Project Details
Description
Many organisations have just started a major paradigm shift from a culture of presence to a culture of flexibility. In record time, digitalisation and the Covid-19 pandemic have revolutionised the working lives of many. Flexible working means hybrid work characterised by social intranets and virtual work environments where managers and employees can choose where and when they want to work. Identified benefits include reduced stress, better work-life balance, increased engagement and greater ability to attract staff. But the shift also presents a number of challenges in the form of tensions between, for example, the needs of the business and the individual, between control and trust, between over- and under-communication, and between holistic perspectives and specialisation. Clearly, a shift in the way we work with communication, leadershop, coworkership and culture is needed for organisations to be able to handle both the opportunities and challenges that come with flexible working. There are many indications that many organisations have not yet made this journey and have only introduced the possibility of remote work. Communication plays a key role in creating a successful flexible working life and there is a great need for deeper and more nuanced knowledge in this area.
The overall aim of this three-year research project is to create more knowledge about the new forms of leadership and communication required to meet the opportunities and challenges that come with flexible, digitalised working life. The starting point is that it is becoming increasingly important for senior and middle managers to communicate in a way that creates trust and builds a common culture and organisational identity. The project also aims to develop new knowledge that can be directly useful to organisations in the development of internal communication, contribute to the development of leadership and the continued professionalisation of communicators and collaboration between support functions.
The research project will be divided into three areas of focus for one year each: management and governance; leadership and coworkership in a relational perspective; and the role and co-operation of support functions. The research project will be carried out in close collaboration with six organisations: Lund Municipality, Malmö City, Skellefteå Municipality, Svenska kraftnät, the Swedish Transport Administration and the Swedish Tax Agency.
The overall aim of this three-year research project is to create more knowledge about the new forms of leadership and communication required to meet the opportunities and challenges that come with flexible, digitalised working life. The starting point is that it is becoming increasingly important for senior and middle managers to communicate in a way that creates trust and builds a common culture and organisational identity. The project also aims to develop new knowledge that can be directly useful to organisations in the development of internal communication, contribute to the development of leadership and the continued professionalisation of communicators and collaboration between support functions.
The research project will be divided into three areas of focus for one year each: management and governance; leadership and coworkership in a relational perspective; and the role and co-operation of support functions. The research project will be carried out in close collaboration with six organisations: Lund Municipality, Malmö City, Skellefteå Municipality, Svenska kraftnät, the Swedish Transport Administration and the Swedish Tax Agency.
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 2024/01/01 → 2026/12/31 |