Research programme: Flexible Work

Flexibility in time and space

In Sweden today, around 2/3 of employees have flexible or unrestricted working hours. Moreover, more than a third can work from home to varying degrees. For the individual, there is an opportunity to find a better balance between work and private life but there is also a risk that the flexibility turns into boundaryless availability and reduced control of one’s life. For employers, offering flexible working conditions can increase their attractiveness as employers, as well as offering the ability to adapt during periods of fluctuating demands in their activities. There are also new challenges in terms of work environment responsibility and how the work should be organised and coordinated.

Temporary employment

About 15% of employees in Sweden have temporary employment. Fewer than 2% are also employed by staffing companies. Both of these forms of employment can mean flexibility for employers and the opportunity to quickly adapt to changes in both the public and private sectors. Such forms of employment can also provide greater flexibility for some employees. However most people in temporary jobs want a permanent job and staffing company employees often want a traditional permanent job with the same employer.

Collaborating organisations

The research is conducted in collaboration with private and public sector organisations. Results are used to develop operational policies for flexible work or other measures promoting a good work environment.

Information material

Information material that is linked to the Flexible Work research programme can be found here. The material is available in both Swedish and English.

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About the Flexible Work research programme

Flexible Work in the media (in the original languages)

• Di Debate: Telework can contribute both positively and negatively to economic productivity
• Study: What we require of managers with flexible work
• Flexible work often gives feelings of guilt
• Employees About Working Flexibly: ‘Easy to Feel Guilty’
• Flexible work is about distinguishing between work and leisure
• Easy to feel guilty about flexible work
• Managers need help with setting limits
• SVT: Positive side-effects of the corona pandemic
• forskning.se: The manager’s support is crucial for remote working
• DN: Working life after the pandemic is now being planned – part-time remote working at many large workplaces
• TV2, Norway: How the pandemic affected our sleep
• VD-tidningen: Opportunities and risks with flexible work
• DN: Home workers can sleep longer - the effects are being investigated
• forskning.se: Home workers sleep longer but are just as productive
• Tidningen Arbetsliv: More sleep during the pandemic
• Sveriges Radio: Home workers sleep half an hour longer on average

Publications

• Edvinsson, J., Mathiassen, S., Bjärntoft, S., Jahncke, H., Hartig, T. & Hallman, D. (2023). A Work Time Control Tradeoff in Flexible Work: Competitive Pathways to Need for Recovery. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20 (1). 10.3390/ijerph20010691 [Mer information]
• Mutiganda, J., Wiitavaara, B., Heiden, M., Svensson, S., Fagerström, A., Bergström, G. & Aboagye, E. (2022). A systematic review of the research on telework and organizational economic performance indicators. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1035310
• Svensson, S., Mathiassen, S., Hallman, D., Heiden, M. & Bergström, G. (2022). Associations between telework experience and psychosocial working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional analysis among white-collar workers in Sweden. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002758 [Mer information]
• Svensson, S., Hallman, D., Mathiassen, S., Heiden, M., Fagerström, A., Mutiganda, J. & Bergström, G. (2022). Flexible work: Opportunity and Challenge (FLOC) for individual, social and economic sustainability. Protocol for a prospective cohort study of non-standard employment and flexible work arrangements in Sweden. BMJ Open, 12 (7). 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057409 [Mer information]
• Widar, L., Heiden, M., Boman, E. & Wiitavaara, B. (2022). How is telework experienced in academia?. Sustainability, 14 (10). 10.3390/su14105745 [Mer information]
• Gilson, N., Coenen, P., Hallman, D., Holtermann, A., Mathiassen, S. & Straker, L. (2022). Postpandemic hybrid work: opportunities and challenges for physical activity and public health. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 56 (21), 1203-1204. 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105664 [Mer information]
• Bjärntoft, S., Hallman, D., Zetterberg, C., Larsson, J., Edvinsson, J. & Jahncke, H. (2021). A participatory approach to identify key areas for sustainable work environment and health in employees with flexible work arrangements. Sustainability, 13 (24). 10.3390/su132413593 [Mer information]
• Widar, L., Wiitavaara, B., Boman, E. & Heiden, M. (2021). Psychophysiological reactivity, postures and movements among academic staff : A comparison between teleworking days and office days. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (18). 10.3390/ijerph18189537 [Mer information]

• Hallman, D., Januario, L., Mathiassen, S., Heiden, M., Svensson, S. & Bergström, G. (2021). Working from home during the COVID-19 outbreak in Sweden: effects on 24-h time-use in office workers. BMC Public Health, 21. 10.1186/s12889-021-10582-6
• Heiden, M., Widar, L., Wiitavaara, B. & Boman, E. (2021). Telework in academia: associations with health and well-being among staff. Higher Education, 81, 707-722
• Bjärntoft, S., Hallman, D., Mathiassen, S. E., Larsson, J. & Jahncke, H. (2020). Occupational and individual determinants of work-life balance among office workers with flexible work arrangements. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(4), Article ID 1418.

Funding

This research is funded by a programme grant from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE). Additional funding has also been received from Afa försäkring.