus on employee wellbeing and work-life balance. The purpose of this research paper was to gain a broader understanding if the concept and implementation of a four-day work week (4DWW) could help improve and affect the work-life balance among Swedish employees.  To conduct this study, both a literature review and a theoretical framework were performed. The literature review was conducted to gather information on the concept of a 4DWW, work-life balance, CSRD, CSR and I-CSR. Whereas the theoretical framework presents work-life balance theories. Further, seven in-depth interviews were conducted with people living between the north and south of Sweden and that worked full-time Monday through Friday. The respondents were given the choice to choose between an in-person interview or a video call. The answers were to be analyzed using a thematical analysis method.  The results indicated that there is a need for Swedish organizations to improve how they work with providing work-life balance to their employees since the results showed that full-time workers today are experiencing, among other things: lack of time, tiredness and not having time for leisure. However, all respondents expressed that a 4DWW, speculatively thinking, would help them improve their work-life balance and were positive against the idea of working four instead of five days a week. This also had the respondents thinking they would become more excited and productive at work and have more time left for other important areas of life. Finally, what was found was that the 4DWW concept does not solve all the problems faced by employees regarding work-life balance but would, speculatively, solve many of them.

The study’s aim is to explore and explain the strategies working women without children use to manage their work-life balance. In order to do this, the study utilizes border theory to explain how the women handle the borders between the domains of their private life as well as their work. To complement this, the theory of doing gender is also utilized to explain why certain strategies are needed and used, as well as what obstacles the women may face and why. The study uses a qualitative approach and consists of seven interviews with working women over 30 who do not have children. The study showed that women without children primarily utilize the strategy of regulating their time borders in order to maintain a satisfactory work-life balance. Furthermore, their colleagues and managers served as important border keepers who ensured that the interviewees did not work more than they ought to. The results also showed that the interviewees did gender through fulfilling the ideal of the male worker, but that this ideal also was rejected and actively worked against. The ideal of the male worker was fulfilled primarily through adapting to expectations, both from managers and colleagues, of availability and priorities. These ideals acted as obstacles in the work towards a good work-life balance, and the women used strategies to reject the ideals and protect their private spheres. Furthermore, the results show that an absence of children does not necessarily mean that work-life balance is achieved more easily. Instead, a new set of challenges present themselves and require specific strategies for defining and maintaining borders.

I det moderna arbetslivet suddas gränsen mellan arbete och privatliv ut, samtidigt ökar stressrelaterade sjukskrivningar, särskilt för kvinnor. Syftet med studien var att undersöka vad kvinnor i arbetsledande roll behövde för att uppnå balans mellan arbete och privatliv samt vilka strategier som användes. 10 semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes och analyserades tematiskt. I analysen identifierades tre teman som var gynnande och fyra teman som var hindrande avseende balans mellan arbete och privatliv samt fem strategier som aktivt användes för att skapa en god balans. Resultatet visade att inflytande över och möjlighet till planering för det egna arbetet var av stor vikt och att aktiv fritid användes för återhämtning. En attraktiv arbetsgivare behöver ge stöd, struktur och tydligt ledarskap för att främja god balans. Studiens resultat stämmer väl överens med tidigare forskning inom området, men den bidrar med ökad förståelse kring självledarskapets betydelse avseende att stärka kvinnors egenansvar och förmåga att sätta gränser.

The objectives of the study were to determine the relationship between the demographic variables, work-life balance (as measured by the Survey Work-Home Interaction - Nijmegen), job satisfaction (as measured by the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire) and turnover intention (as measured by the Turnover Intention Scale); to determine whether the demographic variables and work-life balance significantly predict job satisfaction and turnover intention; and to determine the differences between biographical groups. A quantitative cross-sectional survey research design was applied to a stratified random sample of 79 employees in a South African IT company. Descriptive statistics, correlations, independent t-tests and regressions were used to analyse the data. Analysis revealed that job satisfaction has a significant negative relationship with turnover intention. Furthermore, the work-home interface sub-dimensions of work-life balance have both a positive and negative relationship with job satisfaction and turnover intention. There are significant differences between the various biographical groups. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology

Work–life balance is one of the most central issues and concerns for 21st century societies, and according to the American Psychological Association balancing work and family is one of the major challenges for the current generation of employees. Helping employees balance their work and family life is viewed as a social and business imperative since work–life imbalance experienced by employees negatively impacts on employers and society as a whole. Evidence from a study of international employers indicates significant increases in the implementation and use of workplace flexibility, more commonly known as flexitime, as a work–life balance policy. Research into the use and implementation of flexitime within South Africa is limited, especially with regard to the aspects that influence the use of flexitime as well as the associated benefits, challenges and consequences for both South African employees and organisations. Consequently, organisations are left to design, implement and manage their own flexitime policies, with very little information or guidance available to ensure employee and organisational benefit. In this study, a qualitative research design with an exploratory approach was used to explore and describe employees? perceptions regarding the implementation of flexitime. A non–probability purposive, voluntary sample of 15 participants was taken from the offices of an international auditing and consulting organisation located in Johannesburg. Data was collected by means of semi–structured individual interviews and the verbatim transcripts were analysed by means of content analysis. Seven themes were extracted from the interviews, namely: variations in the use of flexitime; factors influencing the use of flexitime; challenges relating to the use of flexitime; perceptions regarding the use of flexitime; required aspects for the effective use of flexitime; consequences relating to the use of flexitime; and the benefits resulting from the use of flexitime. Organisations should be made more aware of the individual as well as organisational benefits, challenges and consequences of flexitime as highlighted in this research. When implementing such policies, specific required aspects for the effective use of flexitime should be taken in consideration. Organisations interested in successfully implementing flexitime for the benefit of both the employee and organisation are advised to consider the findings of this study and take heed of the critical findings presented. Efforts should be made to accommodate employee preferences regarding their use of flexitime. Organisations should be alert to the potential challenges, consequences and negative perceptions surrounding flexitime and, consequently, the importance of ensuring that prerequisites or those aspects required for the implementation of flexitime are in place and perceptions relating to the policy are managed. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

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Work–life balance is one of the most central issues and concerns for 21st century societies, and according to the American Psychological Association balancing work and family is one of the major challenges for the current generation of employees. Helping employees balance their work and family life is viewed as a social and business imperative since work–life imbalance experienced by employees negatively impacts on employers and society as a whole. Evidence from a study of international employers indicates significant increases in the implementation and use of workplace flexibility, more commonly known as flexitime, as a work–life balance policy. Research into the use and implementation of flexitime within South Africa is limited, especially with regard to the aspects that influence the use of flexitime as well as the associated benefits, challenges and consequences for both South African employees and organisations. Consequently, organisations are left to design, implement and manage their own flexitime policies, with very little information or guidance available to ensure employee and organisational benefit. In this study, a qualitative research design with an exploratory approach was used to explore and describe employees? perceptions regarding the implementation of flexitime. A non–probability purposive, voluntary sample of 15 participants was taken from the offices of an international auditing and consulting organisation located in Johannesburg. Data was collected by means of semi–structured individual interviews and the verbatim transcripts were analysed by means of content analysis. Seven themes were extracted from the interviews, namely: variations in the use of flexitime; factors influencing the use of flexitime; challenges relating to the use of flexitime; perceptions regarding the use of flexitime; required aspects for the effective use of flexitime; consequences relating to the use of flexitime; and the benefits resulting from the use of flexitime. Organisations should be made more aware of the individual as well as organisational benefits, challenges and consequences of flexitime as highlighted in this research. When implementing such policies, specific required aspects for the effective use of flexitime should be taken in consideration. Organisations interested in successfully implementing flexitime for the benefit of both the employee and organisation are advised to consider the findings of this study and take heed of the critical findings presented. Efforts should be made to accommodate employee preferences regarding their use of flexitime. Organisations should be alert to the potential challenges, consequences and negative perceptions surrounding flexitime and, consequently, the importance of ensuring that prerequisites or those aspects required for the implementation of flexitime are in place and perceptions relating to the policy are managed. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Women form a critical component of the workforce of South Africa. Therefore the issue of retaining women should be a strategic priority for organisations. This study focused on identifying general retention factors for women in a higher education institution. The research also examined the retention of women from two distinct leadership perspectives: how different leadership styles of managers and the presence of leadership opportunities for women could affect their retention. A cross-sectional quantitative research approach was followed. A non-probability simple random sample was drawn from permanent female staff at a higher education institution. Through the process of exploratory factor analysis, six retention factors were identified, namely unique needs, growth, recognition, work conditions, relationships and support. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted. The results indicated that various leadership constructs predicted the retention of women. Recommendations for retention strategies aimed specifically at women are suggested on the basis of these findings. / Business Management / M. Com.

The objectives of the study were to determine the relationship between the demographic variables, work-life balance (as measured by the Survey Work-Home Interaction - Nijmegen), job satisfaction (as measured by the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire) and turnover intention (as measured by the Turnover Intention Scale); to determine whether the demographic variables and work-life balance significantly predict job satisfaction and turnover intention; and to determine the differences between biographical groups. A quantitative cross-sectional survey research design was applied to a stratified random sample of 79 employees in a South African IT company. Descriptive statistics, correlations, independent t-tests and regressions were used to analyse the data. Analysis revealed that job satisfaction has a significant negative relationship with turnover intention. Furthermore, the work-home interface sub-dimensions of work-life balance have both a positive and negative relationship with job satisfaction and turnover intention. There are significant differences between the various biographical groups. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology