School of Health, Care and Social Welfare

WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND WELL-

BEING AT WORK
An interview study based on individual and focus group interviews with
production employees
MATILDA ENGMAN

Main Area: Work Life Science Supervisor: Mohammadrafi Mohmoodian

Level: : Second Cycle Examiner: Susanna Toivanen, Ulrica von
Credits: 15 Thiele Schwarz
Program: Master's programme in Work Life
Studies Seminar date: 2022-june-03
Course Name: Master's Thesis in Work Life Grade date: 2022-june-28
Studies
Course Code: PSA-313
ABSTRACT

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how production employees at an industrial company in
Sweden experience their work-life balance and to investigate work-related factors that may
affect their work-life balance in the workplace. A qualitative method was used with semi-
structured interviews to find out how production employees experience work-life balance. A
total of 13 people participated in the interviews and a manifest content analysis was used for
data analysis. In conclusion, production employees experience poorer work-life balance when
production increases its rates as they often have to work overtime on weekends and receive
information late about overtime work. The results indicate that participants experience a
decrease in work-life balance when they do not have material to work with and hence are
forced to become stagnant in production and experience uncertainty as to whether they will
need to work overtime. When material enters employees feel that they need to work to catch
up with what could not be produced, and become more stressed, which affects their well-
being in the workplace.

Keywords: Demands, Production Employees, Resources, Well-being, Work Environment,

Work-Life Balance.
CONTENT

1 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................3

2 BACKGROUND...........................................................................................................4

2.1 Changes in the working environment for the employee.........................................4

2.2 Definition of concepts................................................................................................5

2.2.1 Work-life balance................................................................................................5
2.2.2 Well-being...........................................................................................................5

2.3 Work environment......................................................................................................6

2.3.1 Systematic work environment.............................................................................6
2.3.2 Organizational work environment.......................................................................7
2.3.3 Social work environment.....................................................................................8

2.4 Previous research on employees work-life balance and well-being.....................8

2.4.1 Well-being among employees.............................................................................9
2.4.2 Well-being in the workplace for employees......................................................10
2.4.3 The organization and management's effect on the work-life balance of the
employee...........................................................................................................10
2.4.4 Work-life balance among employees................................................................11
2.4.5 Work-life balance among production employees..............................................12

2.5 Theoretical framework.............................................................................................12

2.6 Problem statement....................................................................................................13

2.7 Aim of the study........................................................................................................15

2.8 Research questions..................................................................................................15

3 METHOD....................................................................................................................16

3.1 Study design.............................................................................................................16

3.2 Selection....................................................................................................................16

3.3 Data collection..........................................................................................................17

3.4 Analysis.....................................................................................................................19

3.5 Principles of research ethics...................................................................................20

4 RESULTS...................................................................................................................22

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 4.1 Social work environment.........................................................................................22
4.1.1 Varying support from colleagues......................................................................23
4.1.2 The meaning of leadership................................................................................23

4.2 Organizational work environment...........................................................................25

4.2.1 Perceived time pressure on tasks.....................................................................25
4.2.2 Performance in working life...............................................................................27
4.2.3 Flexibility during the working day......................................................................28
4.2.4 Resources in working life..................................................................................28

4.3 Information................................................................................................................29
4.3.1 The importance of information..........................................................................29
4.3.2 Lack of information............................................................................................30

5 DISCUSSION.............................................................................................................31

5.1 Discussion of results in relation to previous research.........................................32

5.2 Theoretical framework.............................................................................................33

6 METHOD DISCUSSION.............................................................................................34

6.1 Final discussion........................................................................................................35

7 FUTURE RESEARCH................................................................................................36

8 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................37

REFERENCE LIST.................................................................................................................38

APPENDIX A - INFORMATION LETTER

APPENDIX B - INTERVIEW GUIDE

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1 INTRODUCTION
Many people spend a large part of their lives at work. As a large part of people’s waking hours
is spent at work, it is important to consider that the workplace and the work environment
may affect health and well-being, both physically and mentally. People work to make ends
meet in everyday life, and to be able to support themselves and/or their family. The
workplace may affect employees even after working hours, thereby affecting everyday life. It
is vital for employers to ensure that their employees have good working conditions and a
balance between work and private life. Employees who feel good and thrive at work benefit
the company as they tend to work more efficiently and reach production goals.

To achieve good health among employees there are different governing documents at various
levels, internationally and nationally, that a work organization and employer can adhere to.
The goals for sustainable development developed by the UN General Assembly called Agenda
2030 were established in 2015. Agenda 2030 is a comprehensive framework at a global level,
for creating sustainable development internationally, including 17 target areas to work with
for achieving an equal economic, environmental, and social society in the world. One of these
target areas is decent working conditions for all people. The aim of Agenda 2030 is to ensure
that employers create equal and safe working conditions in the workplace for employees. In
line with the rapid technological and digital development and transport across the world,
competition between production companies has increased. This has led to higher demands
on production companies, who in turn have had to increase their productivity, efficiency, and
quality to keep and maintain customers. Therefore, employers have put more pressure on
production employees to stay competitive with other companies. As production workers
sometimes need to work harder and more efficiently to achieve the goals set within the
organization, these conditions can affect work-life balance and well-being, for instance by
reducing time for recovery during the working day.

My interest in investigating work-life balance and well-being in production employees arose

when I worked as a production employee myself. This interest has further developed during
the years I have studied and gotten more knowledge about working life. I want to combine
my practical work experience from production work with academic knowledge from public
health science and in-depth study of work life science and focus on human resources and
work environment.

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2 BACKGROUND

Globalization creates many opportunities for companies to grow and people to develop. In
line with digital developments and improved transport via import and export worldwide,
competition between companies is increasing. This puts pressure on companies by a need for
quickly delivering, being able to offer high quality and make the customers happy
(Europaparlamentet, 2019). The increase in globalization forces benefit countries,
companies, people economically and through other benefits such as traveling, lower prices or
shopping from other countries and ordering home, as well as other services. Globalization
brings other advantages, such as being able to offer more jobs and get people into the labor
market, by increasing market demand and companies needing to produce more and thus
creating more jobs (Europaparlamentet, 2019). In 2021, the Swedish Government produced
the letter A good work environment for the future – the Government's work environment
strategy 2021–2025. It is an overall goal of a work environment strategy within working life
policy with the goal of a good work environment that promotes ill-health and accidents in the
workplace as well as good working conditions. The strategy includes four sub-goals that are
as follows: a sustainable working life, a healthy working life, a safe working life, a labor
market without crime and where a deficient work environment should never be a means of
competition.

2.1 Changes in the working environment for the employee

The changes and developments that are taking place in the world as the labor market
becomes more digitized and robotized are increasing at a rapid pace, puts pressure on
companies and employees (Skrivelse regeringen, 2020). Increased globalization leads to
higher demands on organizations in the form of need for increased productivity and
efficiency or new aspects on which to organize the working methods, which can put new
demands on employees to work and produce more. The work environment is a significant
part of how people thrive in the workplace, are able to work and how their health is affected.
A good working environment promote the individual's development and prevents against ill-
health, injury, and accidents in the workplace. It is significant that employers review work
environment and adapt it to the new working methods and requirements placed on
employees. In order to keep up with globalization and to compete with other companies
without affecting the employee's health and well-being in the workplace (Skrivelse
regeringen, 2020).

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2.2 Definition of concepts
This section clarifies the central concepts of the thesis.

2.2.1 Work-life balance

Work-life balance means the balance between working life and private life and how they
relate to each other. A balance between work and private life reduces the risk of stress, fatigue
and sick leave and prevents better well-being for the individual (Poulose & Sudarsan, 2017).
An individual who has a balance between work and private life can get a recovery from work
during leisure time by spending time with family or friends or from other activities or resting
from home. A balance between work and private life is also about individuals' opportunities
to have time and energy to spend time with their family, friends or do other necessities that
need to be performed to make everyday life work. A minimal work-life conflict can be related
to non-work-related outcomes such as family satisfaction and performance, life satisfaction
and leisure satisfaction (Poulose & Sudarsan, 2017).

Work-life balance may be defined as,

“Work-life balance as the extent to which a person can concurrently balance the emotional,
behavioral and time demands of both paid work, personal and family responsibilities”
(Poulose & Sudarsan, 2017, s).

Work-life balance is about how well employees can balance tasks based on demands placed
on them and resources available to them, while at the same time having adequate time for
recovery during working life and private life. A good work-life balance is when an employee
experiences a balance of demands and resources between work and private life and at the
same time has time for recovery by taking a short break to pick up coffee, talk to a colleague
or practice some form of mindfulness or have time to spend with their family or other leisure
activities. Recovery can be very individual for employees where for some, recovery can occur
by resting between work tasks or relaxing with friends and for others more during their free
time. The greater the demands an employee has on themselves during work, the greater the
need of the employee for recovery. The requirements of work are often a natural part and
employees perceive requirements in separate ways where these requirements can be physical,
such as heavy lifting, or mental such as solving many tasks at the same time (Poulose &
Sudarsan, 2017).

2.2.2 Well-being

The definition of well-being according to World Health Organization (WHO):

“Well-being exists in two dimensions, subjective and objective. It comprises an individual’s

experience of their life as well as a comparison of life circumstances with social norms and
values” (WHO, 2012, s1).

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According to WHO (2014), well-being in working life can be affected by the work
environment and relationships with managers and colleagues. Well-being can be described as
the state of being healthy, comfortable, or happy and being able to engage what is going on
around their everyday life. Well-being in both working life and private life can also be
affected by work-life balance, where a good work-life balance promotes a better sense of
mental- and physically well-being (WHO, 2012).

2.3 Work environment

Research shows that the work environment plays a significant part in employees' lives, as the
work environment can affect employees both at and after work (Ariussanto et al., 2020;
Mathews & Khan, 2013). According to Mathews and Khan (2013), employees' health, job-
satisfaction and productivity are supported by a good work environment. Production
employees who work in manufacturing industries produce more and if they experience a
better sense of well-being. Ariussanto et al.’s (2020) research shows that employees’ work
environment is affected by managers’ leadership and social influence and organization in the
workplace. Research shows that an employee's commitment to their workplace increases if
they experience a good work environment, which has a positive effect on employees' health
and prevents recovery from stress (Ariussanto et al., 2020; Mathews & Khan, 2013).

In daily work, people who work are affected by various working life factors that are physical,
such as heavy lifting or other physical work operations performed by the body. Social and
psychosocial working life factors are support from colleagues and managers, collaboration
between colleagues, or feeling involved in the workplace. It is the employer's responsibility to
ensure that employees are surrounded by a good work environment, but it is everyone's
responsibility at the workplace that a good work environment is maintained (SFS 1977:1160).
A good work environment is characterized by the fact that there is systematic work
environment management, and it is mandatory in Sweden. Systematic work environment
management entails the work with physical and psychosocial work environment, and that the
employees should receive information to prevent injuries, ill-health, and accidents and that
all employees receive good treatment and contribute with their own behavior for everyone to
thrive (SFS 1977:1160).

2.3.1 Systematic work environment

The organizational and social work environment (OSA) in Sweden is covered by a regulation
which is a binding rule that applies to all organizations in Sweden (AFS: 2015:4). OSA aims
to promote good working environment and to prevent victimization, ill-health and accidents
due to poor working conditions in the work environment that are organizational and social.
The concepts of organizational and social work environment have different meanings that
include different areas, which can influence each other and are interrelated. It can be about

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how a business is organized and how social interaction and communication works in the
workplace and interact with each other (AFS: 2015:4).

2.3.2 Organizational work environment

According to the OSA (AFS: 2015:4), organizational work environment is related to how the
organization is run and organized by management. The organizational work environment
includes management and control, participation and room for maneuver, communication,
resources, requirements, responsibilities, and the distribution of tasks that, and can be
divided into three central areas. These three central areas within the organizational work
environment are workload, working hours and victimization (AFS: 2015:4).

To create an even and distributed workload, there should be a balance between requirements,
resources, and time for recovery. Requirements can be physical or psychosocial or
productions goals of the organization. Other examples of requirements are workload, work
tasks, amount of work, physical requirements as heavy lifting or monotonous work. The goals
within a workplace should be set by the management of the organization, so that the
employees have a chance to reach the goals without becoming stressed. To achieve the goals
based on the requirements that exist, the right type of resources should be distributed by the
employer and adapted to the requirements and responsibilities of the employees. The
responsibility that an employee has is to follow the rules and policies that exist and use the
protective equipment that is available, such as a helmet on a construction site or safety shoes
in a warehouse. It is management's responsibility to provide managers and leaders with the
right information and resources, so that they can distribute their resources to employees.
Various types of resources include materials for work tasks, having a staffed staff group,
locations, encourage work commitment, reviewing working hours and the distribution of
tasks. Resources should be planned in a way that ensures good working conditions for
employees and promote their health and achieve production goals without developing stress.
Victimization indicates acts directed at one or more people that may lead to them feel outside
and discriminated by the work group or workplace community, which may lead to ill health.
Discrimination could be that some employees are treated differently or receive different
information about the workplace, that may affect the employee’s well-being positively or
negatively (AFS: 2015:4).

Unhealthy workload where resources are not adequate to meet the demands, an imbalance in
the workplace can develop, which can become unhealthy as there is no time for recovery and
lead to ill health (AFS: 2015:4). According to the Swedish Work Environment Authority
(Arbetsmiljöverket, 2022), which is an authority that works for ensuring the laws of the
Swedish Parliament and the Government are met, can work-life imbalance lead to employees
increasing their work effort, taking more risks, skipping breaks, and lowering the quality of
work to achieve higher results, which can negatively affect employee’s health.

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2.3.3 Social work environment

The social work environment of a workplace includes social interaction and collaboration and
social support from managers and colleagues (AFS: 2015:4). According Winroth (2018)
includes social work environment social relationships between colleagues and managers in
the workplace and how they collaborate with each other. It can be about how different
professional roles interact with each other and help each other by offering their skills and
support. Social support from colleagues and managers is when employees have other
employees at work to talk to, ask for help or being able to tell your manager how you feel, feel
that there are people in the workplace who cares and ask about their well-being (Winroth,
2018). The felling of social support in the workplace can contribute to greater work
commitment, a sense of participation and increase the well-being of employees. Social
support from managers can make employees feel that their work is meaningful, contribute to
a better work environment and a feeling of control in their work situation (AFS: 2015:4).

2.4 Previous research on employees work-life balance and well-being

People's well-being and job-satisfaction at work can be affected by work-life balance (Wen et
al., 2018). Wen et al. (2018) research was to explore work-life balance and how it affected
employees' job-satisfaction and well-being. The research showed that there is a correlation
between employee development and job-satisfaction of employees and work-life balance.
Job-satisfaction can be defined as the feelings and experiences employees have in the
workplace, positive and negative, as work motivation. Development of employees to make
employee feel a job-satisfaction can take place through, workshops within the organization
and can contribute to a sense of better well-being and balance in working life. According to
Wen et al. (2018) are rewards within the organization in the form of feedback or
compensation linked to employees’ higher job-satisfaction and higher motivation. Motivated
employees can benefit the companies as they can increase their production and become more
efficient, which may contribute to production reaching the goals ahead of time. The research
shows that work-life balance leads to increased well-being and job-satisfaction in the
workplace. It benefits both the employee and the employer when employees feel experience a
well-being and work-life balance and substantiation of that can be through higher employee
productivity, as they are more motivated in the workplace (Wen et al., 2018).

Mihelic et al. (2017) conducted research on a multinational company using a survey of

production employees to analyze the relationship between satisfaction, work-life balance and
private life and the meaning of allowing employees to be innovative in the workplace. Being
innovative in the workplace entails allowing employees to take their own initiative and to
influence their work tasks by making suggestions for improvements. They found that
employees felt that their creativity and permission to influence the workplace had a positive
effect on how they perceived the balance in their work-life. Previous research by Wen et al.,
(2018) shows that motivated employees can reach their production goals quicker. Mihelic et
al., (2017) research shows that employees who are allowed to be innovative and influence

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their work tasks reach their production goals quicker. Employees who are allowed to
influence their work may become more motivated to work, as they may become more
involved and engaged in their work (Ariussanto et al., 2020; Mathews & Khan, 2013).

The research indicates that work-life balance benefits for both the employees and the
organization, as employees' creativity increased when they feel a sense of work-life balance,
resulting in them working more efficiently (Mihelic et al., 2017)

Research by Klitzman et al. (1990) conducted on employees in a production manufacturing

industry, found that there is a tendency that work-related stress can affect employees after
working hours. There is a possibility that productions employees’ quality of life and health is
affected by the work-related stress after work, which can affect their private life. Production
employees who are exposed to higher levels of stress at work report higher levels of stress in
their private live according to Klitzman et al. (1990). The research also indicates that
different working relationships and conflicts with colleagues or supervisors, and high
workload requirements, also can affect the private life of production employees in a negative
way. An organization that offers good employment conditions and working conditions, has a
positive effect on productions employees work-life balance and production. The research
shows that the health of productions employees is affected both physically and mentally by
both work-related and non-work-related stress (Klitzman et al., 1990).

2.4.1 Well-being among employees

According to Grawitch et al. (2006) the well-being of employees in the workplace can be
affected based on whether they are a health-promoting workplace or not. A health-
promoting workplace refers to a company that plans attempts to promote the health of
employees physically and mentally. Health promoting measures that prevent ill health could
be such as occupational health care or wellness. Well-being in working life is about
employees' opportunities for participation, personal and career development, work-life
balance, health and safety, and feedback (Grawitch et al., 2006).

Research have shown that a company's climate and culture have an ability for the employee
to feel inclusion, job-satisfaction, and well-being in the organization (Lewis et al., 2007;
Stefanovska–petkovska et al., 2019). Lewis et al. (2007) studied work-life balance in social
and economic aspects and how the individual has been affected by workplace development
and problems that have arisen with globalization. Stefanovska–petkovska et al. (2019) found
that organizations that prioritize development and learning for their employees prevent
increased well-being which in turn favors the productivity and profitability of the company.
Research by Lewis et al. (2007) and Stefanovska–petkovska et al. (2019) demonstrates that
there is a correlation between employee satisfaction and well-being and how they perform in
the workplace and perform their work tasks. Through constant changes and developments
globally, organizations in the global market are in a need to respond by performing
organizational changes. Since development often takes place quickly and organizational
changes are implemented quickly, can the work tasks sometimes have smaller time to adapt
to the new work environment that arises, where employees' work environment may
deteriorate. By deterioration of the work environment, the health of employees can be

9
affected negatively, which affects their well-being. Companies should adapt their
organization to development and the work environment, so that the health and well-being of
employees are not adversely affected, as this can affect the company itself negatively (Lewis
et al., 2007; Stefanovska–petkovska et al., 2019). The technological improvements, increased
globalization as well as increased competitors are certain factors to which employees and
managers are exposed to and working conditions and the work environment should be
adapted to the needs of the organization (Lewis et al., 2007).

In 2020 and 2021, Mensah studied the well-being of men and women in Europe, using data
collected from 35 countries in which 44,000 people responded in a survey by the European
Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in 2015. The results
show that work-related stress has a negative effect on employees' psychological well-being
and work-life balance. The study showed that there is a correlation between social support in
the workplace and psychological well-being during work-related stress. It appeared that
employees who experience more social support from their surroundings in the workplace
experience less work-related stress. Some causes of work-related stress that were found were
low control at work, high demand for work, and imbalance in working life between rewards
and efforts. The results showed that support from managers and colleagues prevents
decreased levels of work-related stress and increase in well-being. The study showed that
women experience higher levels of work-related stress which affected their well-being, but
that there were no gender differences in outcomes in terms of social support in the
workplace (Mensah 2020; Mensah 2021).

2.4.2 Well-being in the workplace for employees

Schultz et al. (2014) found that employees well-being in the workplace in the United States
can lead to an increase in corporate satisfaction, reduced sick leave and a higher turnover in
the company, where well-being was achieved via mindfulness and autonomy support.
Autonomy support includes support from managers and that other people have an
understanding from one's own perspective. The results show that mindfulness and smaller
breaks can prevent work-related stress and contribute to a better balance in working life.
Mindfulness is a state in which individuals are attentive to their awareness and surroundings.
Mindfulness can prevent stress that can occur in certain work situations and help employees
unwind and relax in a stressful work situation. The results show that less support from
managers to practice mindfulness or taking smaller breaks contribute to employees not
practicing mindfulness or taking breaks (Schultz et al., 2014).

2.4.3 The organization and management's effect on the work-life balance of the employee

It appears that organizational culture has a significant role in employees' work-life balance
and can encourage well-being (Wen et al., 2018). Research by Tan et al. (2019), shows
equivalent results as Wen et al. (2018) research, that organizational culture has a significant
part in employee well-being. A functioning organizational culture with a good relationship
between employees and employers can contribute to employees feeling that the organization
cares about them. According to Watson (2017), organizational culture includes organization's

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values, attitudes, traditions or habits and unwritten rules. Organizational cultures are often
expressed in the employees' behavior and an example is how the employees talk to each
other, have different jargon, clothing styles or specific places at lunch, which are unwritten
rules. A good organizational culture has a positive influence on employees' work and can
contribute to them feeling involved in the workplace (Watson, 2017). This can create other
benefits, as employees having a better collaboration with each other and becoming motivated
in the work, which benefits both the employer and the employee. It appears that if employees
enjoy collaborating with each other and can talk to each other, they tend to work better and
reach goals quicker (Tan et al., 2019; Wen et al., 2018).

Research by Abu Bakir (2018) showed that managers' relationship with employees can affect
employees' work-life balance. The research aimed to investigate whether managers had any
effect on their employees' work-life balance. The research found that managers' social skills
and understanding of the employees positively affected the work-life balance. It appeared
that managers who lacked empathy and did not show emotion had a negative impact on
work-life balance and negatively affecting the health of employees. The results indicated that
managers' ability to understand and listen to their employees creates a work environment
that is more comfortable which in turn can positively affect thee work-life balance. By
managers listening to their employees, they feel seen and noticed, which can lead to them
feeling in control at their workplace. According to Aku Bakir (2018), one effect of work-life
imbalance is that the employees' performance level decreases and that the company has less
turnover.

2.4.4 Work-life balance among employees

Work-life balance is about being able to balance everyday life with the working life, as having
time to spend with the family, cleaning and taking care of household chores, going on
holiday, recovery, plan what you want in your free time, without being affected by work
(Grawitch et al., 2006). Grawitch et al. (2006) research findings are that a comprehensive
approach to stress in working life may be needed to reduce work-related stress and that the
work environment can affect employee’s stress. The results indicate that employee’s control
of their work-life balance could provide to a better work-life balance for employees. Research
discovered that more flexibility for the employee could have a positive impact on stress,
control, and work-life balance. Flexibility is being able to work in a more varied approach and
adjusting working hours to family time, free time or other activities (Grawitch et al., 2006).

Ejlertssons et al. (2018) research found that the recovery during working hours was highly
related to self-rated health and that recovery during working hours was important for
employees’ sense of well-being. Employees who worked longer shifts were in greater need of
recovery. Higher demands in relation to smaller rewards at work affected the quality of life
where the work environment was perceived as better when the managers ensured that their
employees enjoyed themselves and had a suitable time in the workplace. The study showed
that positive work experiences were linked to work-life balance, as the employees looked
more forward to going to work, instead of feeling more apprehensive about going to work
(Ejlertsson et al., 2018).

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Research from Ariussanto et al. (2020) and Mathews and Khan (2013) shows that work
pressure has increased for employees working at companies that are international, as they
need to compete with other companies, due to digital development and globalization
(Europaparlamentet, 2019; Guest, 2002). As a result, employees are expected to be able to
evolve in line with global and digital developments, be more available and work more
efficiently. This leads to the employees experiencing a work-life imbalance, due to that they
need to increase their work efforts and be more available to work. A consequence of
employees feeling a poor work life balance is that the quality of work decreases, which in turn
negatively affects companies by reducing productivity leading to smaller turnover for the
company (Ariussanto et al., 2020; Mathews & Khan, 2013).

2.4.5 Work-life balance among production employees

Research by Clement et al. (2020) on production employees working in industry finds that
employees who experience a poorer balance between work and private life become more
ineffective at work as they are tired or feel pressured to perform work tasks, which leads to a
lower work commitment. An imbalance between work and private life has a negative effect on
employees' health and increases stress levels. According to Clement et al. (2020) industrial
workers experience a lack of flexibility in their life due to their established working hours
which they can not influence, which in turn affect their work-life balance. Research shows
that an adaptable organization of their work environment can lead to increased well-being for
production employees. Increased well-being for production employees can contribute to
increased production for the organization and profit. A work-life balance arises when the
production employees feel that they can balance their work and private life and that they
have time to recover during their working day (Clement et al., 2020). Recovery can take the
form of breaks, talking to colleagues, relax at home, take vacation, which promotes their well-
being and health. Over the years, production employees have experienced higher demands in
the workplace and stress that contributes to them needing more recovery after work and this
can affect their everyday life. Production employees are often more tired after work and have
less energy to spend their free time on, as hanging out with friends, spending active time with
their family or household chores. Many production employees do not have room for
maneuver to influence their work or working hours, which can lead to a certain level of stress
or frustration or limited access to leisure activities as they are more tied to their working
hours and tasks. According to Clement et al. (2020), a better work-life balance affects
production employee’s health positively, in the form that it prevents stress and the quality of
privacy increases.

2.5 Theoretical framework

The Job Demands-Resources Model (JD-R) developed by Bakker and Demerouti (2007)
contracts with people's performance in working life in terms of demands and control and
how these factors may affect well-being and the balance of working life and private life. The

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Job Demands-Resources Model (JD-R) is used to study work-related stress and assumes that
a balance between demands and resources in working life contributes to good health and
well-being for the employee. The JD-R model will be used to interpret the result in the
present study.

According to the JD-R model, employee health and well-being are affected by various work-
related factors that can be defined as requirements and resources. If there is a balance
between the demands and resources, the employee's health and well-being is positively
affected and promoted, if there are too high demands and low resources, is the health
negatively affected (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017; Tummers et al. 2021). The demands that are
work-related can be defined as organizational, physical, and social aspects of the work that
require a certain type of physical or mental effort that can adversely affect health. Work-
related requirements could be heavy lifting or requirements to achieve a particular
organization's or production's goals. Resources can be defined as organizational, physical,
and social aspects, an aid to meet the demands that exist, aid to achieve goals, support from
management and colleagues and the opportunity for development and to be able to influence
one's work. There are resources at various levels, such as at the organizational level where
such opportunities would be developed in the workplace. Another level would be from the
social relationships of manager and colleagues, where collaboration from colleagues, clear
division of labor or influence can be a resource (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007; Schaufeli &
Taris, 2013).

According to Bakker and Demerouti (2007), production employees are more often exposed to
higher physical job demands and research shows that high job demands can increase the risk
of being exposed to burnout and absence, as the resources contribute to more involvement
within the organization and social support. According to research by Schaufeli and Taris
(2013) and Tummers et al. (2021) on the JD-R model, an effort arises in requirements when
a production employee needs to push himself hard or exert extra effort to achieve the
organizational goals. This usually occurs when the requirements are too high for the
production employees. Research shows that production employees more often do not use
their aids when they experience an imbalance between high demands and low resources,
which in turn can lead to a deterioration of the work performance and affect the health of the
production employees (Schaufeli & Taris, 2013; Tummers et al., 2021).

2.6 Problem statement

Previous research shows that well-being has a positive effect of the employees’ work-life
balance. There is a lot of research today that shows that work-life balance can affect
employees' health and well-being in the workplace. Recent digital development and
globalization have contributed to companies needing to change or reorganize their processes
to be competitive. As a result, companies have had to increase their revenue or production,
which often means new working conditions for employees. When a reorganization takes place
for a brief time, it can affect employees negatively by not having time to get acquainted with
the new working conditions and create a working environment that includes new obligations

13
and increased pressure to achieve organizational goal. It can affect employees' work-life
balance as it can mean more work or overtime that in turn affects their private life, since they
must work harder and need more time for recovery. This study intends to investigate which
work-related factors in the work environment affect the production employees' work-life
balance and how it is experienced. The results of this study can be used for companies to plan
interventions that promotes employee work-life balance.

14
2.7 Aim of the study
The aim is to investigate how work-life balance is experienced by production employees at an
industrial company and to see if there are any work-related factors that affect work-life
balance in the workplace.

2.8 Research questions

-How do production employees experience their work-life balance?

- Which work-related factors in the work environment affect productions employees work-life
balance?

- How does work-life balance affect employee well-being in the workplace?

15
3 METHOD
This section presents the approach to the investigation and ethical principles.

3.1 Study design

To answer the research questions of this study, a qualitative method has been chosen to
answer the aim. A qualitative method focuses on capturing and deepening the participants'
personal stories, knowledge, and experiences to get a deeper explanation of how they
experience their work-life balance. According to Bryman (2011), a qualitative approach is
suitable for focusing and gaining a deeper understanding of the participants' own stories and
interpretations from their own perspectives. To collect material and to answer the aim of the
study, semi-structured interviews were conducted, which gave participants an opportunity to
talk about their experiences of their work-life balance and well-being in the workplace.

3.2 Selection
The sample in this study was selected based on the aim and is a targeted sample where
production employees at an industrial company were selected. Participants who are relevant
and interesting to the subject are suitable to participate in a study (Bryman, 2011). The
selection for this study was purposive, since the participants are selected based on the thesis
topic and participants are production employees. To contact participants in the study, a
person who works in the HR department of the industrial company was contacted and asked
if there was an interest in investigating their company. The contact person at the HR
department gave the contact information to the production managers, to contact participants
in the study.

Then an email was sent to the production managers, supplying information about the aim of
the investigation and how it would continue, and asked the managers to assign the
information to their employees. In the email, the author clarifies that it should be conveyed
to the employees that participation is voluntary, that the focus group interview will be
recorded, and it will be confidential. The managers were given a PowerPoint slide to show
employees, with information about the investigation and contact details to the author, where
those who wanted to participate could contact the author directly if they wanted. Another
PowerPoint slide was displayed around the company with information about the
investigation, to reach out to the production employees. Based on the targeted selection, the
employees who wanted to participate in the study had to express interest in participating in
the study to their manager or directly to the author. Four participants expressed interest
directly to the author and nine participants expressed interest to their manager, who
subsequently informed the author.

The participants were selected based on their expression of interest and all participants who
expressed interest were contacted by the author. Those who were selected were then

16
contacted by phone and received more information about the study and received an
information letter sent to their phone or email (Appendix A). Some participants asked if they
could conduct individual interviews over the phone because they did not feel comfortable
talking in groups. Those participants who conducted the interview individually over the
phone were informed that they should go to a place where they could be alone and in peace
and quiet.

The participants who participated in the study had between one to seven years and over
fifteen years of work experience. Nine men and four women attended. Amongst men, work
experience differed from one year to seven years (7 men) and over fifteen years (2 men), and
among women it was one to two years (3 women) and over five years (1 woman) of work
experience. Of the participants, ten people work two-shifts, morning and afternoon and three
participants work only during the day. After all participants received information about the
study and gave consent, the participants were informed about the time the focus group
interview would be conducted. Those who had individual interviews decided for themselves
when and where they wanted to conduct their interview. Then the managers were informed
their employees would participate and need to leave their workplace, so that production
would not be affected.

3.3 Data collection

To collect data, four individual interviews and three focus group interviews were conducted
with three participants in each focus group. Initially, the idea was that the author would only
conduct focus group interviews, but some participants felt more comfortable conducting the
interview over the phone. The advantages of interviews are that it is a method that gives
participants an opportunity to tell their narrative or experience (Bryman, 2011). By
combining individual interviews with focus group interviews, the individual interviews can
contribute more individual opinions or experiences, which may be more difficult to present in
a group with more people if participants are not comfortable with each other (Bryman, 2011).
The interview that was conducted over the phone was recorded through the speaker and in
the focus of the group interview, was the phone placed in the middle of the table, so that
everyone could be recorded. The individual interviews took about 50 minutes, and the focus
group interviews over 60 minutes.

In this study, the focus group interviews were conducted during participants' working hours
and in the workplace. Those who had individual interviews were free to choose where they
wanted to conduct the interview. According to Bryman (2011) and Kvale and Brinkmann
(2009), the focus group interview is an opportunity that gives the researcher an opportunity
to investigate several individuals simultaneously in a similar field or workplace. The focus
group interview was conducted so that the participants could talk about their experience at
the same time and to save time. Kvale and Brinkmann (2009) describe that people who

17
participate in focus group interviews sometimes do not tell everything they feel or experience,
because they may not want others to know what they are saying. Bryman (2011) describes
that if participants are allowed to choose for themselves where they want to conduct the
interview, they may feel more comfortable and feel that they can talk freely and honestly. It
can make the participants feel that they are in a safe environment, as they themselves get to
choose where the interview will be conducted and are alone (Bryman, 2011).

To collect the material, semi-structured interview forms were conducted. Using semi-
structured interviews supplies an opportunity to ask follow-up questions or ask a participant
to develop their answer or clarification of answers (Bryman, 2011). Example on follow-up
question; could you explain what is good or do you mean that... To structure the interview,
the author enlisted the help of an interview guide (Appendix B), which is designed to answer
the aim (Bryman, 2011). According to Bryman (2011), semi-structured interviews are a
flexible approach where the aim lies in drawing attention to the participants and highlighting
their stories and experiences. Semi-structured interviews also supply the opportunity to
capture a deeper understanding, since follow-up questions can be asked or other questions
that are not included in the interview guide (Bryman, 2011).

Before the focus group interview and individual interview took place, a pilot interview was
conducted on a friend of the author, to examine how the interview questions were perceived.
The pilot interview was conducted to see if the questions were formulated in a way so that the
participant understood the question and to test if the recording material was working.
According to Bryman (2011), the pilot interview is an approach to examining the quality of
the interview questions and seeing if they can answer the study's purpose and questions and
supply a chance to reformulate the questions if they are needed.

All participants were given a similar information letter to read before the interview and a
consent to record the interview was requested before each focus group interview or individual
interview started. To clarify the ethical principles, the author repeated the information letter
to all the participants when they were gathered and clarified that their participation was
voluntary and that they could discontinue their participation when they want and that they
do not have to answer questions they do not want. The author clarified to the participants
that no one else than the author herself would have access to the material from the interviews
and signed a confidentiality agreement. The author also clarified that she would not pass on
any information from the interviews to their colleagues or managers. Before each focus group
interview started, the author asked participants to try not to speak and interrupt each other,
to ease the transcription afterwards. The focus group interview took about 60 minutes and
the separate interviews about 40 minutes. All interviews were recorded on an older
password-protected mobile without a SIM card and access to the internet and after each
interview, the recorded material was transferred over to a password-protected file. Each
interview was given its own name (1, 2, 3, 4, G1, G2, G3) to separate the interviews in the file.
Once the transfer was completed from mobile to the password-protected file, the material
was removed directly from the mobile, so that no unauthorized person could access the
material.

18
3.4 Analysis

To analyze the result of the recorded material, a manifest content analysis was conducted by
Graneheim and Lundman (2004). A manifest content analysis is about finding and
interpreting people's stories and focuses on what is obvious in the stories as well as other
obvious components. Content analysis is a well-proven form of analysis that is applied in
qualitative research (Graneheim & Lundman, 2004). All individual and focus group
interviews were transcribed verbatim over four days and to a total of 72 pages. After that, all
interviews were transcribed into text, word by word. Bryman (2011) describes that the
transcription is a start of the analysis process before the result and that the transcription
means that the interview transitions from audio recording to text. When all interviews were
transcribed, it was read through several times so that the author could get an overview and
overall picture of the material.

In Graneheim and Lundman's (2004) analysis process, these steps should be followed and
analyzed one after another, finding meaning unit, condensed meaning units, code, sub-
categories, and categories (Figure, 1). After the author received an overall picture of the
material, the analysis process and finding meaning units that are relevant to answering the
aim of the study began. Graneheim and Lundman (2004) describe that the meaning unit are
sentences that can answer the aim and can be a word or sentence. The relevant meaning units
were marked with a colored pencil to be able to separate the participants from each other and
know which participant said what, to understand the context. Then they condensed meaning
units and filler words are picked out and the sentence shortened but the content of the text is
preserved. It is vital that the condensation preserves the content of the sentence and that one
should work on the text so as not to reformulate the text. After the condensation, the texts are
compared with each other and the texts that have the same sentence content eventually form
a code. Graneheim and Lundman (2004) describe that the condensing meaning units that
have the same meaning and context create a code, which very briefly explains the meaning of
the sentence. The condensed meaning unit texts were given codes such as: happy by
colleagues, time pressure, uneven flow, ambiguity, and different information. Then codes
were sorted together with each other that concern similar subject areas. In the next step, the
codes that have a similar subject area or meaning form a sub-category. In total, there were
eight sub-categories, and they were divided according to content and context in the texts.
Subsequently, various categories could be distinguished based on the importance and subject
area of the sub-categories, forming a common category. There was a total of three categories,
and they are: social work environment, organizational work environment and information

19
Figure 1.
The content analysis process of meaning unit, condensed meaning unit, code, sub-category,
and category.
Meaning unit Condensed Code Sub-category Category
meaning units

"When we have a When we have a Collaboration Varying support Social work

lot to do at work lot to do at work colleagues from colleagues environment
sometimes, or if I sometimes or if I
have a lot but have a lot but not
don't*** then I can my colleague then
ask for help and I can ask for help
they are obvious, and it is obvious
you get... the help" that you get help

"uh yes but Sometimes on a No information Insufficient Information

sometimes when. Thursday you can information
ee yes but on a kind of guess that
Thursday then you there will be
can kind of guess overtime this
that there will be weekend because
overtime this we have so much
weekend aa but to do but still you
because we have get information on
so much to yes but Friday and then
do, but still you get you can't plan
information on
Friday, so you
can't plan as well.."

Comment. The analysis process is specified by a manifest content analysis. From ”Qualitative
content analysis in nursing research: Concepts, procedures and measures to achieve
trustworthiness”, by Graneheim and Lundman, 2004, Nurse Education Today nr 2, s. 108.
Use with permission.

3.5 Principles of research ethics

This study has considered four principles of research ethics, which must be followed in
research to protect those who participate in the study according to the Swedish Research
Council (Vetenskapsrådet, 2017). The four principles of research ethics are the information
requirement, the consent requirement, the confidentiality requirement and the utilization
requirement.

The information requirement demands that all participant before the study begins must
receive all relevant information about the study, the aim of the study and that participation is
voluntary, and that the participant can choose to discontinue their participation at any time
without justification (Vetenskapsrådet, 2017). All participants received an information letter

20
to read before the interview and were asked before the interview if they had read the
information letter. The information letter states that participation is voluntary and that the
interview takes place in groups and will be recorded (Appendix A). It is further stated in the
information letter that it is only the author who will have access to the material and that all
material will be erased when the study is approved.

The consent requirement includes that it must be clear that participation is voluntary and
that participants must give their consent to participate and know about their right to
discontinue the study at any time (Vetenskapsrådet, 2017). To maintain the consent
requirement, the author gave clear information to the managers of the industrial enterprise
that when information is assigned to the employees, it should be clear that their participation
is voluntary. To strengthen the consent requirement, the author further informed before the
start of the group and individual interviews, that their participation is voluntary and that they
can discontinue at any time and that they do not have to answer all the questions if they do
not want to.

The confidentiality requirement requires that personal data collected must be processed in a
secure manner so that no unauthorized person accesses the information (Vetenskapsrådet,
2017). To maintain the confidentiality requirement, the recorded materials were first stored
on an older password-protected mobile without a SIM card, which did not have access to the
internet. When the recorded interviews were completed, the author transferred them to a
password-protected file and removed them from the mobile. To maintain the confidentiality
requirement for the industry company, the author signed a confidentiality agreement, which
means that the author may not show secret information about the company, and this applies
even after the degree project is examined. According to the Swedish Research Council
(Vetenskapsrådet, 2017), there may be a chance that if a study is conducted at a company,
there is an opportunity for readers at the company to figure out who said what. The
information letter states that the collected material will be analyzed and designed into a
result but that the result will be designed so that what appears becomes unidentifiable. Since
the interviews took place in groups, it was an opportunity for the participants to know who
said what and hence the author did not ask any sensitive or personal questions, but more
frequent questions about working life.

The utilization requirement means that the personal data collected may only be used for
research purposes (Vetenskapsrådet, 2017). To maintain the usage requirement, all personal
data and recorded material on the password-protected file are removed after the degree
project is published and approved. To clarify the usage requirement, the author described in
the information letter how all personal data will be processed and stored and that the
collected material is to answer the aim of the study. The participants got information about
where they can read the result in the information letter.

21
4 RESULTS
The analysis resulted in eight subcategories and three categories, which identify the work
environment factors that affect production employees' work-life balance.

Figure 2.
Work environment factors that affect participants work-life balance and well-being.
Sub-categories Categories

Varying support from colleagues Social work environment

The meaning of leadership

Perceived time pressure on tasks Organizational work environment

Performance in working life

Flexibility during the working day

Resources in working life

The importance of information Information

Lack of information

4.1 Social work environment

This category shows that the participants experience support and, for the most part a good
cooperation with each other and that the interaction works well in the working groups. The
support from colleagues eases the working day and contributes to the participants feeling
better when they finish the work shifts and promotes their work-life balance. Many
participants experience poorer cooperation with certain colleagues and feel like they do not
get the help that they need. Some experience that their colleagues would rather sit with their
phone instead of helping. Most participants lack the support of their managers and
understanding of them in their work, such as when they take smaller recovery breaks. They
further describe that it often happens that they do not receive information in time when it
comes to certain meetings, material shortages or sick colleagues that affect their working day.
The result is that participants who do not experience support from colleagues and managers
experience a poorer balance between work and private life and are more frustrated during the
working day. The main thing that affects work-life balance is the information about overtime
work and that the information arrives too late and this leads to them not being able to plan
their free time as they want.

22
4.1.1 Varying support from colleagues

The participants feel that they are surrounded by colleagues that they can talk to and get
support from and that this makes the workplace more pleasant and makes it easier for the
participants to go to work and create a work-life balance. Some participants describe that
they have a lot of fun with their colleagues and that they can laugh with each other but can
talk about more serious things. One participant describes that sometimes you have worse
days or have a lot on your mind but that you can talk to your colleague or colleagues and then
they understand how you feel and usually be extra helpful during that working day. Most
participants describe that the main reason they feel good in the workplace is because of their
colleagues.

“My well-being is good with my colleagues, and we have a lot of fun with each other and can laugh,
have fun but still talk seriously... I feel like I have a support as well” (IP 5)

“It creates a balance with the job and afterwards, because I enjoy my colleagues and it is easier to go to
work and then and sometimes you can talk after work, and I call it some kind of balance” (IP1)

The majority can collaborate well with their colleagues, but the collaboration does not work
equally well with all colleagues. One reason why the collaboration worked less well with some
colleagues is because they feel that all colleagues do not do as much during a working day or
do not help as much. Some participants describe that there are some colleagues who slip
away when there is a lot of work or do not help if they see that a colleague has a lot to do and
instead sit with their phone. Some participants feel that some colleagues stress themselves
more before a work element that makes it more difficult to collaborate with each other, as
they do not have the same view of how quickly the task should be solved. This in turn can
affect their well-being in the workplace, since they must work harder and need more rest
after work, and this affects the balance between work and private life.

"Some you cooperate better with, all of us are different, some are more stressed, and some are calmer,
so if you work with someone who is stressed even though you don't have to stress, it affects the
cooperation or thus it will be harder to cooperate... in the same way" (IP 8)

A few participants describe that the collaboration flows well and that everyone is willing to
help each other and describe it as that sometimes they do not need to ask for help but they
happen automatically, if a colleague has less to do it helps a colleague who has more to do.
Participants describe that communication in the group eases cooperation and that
communication is generally good in the group.

4.1.2 The meaning of leadership

The result shows that the participants have different experiences of support from their
managers, some describe that they always receive support from their managers while some
describe that they do not experience any support from their managers and want more
support. The participants feel that the support from the managers has a positive effect on
their work-life balance, but some participants experience no support from their managers at
all. The leadership prevent the participants' stress levels at work, which leads to the
participants experiencing a better balance between work and private life as they feel that they

23
can go home with a better mood and positive attitude and become calmer in their everyday
life.

Some participants describe that they feel supported by their manager when, for example, the
manager tells them not to stress about their tasks during a working day when there is a lot to
do. It appears that the participants do not become less stressed but feel that the managers see
that they have a lot to do.

"We had a lot to do one day, and I think my boss saw that I had a lot to do so then the boss came to me
and said that I did not have to stress. I'm still stressed, but I feel good that I have support" (IP 11)

Some participants express that they want more feedback from their managers when they
have done a decent job or worked extra much during a working day. Some participants wish
that they gained more trust and confidence from their managers and that they make them
feel that the work they do is good enough and sufficient. Some participants experience that
their managers just choose to listen to what they say sometimes and that it feels like the
managers hear what the participants says but forget about it as soon as they leave. At the
same time, some participants describe that they wish their manager could talk more to them
during the workday and that it would have been a type of support. While some participants
describe that they have a good relationship with their manager and can talk about things
other than just work. It appears from the results that most of the participants wanted more
understanding of their managers and describe that they sometimes experience that they feel
like the managers think you are like a robot and can work hard all the time. The participants
perceived a lack of empathy and support from the managers, where a frustration arose
among the participants, which also affects the balance between work and private life, as it
became more anxious to leave home and going to work, compared to when they experienced
support from managers and experienced a more relaxed and pleasant workplace.

“Perhaps more understanding towards us workers, that understanding that one is not a robot I wish
more, more understanding of the work situation but I'm in it. Then you would not feel the same
pressure to work. get a more balance between work and private life, that you are not incredibly
stressed at work but not after work either " (IP 6)

Some participants say that they can often turn to their managers and ask for help if it is
needed during the working day to solve a work task, if any problem arises, and that the
manager often gives good advice. The participants describe that it makes their working day
easier if the manager helps and gives them support. Some participants described that they
did not get support at all from their managers and were thinking about it at home, where it
would affect their well-being and create an imbalance between work and private life.

"Once I asked my manager if I could get help solving a task but then the manager replied that I could
solve it myself. Then I felt like I asked for help because I could not solve it myself, but then I had to ask
a colleague who stood up immediately. Then you think afterwards, why my manager not helped me
and then you do not feel so good after work " (IP 3)

Some participants experienced that managers are generally good at listening when they come
up with suggestions or improvements. This made them feel appreciated at work and feel
better afterwards when they are at home and feel a balance between work and private life.

24
However, not all participants agreed that the managers listened to them or appreciated their
suggestions.

“Sometimes it feels a bit like the managers do not listen to your improvement suggestions, but the
manager may not think they are that good. But then you have at least tried, after a while you stop
coming up with improvements because the managers still do not listen, it's boring when you think
about it afterwards and you can ponder about it before you go to bed” (IP 10)

Some participants describe that when they have taken a minor restraint break and talked to
their colleague, they have received feedback from their manager who asked why they do not
work and just stands there and talk, even though the participants just had caught up with a
lot of work and needed to take a short break. That led to the participants being a little badly
touched and it does not feel good or relaxing.

"So it has happened that when you have stood and talked to a colleague sometimes, when you have
worked a lot of work and then the boss has come and asked why you are standing here and talking
instead of helping, even though the boss does not know how much or hard you worked a few minutes
before... it can disturb or take a toll on you a little and you've been told that a few times" (IP 8)

A few participants described that sometimes they feel that they experience a special
treatment in the department and that some colleagues become more favored. Those
participants described that they feel like some colleagues are being more favored because
they have a closer relationship with the manager compared to others. One participant
described that they had overheard one manager talking to a colleague, about another
colleague who was on sick leave. This led to the participants getting concerned about whether
the managers talk about them too when they are sick and expressed that this affected balance
between work and private life.

4.2 Organizational work environment

This section presents the participants' experience of the organizational work environment
and how it affects their work-life balance. The participants experience a work-life balance
when there is an even production flow, enough staff on site and no shortage of materials, but
it appears that the participants often experience a shortage of staff and materials and
overtime work, which affects their free time.

4.2.1 Perceived time pressure on tasks

The participants experience that the working hours are good enough for performing their
tasks, but that when production increases its pace, it becomes more stressful to finish certain
tasks. Most participants feel good when they finish their tasks before they go home and
sometimes work extra hard to get ready before the next shift begins, while some participants
did not think about it at all. Participants become more stressed about getting ready for the
day and it affects them after the workday and need more time to relax from the work.

25
"I feel good at work when I have time to do what you should before going home and finishing
properly and leave it in an effective way for the next shift. If I do not get things done, I can get
stressed and think about it later at home " (IP 10)

All participants experienced a balance during the working day when there is not too much to
do but not too little to do either. The participant says that when there is too much to do, they
do not have time for everything and get easily stressed. When there is too much or too little to
do at work, the participants do not feel comfortable at work and this creates an imbalance
between work and private life, as the participants do not want to go to work.

"When we don't have a lot of work then you have time to take more small breaks and kind of stand and
talk to your colleagues, but when you haven't had any work to do for several hours and already kind of
cleaned up a lot then your kind of just get bored and want to go home" (IP 8)

All participants can take smaller recovery breaks when there is not much work to do or stand
and talk to a colleague. Participants describe that when there is a lot to do, they do not have
time to take any recovery breaks. Some participants describe that they sometimes skip their
last break to get ready before they go home, and this is when there are higher rates in
production. A minority of participants says that sometimes they do not have time to eat lunch
and sometimes when they eat lunch, they often get interrupted as they need to come and help
or being asked for. The participants describe that they do not have time to unwind at their
lunch and think about work, but only think about how they will manage the work situation.
This makes it difficult for the participants to rest during the working day and it affects
privacy after work, since they need more time to recover.

"Sometimes you don't even have time to take lunch and it happens very often that when you take lunch
a colleague comes and says that you need to help with something, your kind of don't get any peace of
mind and can disconnect from work during breaks" (IP 6)

All participants describe that they get more to do in the weeks when they are going to work
on the weekend and feel that there is pressure to work away work before the weekend.
Participants describe that sometimes when managers are being nice and say they do not have
to work on the weekend, there is more to do at the end of the week to work into what they
were supposed to do at the weekend. Then the participants need to work harder, experience
more demands and become stressed, which affects their everyday life.

"I feel like I'd rather go in and work on a Saturday at a normal pace than when the boss is nice and says
we don't have to work Saturday, because it gets more stressful at the end of the week, and you get
completely exhausted because you're trying to work away" (IP 13)

Most participants describe that they try to save time in their tasks by not using their lifting
tools for heavy lifting because they take much longer. The participants share that they use the
lifting tools more when there is less to do in the workplace and that they feel that they have
time to use the tools more then. By not using the lifting tools, it can affect the body physically
and hurt the back, which affects the participants after work.

"I feel that some aids are too cumbersome or take too much time to use so then I would rather do the
lifting myself because it is faster, and I get done faster, yes to save time" (IP 5)

26
A few participants describe that they always use the lifting tools, regardless of how much
work they have to do during the working day, and it does not affect them after work at all.

4.2.2 Performance in working life

Participants experience that it is different how much they need to perform in the work,
depending on how much is to be done during a working day and that a good work is when
there is a steady flow. When there is a steady production flow, the participants know what the
work week will look like, and it does not affect their work-life balance and they can make
plans for their free time.

"When there is a steady flow in production, there are work orders at regular intervals and that the
material is always available and sufficient, it is a good working day and then you feel that you have
time" (IP 4)

A steady flow describes the participants as material or tasks coming in at regular intervals
during the work stages, as sometimes it is nothing and they become sedentary, while
sometimes it is a lot, and they need to stress to get the work done. Participants describe that
the flow can differ between days, weeks and sometimes months. Most participants talk about
that when there is a higher flow, it affects them by often thinking that they have more to do
and sometimes being a little worried if there will be overtime. Participants share that they
sometimes perform more during the weeks in the hope that they will not be working overtime
or to work in catch-up when the flow is uneven. Some participants describe that they
sometimes think about how much it will be at work for a long time as production increases its
rates and this affects their work-life balance.

"There may be different flows that this week we have a lot to do so that you almost don't have time for
everything and get stress, but last week we have nothing to do, but sometimes it can depend on
whether there is a stop in production or something else..." (IP 9).

A few participants described that they collaborate with the company's customers and feel
pressure to perform and always be available and being stressed at work. Participants
described that customers are booked during the same time to get their orders, and often
during lunchtime. Since customers are booked during the same time, it becomes stressful for
the employees to work with all the customers at the same time and then working quicker
instead.

"It happens several times during the week that you just stand and look for a task for hours, but then
suddenly all the work just comes at once and sometimes you cannot even eat at lunch or take breaks,
feel pretty unfair" (IP 12)

Some participants reveal that when there is a lot to do, it is easier to make mistakes and they
feel pressure to perform. Participants who feel pressure to work harder become more
stressed and this affects their mood after work and work-life balance, as they become
exhausted from the demanding work. All participants describe that there is an imbalance in
working life when they need to work harder in certain periods and sometime, they are out of
work.

27
4.2.3 Flexibility during the working day

Half of the participants describe that they are working on a rotation schedule and experience
it as positive and varied. Some participants explain that they are given more freedom and
more responsibility when they can rotate between different workstations and are more free-
range. Most of the participants explain that the rotation scheme is good and creates a
structure for what to work with. This makes the workplace more pleasant, and participants
look more forward to go to work and it creates a balance between work and private life. As
they do not have to do the same thing every day, they become more stimulated and even
happier after work.

"I think it's nice to rotate, your kind of don't get tired of your work or tasks. And if you get tired of
some tasks, well then it is time to rotate, so that is good and I’m happy about that" (IP 1)

Half of the participants who work with rotating experience that the rotation is stressful and
sometimes they experience an injustice when they sometimes have to cover for other stations
and get to work more than others. Participants describe that they are usually certain
colleagues who get to rotate and help when someone is sick or work at two workstations at
the same time to cover up. Some participants feel that there are certain colleagues who do not
need to rotate and would have liked the managers to distribute the tasks in a better way so
that it becomes more equal in the rotation. Some of the participants who rotate sometimes
describe they do not have the same opportunities to take recovery breaks compared to those
who do not rotate. The participants that rotate during a workday and help other stations and
work back and forth between different workstations explain that there is no possibility of
taking a recovery break because they need to move on and rotate. This creates an imbalance
between colleagues and frustration. A frustration that they can also feel after a working day
and it affects the balance between work and private life, as they feel unfairly treated at work.

"We have a few people in our department, it's usually the same people rotating and sometimes when
there's a lot to do and we get to help other stations, sometimes it becomes harder to take a short break,
there is an annoyance that the same person always needs to rotate and you can even be angry before
you get to work because you think about how much you need to cover up, but it is not required of
everyone ..." (IP 11)

Some participants feel that it would be pleasant if several people learned to rotate, so it is not
the same people who need to cover up other stations and that it is extra tough to cover up
when there is a high flow, and they need to present more to catch up. The periods when there
are high rates in production, it is stressful at work and many participants are tired after work
and it creates a mismatch between work and private life, when production is uneven.

4.2.4 Resources in working life

All participants feel that it is often short on people in the department and material shortages,
but that it is due to pandemic. All participants describe that they have a work-life balance
when they have the resources for their tasks but describe that the resources are lacking a
superior part of the time. The participants describe that sometimes they cannot complete
their work tasks because either material shortages or they need to wait for materials. All
participants express a certain frustration against working overtime during the weekend, and

28
that the material often runs out. That means they are standing still or having less work to do
early next week. Participants express a desire that material use should be planned more, so
that it does not run. All participants feel that the work instead becomes more stressful at the
end of the week when all the material arrives and is needed in production. Some participants
describe that they have to work overtime on a Saturday, but that there have not been
materials on site and that they have not been able to work then. This creates an imbalance
between work and private life, because they need to work overtime often in their free time
and this affects their everyday life a lot.

"Sometimes when you need to work overtime on weekends, does the coordinator or manager say that
there are materials on site, but then when you open the box, and you see that they are missing
materials and then you become stagnant and cannot do your tasks directly. Then it feels unnecessary
to come in and work a weekend when there is no material" (IP 12)

Some participants feel that when some colleagues are sick, it is more difficult to reach the
production goals and that they become more stressed as they will not reach the goals and
managers will notice it.

"When we are all in place and everyone is doing their work, you feel more harmony and can focus on
doing your work and then you also have time to talk to colleagues in the meantime, and do not need to
think about at home and worrying about the work" (IP 5)

Participants described that when they are fully staffed, it is more harmonious to work and
that it is less stressful. They perceive a better work-life balance when they know that
colleagues will be on site and materials are available. This leads to a better workflow and
participants feeling that they do not have to worry about work in their free time.

4.3 Information
The results show that the information from managers or coordinators does not always reach
the employee and it happens in several cases that employees hear information from each
other first before the managers assign the information. The fact that the information does not
reach the participants means that they sometimes need stress away from meetings or receive
information late about overtime work. The lack of information about overtime work affects
the participants' work-life balance as they sometime need to cancel their plans or can not
plan their free time as they want, because they may have to work overtime. This also affects
the participants' family and friends, as they can’t make plans or fulfill plans with the
participants.

4.3.1 The importance of information

Several participants explain that the information they receive is good but that it does not
always reach everyone in the entire department and that only some get to know the
information.

29
" We are often told by the other colleagues before the manager arrives that we have some meeting in
the other building and need to run or stress to get in time for the meeting" (IP 9)

Some participants describe that their managers are particularly good at giving out
information. A minority of the participants describe that they were without a manager for a
period and that they rarely received information about meetings or updates about what is
happening in the workplace or if there were any material deficiencies. The participant felt a
little outside from the workplace, as it is divided into different buildings. Lack of information
from the management affected the participants as they did not receive information about
their workplace that they need to be able to perform their work in the best way and stressful
situations could arise from this. The stress and frustration from the lack of information
affected the participants' working day and way of working, but also affected their work-life
balance as they needed to work harder in the workplace.

“We were without a manager for a while and then we got no information at all about what happened
and once we got it, it was after everyone else, because we did not have anyone who updated us, and it
was like all the information in the workplace. But sometimes we heard it from our colleagues from
other buildings when we went over with the truck” (IP 22)

Most participants feel that their managers do not tell them in time if they are supposed to
work at the weekend or not and describe that they could have planned their free time better if
it had been informed earlier.

"It is really hard sometimes to plan whether you're going away for a weekend or not because you don't
know if you need to work, and it can affect my partner then also who can't plan either, even if you're
just going to IKEA" (IP 4)

Some of the participants explain that sometimes they are told by other colleagues from other
departments that there is a production stoppage or material shortage and then can
understand why they have so little to do. Some participants say they would have appreciated
it if they received information about material shortages earlier from their manager or
coordinator, so they do not have to spend time looking for material that does not exist. If the
participants had received information about the lack of time, they would have been able to
plan their working day in a better way, which would benefit their production, explains the
participants. If the participants can plan their working day, they experience that the day gets
better and this contributes to a better well-being and a more balance between work and
private life.

4.3.2 Lack of information

Some participants describe that they sometimes do not get enough information from their
managers or coordinators in terms of their work tasks or where to work during the day. It has
happened that a participant has been working on one workstation but after an hour they find
out that they should be on another workstation. Participants explain that they experience a
better balance during the working day when they know what tasks they have and what to do.

30
"It happens I've sometimes been working at a workstation for an hour but then my coordinator
comes and says to be at another workstation, so of course I do but if I had known them from the
beginning, I could have planned the working day in a different way" (IP 11)

Participants describe that they can end up doing the work themselves when they lack
information, even though it is not their job, because one department is not responding to the
questions. A minority of participants describe that sometimes there is not enough
information for the person to contact when a problem arises about the transport and explain
that there are several departments involved. The Participants feel that there is lacking
information when several departments are involved, and they do not know what applies
because there are no guidelines or rules to follow, and this creates uncertainty about the
work. This leads to more work, creates a stressful situation, and affects the participant's
tasks, and in the worst case, leads to overtime which then affects the balance between work
and private life.

"It has happened that you have a transportation booked and something happens, and you do not get
hold of the department that is really supposed to take care of the problem, because they can have a
lunch break. Then you need to arrange it yourself, even though it is not my job. The worst-case
scenario is that you have to work overtime because that department does not respond and it goes
wrong, it affects you after work, if you need to work overtime and you get annoyed after work" (IP
6)

All participants describe that some managers are good at explaining how to prioritize certain
tasks and give information about the priority of tasks. This makes the participants feel that
they have a clear understanding of what applies, and control and do not need to stress
themselves. As the participants experience a good balance at work and then a good balance
between work and private life, as they feel control over their situation and get the right
information.

5 DISCUSSION
The aim of the study was to investigate how work-life balance is experienced by production
employees at an industrial company and to study which certain work-related factors in the
work environment that affects work-life balance. The results show that overtime work and
lack of information regarding overtime affect production employees work-life balance the
most and get participants stressed. The participants feel that colleagues have a positive
impact on the social work environment. Lack of information from the managers and
resources, as lack of materials and perceived lack of staff, have negatively result on the
organizational work environment and affects the participants work-life balance.

Overtime work during weekends has a negative effect on work-life balance where participants
sense of well-being decreased when they had no control over their free-time. Participants
experience less work-life balance when production rates increase in the company and when
there has been a shortage of materials for a period, as shortage of materials for a longer

31
period, such as over a week, they need to catch up with the fallen behind work when
materials finally arrive. Results show that as production rates increase, participants
experience a greater need for staff and think more about how much they will have to do
during their working days and worry about having to work overtime on weekends. The
participants experience a lack of information regarding their working day such as material
shortages, absent staff, or information regarding overtime work and it is affecting their work-
life balance. Lack of information or poor dissemination of information affects the
participants, where they feel that they can not plan their working day or their free time over
the weekends. Results indicate that participants experience a good work-life balance when
there is an even flow of production and there is no shortage of resources and that they feel a
sense of control over the workflow, which contributes to them being able to plan their work
and private life.

5.1 Discussion of results in relation to previous research

This investigation result shows that production employees' balance between work and private
life is affected by the production flow and that increased production rates sometimes lead to
production employees having to work overtime on weekends, which affects their work-life
balance and well-being.

The results of this investigation have comparable results with other previous studies in terms
of employee well-being that being linked to work-life balance. It turns out that many
participants experience a well-being when there is a steady flow in production and do not
lack resources. Several types of resources that are mentioned most in this investigation are
materials needed in daily work and staff. When there is a high production flow, participants
can become stressed about not having time for their work tasks and having more work tasks
to fulfill. It appears that sometimes when they work overtime, they can not work due to lack
of materials. According to the organizational work environment (AFS: 2014: 4) can uneven
workload negatively affect employees work environment and health at and after work. The
results of this investigation can be related to Guest (2002) when it comes to the participants
feeling that they do not get a balance between work and private life when they need to work
overtime on the weekends. Which can be linked to some participants skipping their breaks
due to time for their tasks and according to the Mensah (2020), managers have a significant
role in employees well-being and can influence them by showing their support. If an
employee does not have a balance between work and private life it can have a negative effect
on health and the company (Folkhälsomyndigheten, 2022; Grawitch et al., 2006). The results
of this investigation are in line with Clement et al. (2020) research on industrial employees
experiencing a poorer work-life balance when they are unable to control their working hours,
as working overtime. Overtime work on weekends affects participants' work-life balance,
which can be substantiated by Clement et al. (2020) research.

Another aspect of the results of this investigation is that the participants felt that overtime
affected their private life and that they often receive information late about overtime work

32
from their managers. Ejlertsson et al. (2018) researched the recovery of employees in their
private lives from work and the balance between work and private life. Ejlertsson et al. (2018)
research declares that employees who work more, are in a larger need for recovery, which
shows the results of this investigation as the participants do not feel any balance between
work and private life when it comes to overtime work. It occurs in this results that
participants experience a lack of information about overtime and understanding about their
work situation from their managers. As they often receive information about overtime just
before the weekend and that they sometimes need to cancel their plans due to overtime. This
can be allied to research by Abu Bakir (2018) which shows managers 'understanding of their
employees can affect employees' balance in working life and private life. Employees who do
not feel that they receive any understanding from their managers may experience that their
work is less meaningful or do not engage in the work (Abu Bakir, 2018). The participants
experience that they affect the people around their near, as family, since they do not know if
they will need to work overtime or not. It is possible to discuss whether the managers could
be clearer when it comes to informing about overtime work or assigning information earlier.
The earlier they receive information about overtime, they get better opportunities to plan
their private life, which creates a balance between work and private life. It is possible to
discuss whether the late information has to do with production rates or material shortages. A
happy employee works better and experience a better well-being (Clemet et al., 2020) and
also benefits companies through better and faster results, according to Schultz et al. (2014).

Wen et al. (2012) and Abu Bakir (2018) have researched the employees' relationship with
their managers and whether the relationship has affected the employee's well-being and
whether the managers' support had any effect on the employees' balance between work and
private life. The results of this investigation give related results where some participants
showed that they lacked support from their managers or understanding. An example from
this investigation was that the participants lacked understanding of their managers, when
they took recovery breaks and talked to each other, but instead received negative support
from their managers who wondered why they did not work. Hence participants feeling
monitored by their managers, do not get any understanding, and instead work unchanged
without a recovery break in addition to their breaks or lunch break. If managers instead listen
to their employees' needs or give feedback on the work, this can lead to the employees
becoming more motivated to work and this benefits both the employees and the company
(Abu Bakir, 2018; (Grawitch et al., 2006). Guest (2002) researched that if employees feel a
balance between work and private life, they can influence employees' work that the quality of
work increases, and production reaches its goals faster.

5.2 Theoretical framework

It appears that the participants experience a lack of resources regarding materials and staffs
and according to the JD-R model, low resources in relation to high demands can affect health
and well-being negatively (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007). The results of the investigation show

33
that some participants choose not to use the available resources in the workplace to save time
when there are high production rates. Which can be associated to the JD-R model, which
describes that employee sometimes, when they experience high demands, do not use aids to
keep up with the production pace and save time. This can lead to the employees experiencing
physical problems or being exposed to stress that affects the employees' well-being (Bakker &
Demerouti, 2017). For example, the participants in this investigation describe that they are
more stressed when production rates increase, and they do not have all the material in place
or staff. This can lead to, if some staff are on sick leave, the employees on site working harder
and get more pressure, since they still need to reach the production goals. This can create an
imbalance between demands and resources. It can be linked to the JD-R model which
describes that people who are stressed and have certain demands do not always choose to use
the resources available, since they want to save time. There will be an unsustainable work
situation and an imbalance between demands and resources that can affect employees' health
and well-being negatively (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007).

According to Bakker and Demerouti (2017), the managers' support can be a resource for the
production employees by showing their support that they understand that there is a lot of
work right now and help to distribute tasks. By just showing their support, managers can
have a positive impact on employees and benefit their well-being. It appears in this
investigation that the participants experience good support for the most part and cooperation
with each other, except for some colleagues. The participants experience that the colleagues
are a resource that contributes to a better work environment and that they can help each
other if they have certain requirements. Having a balance between demands and resources in
the workplace can lead them to feel a balance between work and private life, and it can
motivate participants based on their work situation that benefits their health and well-being.
This can be allied to the JD-R model which describes that people who have a balance between
demands and resources are more motivated in their workplace. As they feel that they have
access to resources in the workplace that match their requirements, which can lead to a
greater commitment of the employee. This can lead to increased job-satisfaction in the
workplace for production employees who feel that they are given space to get involved in
their work, are given room for recovery when they feel a balance between demands and
resources and a balance between work and private life.

6 METHOD DISCUSSION
For the chosen thesis topic, the right method was chosen, as the aim was to investigate the
perspectives of industrial employees and pay attention to their stories. The investigation
could be conducted with a questionnaire survey, but then the participants' stories had not
been captured in the same way as it be done via an interview, and the participants can freely
talk about their experiences. The investigation has gone well, and no obstacles have arisen, as
no participant has chosen to drop out or not show up at the interview times. A problem arose
during the first focus group interview. When the interview was finished and I was about to

34
end the recording, I discovered that the recording had been paused and had not recorded
anything. The participants nicely said that they could stay for a while to talk a little briefly
about what they were talking about, which was very much appreciated. When I came home to
and was going to start the transcribing, I managed to restore the first recording and was able
to transcribe the entire interview. Since this situation arose, I became even more attentive
during subsequent interviews and regularly ensured that the recording worked.

It is possible to discuss how I got hold of participants for the investigation, when it was the
managers of the industrial company who assigned a request to participate and participants
could register to the managers, who in turn notified me. All participants had the opportunity
to express interest to me immediately, hence contact details were set up via TV slide shows
around the company. It is debatable whether participants could feel identifiable, as some
colleagues knew that they participated in the investigation since it took place during working
hours, as they needed to leave their work assignments.

The reliability of this investigation may be low given that there are only thirteen people
participating in the study and it may be difficult to transfer to another study if it were to be
conducted again. This investigation has comparable results to previous research, which can
make this investigation more trustworthy. It can be discussed whether the result would have
been different if it had been done via surveys or just individual interviews, but through a
survey, it is more difficult to get more deep and descriptive results (Bryman, 2011).

6.1 Final discussion

It is possible to discuss whether the material shortage is a consequence of the Covid-19
pandemic that developed in late 2019 and lasted until the beginning of 2022. The Covid-19
pandemic put several countries in quarantine, and it affected transport and deliveries
between different companies and countries. As a result, they may affect materials from
different suppliers who have their companies in other countries and may delay different
deliveries of materials to the company. This could be a reason the participants in this study
experienced a shortage of staff. Covid-19 was a disease that affected humans and hence
restrictions were introduced to protect human society (1177 Vårdguiden, 2022). This meant
that people who lived together had to stay at home if someone in the household became ill
and as a result some people could stay at home for up to one or more weeks. As a result, it
could affect the workplace if several people become ill at the same time or have family
members at home who are ill and need to stay home from work. It is not possible to prove
that this material shortage is a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, but it may be a factor
that has affected the material shortage, since this study was conducted just after the
pandemic. It is debatable whether this study had had related results in terms of material
shortages and staff shortages due to illness before the pandemic or after the pandemic. It
could be discussed how companies could have planned the production or addition of
materials and personnel so that it would not affect employees and the production flow. There
is a difference in that work in production where you need to be on site at work compared to

35
people who can work from home where the work is not equally affected, but it is of course a
change for everyone who worked during the pandemic.

Results in this study can be linked to Lewis et al. (2007) and Stefanovska – petkovska et al.
(2019) research on organizational culture. Which means that the well-being of employees is
perceived as better in the workplace if they feel that the organization promotes the well-being
of the employees by getting to know the employees and their needs. It is arguable whether
companies could have solved the situation during the pandemic better with a lack of
materials and the need for staff in another way and asked the employees what they needed
from their perspective. Lewis et al. (2007) research is about organizational changes in
response to global changes that may affect the work environment for employees, which could
be linked to the results of this study. It can be added that it has been problematic for almost
all companies and organizations during the Covid-19 pandemic and that the pandemic has
constantly developed. As the government has imposed new restrictions during the pandemic,
and that can be difficult for companies to constantly reorganize. Hopefully this pandemic has
brought with it knowledge of working during a pandemic.

7 FUTURE RESEARCH
For future research, it would have been interesting to investigate production managers work-
life balance. As it occurs that certain information is lacking or not coming out and a reflection
and thought that arises is whether the managers themselves are stressed or experience some
form of pressure. There is a lot of research about middle managers and findings they are
stressed as they receive guidelines from their managers or from the organization on certain
demands that their department should achieve certain goals. While their employees may not
reach the production goals, have different attitudes, or do not show up in the workplace.
Therefore, it would be interesting to investigate the work-life balance of production middle
managers.

36
8 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, support from colleagues tend to contribute to a more pleasant workplace

where participants look forward to collaborating with colleagues. This in turn creates a better
balance between work and private life for these participants. Participants experience a better
sense of well-being in the workplace when there is a steady production flow and their balance
between work and private life is better, compared to when production rates increase. The
balance between work and private life is negatively affected when there is overtime work and
when they do not receive information about overtime in time from the managers. This leads
to most of the participants not being able to plan their free time. Support from managers on
the other hand affects the participants' well-being and they express a desire for more of an
understanding regarding their work situation to be able to have a better work-life balance.

37
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APPENDIX A

Information letter 2022

Hi

My name is Matilda, and I am studying a master's programme in Working Life Science and
Leadership at Mälardalen University, and I am currently working on my master's thesis.

The aim of the thesis is to investigate how production employees experience their well-being
and work-life balance. I am interested in interviewing you together with some other
colleagues in a focus group interview. Participation in the study is voluntary and you can
choose to discontinue your participation at any time without any justification. I am
conducting this study because it is an interesting and important topic.

The number of participants in the focus group interviews will be between 4-5 and will take
place according to agreement and is expected to take approximately 45-60 minutes. The
interview will be recorded for educational purposes and to be analyzed and form a result.
What is said during the interview will not be linked to yourself and the material is then
analyzed and becomes unidentifiable. Only I will have access to all material and ethical
principles are maintained. Everything will be treated confidentially and stored in a password-
protected file so that no unauthorized person can ain access. You will receive the results when
the thesis is published in Diva (Digital Scientific Archive), which is a digital publishing
system for essays by students.

Are you interested in participating?

Please contact me for more information.

Best regards,

Matilda Engman

Mälardalens universitet

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APPENDIX B

Interview guide

Work-life balance

 What creates a work-life balance?

 Describe a situation when you experienced work-life balance
 If we turn the question around: What creates an imbalance in work?
 Have you ever experienced that you wanted to cancel plans after work (do you want to
tell us about that particular situation)?
 What would be required for you to give a better evaluation regarding work-life
balance?

Work-life balance in the workplace

 What makes you feel like you do not have the opportunity to take recovery breaks in
the workplace?
 Can you describe a situation when you have the opportunity to take a recovery break
in the workplace?
 Can you describe a situation when you do not have the opportunity to take a recovery
break in the workplace?
 How would you describe the possibility of taking recovery breaks? What can be
improved?
 How do you perceive your ability to influence your job duties? (If good, develop the
answers)
 How do you think it works with varied tasks?
 How do you experience working methods that you work with?
 How do you experience the pace of work in your tasks?
 How do you experience collaboration with colleagues during a working day?
 In what way can you colleagues take support from each other or from a manager?
 How do you experience the set time you have, to perform your duties?
How do you experience the resources you have to meet the demands that exist, to
perform your duties?
 In what way do you experience social support from colleagues and managers during
the workday?

Victimization (included in the workplace and all employees are treated equally and
respected)

 How do you experience your work environment when it comes to victimization?

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 Well-being

 Describe a situation when you feel good in the workplace physically (What can be
done to perpetuate it)?
 Describe a situation when you feel good in the workplace mentally (What can be done
to perpetuate it)?
 If we turn the question around; Describe a situation that you wished had been
handled differently to make you feel better at work?

Well-being linked to work-life balance

 How do you experience balance between work-life and your well-being?

Final question

Is there anything that you want to bring up or you feel I missed to ask about or any question
before we are done?

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