Lost in Autonomy \u2013 Temporal Structures and Their Implications for Employees\u2019 Autonomy and Well-Being among Knowledge Workers

Ari Väänänen,Minna Toivanen,Tea Lallukka

doi:10.1007/s41542-020-00058-1

Ari Väänänen, Minna Toivanen + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s41542-020-00058-1

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Abstract

Conceptual models based on the importance of work autonomy for employees’ health represent important cornerstones in the occupational well-being and work stress literature. The objectives of this study were to 1) explore and understand the temporal conditions framing work among autonomous knowledge professionals, 2) describe how autonomy is experienced in knowledge work jobs, and 3) analyze the implications of current autonomy for well-being in knowledge work. The interview study consisted of 21 women and 13 men who worked in knowledge-intensive jobs in Finland. Analysis of the material shows that knowledge work is structured by different levels of transverse temporal structures: individual and social structures, and organizational and macrolevel structures. This creates a paradoxical nature of autonomy among knowledge workers, characterized by high task autonomy and intense socio-temporal interdependence. One can have strong autonomy and be tied at the same time. Unsynchronized time structures can lead to fragmented work, overwhelming work burden, and higher risk of mental health symptoms. It would therefore be advisable to establish collective temporal structures in organizations that create manageability and predictability. We conclude that models of occupational well-being and work stress should pay more attention to the social structure and temporal interdependencies that characterize knowledge work.

Highlights

Interrelatedness and Autonomy in Knowledge WorkSeveral influential models of occupational stress and well-being have defined work autonomy as a central factor (e.g., Carayon 1993; Demerouti et al 2001; Frese 1989; Hackman and Oldham 1975, Karasek Jr. 1979)
The findings describe the temporal frameworks of knowledge work and how autonomy is experienced within these frameworks
Strong autonomy at work frequently leaves people alone and can be burdensome (RQ 2 and 3.). This interview study of knowledge workers, focusing on the time-related dimensions of work autonomy and the interrelationships between structures and individuals, pinpoints new avenues through which occupational health research may correspond to the organizational reality lived by millions of employees

Summary

Introduction

Several influential models of occupational stress and well-being have defined work autonomy as a central factor (e.g., Carayon 1993; Demerouti et al 2001; Frese 1989; Hackman and Oldham 1975, Karasek Jr. 1979). In these models, autonomy is assumed to have the potential to ensure motivation and performance as well as well-being (Stiglbauer and Kovacs 2018). The work benefits greatly from information technology in identifying and solving problems (e.g., Alvesson 2001; Mazmanian et al 2013 In most EU countries more than 20% of working age people are engaged in knowledge jobs (e.g., Brinkley et al 2009; Statistics Finland 2016) and in most Western countries, the proportion of these jobs is rapidly growing (e.g., Zumbrum 2016)

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