Hybridarbejdets påvirkning på motivationen: En kvalitativ undersøgelse af medarbejderens motivation

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has made employers of the Danish labour market to reevaluate and rethink the way in which it organizes the physical workplace. As a result of this, we now see that many employees are working hybrid, which means that they change between working from home and working at the office. In relation to this, an interesting question is what hybrid work has done to the motivation of the employee? Therefore, this Master Thesis sets out to explore the research question: ‘how does hybrid work affect the motivation of the employee?’, through a hermeneutic and phenomenological scientific approach. To explore this, interviews has been conducted through an interview guide based on a self-developed theoretical framework which includes four themes, all essential for the motivation of the employee: variation of the physical workplace, autonomy, competence and community. The themes are based on the theories of The Job Characteristics Model and The Self Determination Theory. The interviews were used to compose a thematic analysis based on the mentioned themes as well as the themes disturbance and work-life balance, which were identified when reviewing the data material. The findings in this Master Thesis indicate that there is not one single answer to the research question. Our study has shown that each employee has his or her own subjective experiences with hybrid work. Working at the office and working from home can respectively contribute both positively and negatively to the motivation, which is why hybrid work provides an opportunity to embrace the benefits of both ways of work. In the end of this Thesis, a critical perspective is applied which includes reflections about COVID19’s impact on the respondents’ answers, reflections on limitations in the respondents’ work, and finally reflections on a different theoretical and methodological approach. After this, the practical implications that have been found relevant for business leaders when using hybrid work are being presented. This includes a recommendation to use a best-fit solution where each employee has their wishes for hybrid work fulfilled. Finally, it is being determined how this Master Thesis contributes to both existing and future research in the field