Research programme: Flexible Work
Flexible Work is a research programme that aims to explore the opportunities and challenges of new forms of work and employment in modern working life.
Flexible Work is a research programme that aims to explore the opportunities and challenges of new forms of work and employment in modern working life.
Working remotely or having flexible working hours. Having temporary employment or working for a staffing company. How do these affect the health of employees and are they good for organisations’ sustainability? What does it mean for working conditions and the work environment? And what new demands are being made on employers and managers? Do new ways of working and policies need to be developed?
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.
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.
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 that is linked to the Flexible Work research programme can be found here. The material is available in both Swedish and English.
Watch a lecture given by Linda Widar on the impact of remote working on health, recorded in collaboration with SVT/UR
The use of digital technology gives us the opportunity and freedom to work remotely from places other than our normal place of work, but what could remote working mean for our health and the work environment?
The Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise, together with the Work Environment Authority and labour market stakeholders, organised a webinar on sustainable remote working. One of the speakers was Professor Gunnar Bergström on the following subject: Health, the work environment and work performance with remote working from home.
The aim of the “Flexible Work” research programme is to describe and understand possible connections between flexible forms of employment and work and (1) organisational sustainability, (2) working conditions and the work environment, and (3) employees’ health. Are there differences depending on sector, different occupational areas, age, gender and socio-economic status?
We are targeting both private and public sector organisations. Participation involves collaboration between the organisation and the research group at the University of Gävle. Participation does not involve any extra costs for the organisation other than time spent at planning meetings and in participating in measurements and data collection on the work environment.
Gunnar Bergström, professor (programme head, occupational health sciences)
David Hallman, senior lecturer (coordinator, researcher, occupational health sciences)
Sven Svensson, senior lecturer (researcher, occupational health sciences)
Marina Heiden, senior lecturer (researcher, occupational health sciences)
Svend Erik Mathiassen, professor (researcher, occupational health sciences)
Arne Fagerström, professor (researcher, business economics).
Iman Dadgar, postdoctoral researcher
Patricia Holmberg, amanuens
Leticia Januario, researcher
Andreas Kjörling, PhD student
Tea Korkeakunnas, PhD student
Nestor Lögdal, PhD Student
Jean Claude Mutiganda, senior lecturer
Annika Strömberg, senior lecturer
Malin Svensson, research assitant
Birgitta Wiitavaara, senior lecturer
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.
Feel free to contact us for more information.
Professor Occupational Health Sciences
E-mail: gunnar.bergstrom@hig.se
P: + 46 73-622 58 60
Associate Professor Occupational Health Sciences
E-mail: david.hallman@hig.se
Phone: + 46 26-64 84 39