Från vardagsrum till arbetsrum. En kvalitativ analys av kvinnors upplevelser av arbetslivsbalansen vid distansarbete och dess följder

Abstract

This study explores women’s experiences of the impact of remote work on work-life balance, and the potential consequences of telecommuting from a gender equality perspective. This investigation is contextualized by societal shifts post-pandemic, during which remote work has become increasingly prevalent. This transition raises new questions about the impact of home-based work on individuals’ work-life balance, particularly for women who, according to prior studies, carry a greater responsibility for household tasks. In this qualitative study, the experiences and narratives of women who work remotely were collected through 15 semistructured interviews to further deepen the understanding of these issues. The findings were analyzed in parallel using Clark’s (2000) boundary theory and Gillberg’s (2022) concept of expectation structure. The study indicates that the women experienced a generally positive impact on work-life balance by occasionally working from home, due to increased flexibility in managing life commitments. However, drawbacks were also noted, such as difficulties in disconnecting from work in their personal lives. Furthermore, the study revealed that women in leadership positions and women with higher workloads experienced their work as more boundaryless. By analyzing the results through Gillberg’s (2022) concept of expectation structure, the potential consequences of remote work were illuminated from a gender equality perspective, which then formed the basis for further discussion where the analysis was related to previous research in the field.