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Time and Employee Control in the Temporalities of Boundaryless Work

Time and Employee Control in the Temporalities of Boundaryless Work. Henrik Lund, Roskilde University, DK. Social acceleration. Time sociologists say: The modern life make us poor on time – Time has become the main enemy of freedom The ‘TiGa’ perspective:

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Time and Employee Control in the Temporalities of Boundaryless Work

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  1. Time and Employee Control in the Temporalities of Boundaryless Work Henrik Lund, Roskilde University, DK NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  2. Social acceleration Time sociologists say: • The modern life make us poor on time – Time has become the main enemy of freedom The ‘TiGa’ perspective: • Contemporary work life is the starting point of the modern societies acceleration – Scarcity of time has become the main enemy of employee control

  3. Point of departure • We need to focus on the quality of time, rhythms created and eroded by the temporality of modern work if we are to understand the linkage between time, control and quality of work life NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  4. New conceptualisation of time in work • Linier time and cyclic time • Conflicting temporal order • Instantaneous time • Unpredictability • Fragmentation • Stacking • Lack of time spaces • Juggling with time • Negotiating time • Flow • Rhythm NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  5. Central references • Csikszentmihalyi, M. et al. (1990): Flow… • Eriksen, T. B. (1999): Tidens historie…. • Hassard, J. (1996): Image of Time in Work…. • Nowotny, H. (1994). Time. The modern and postmodern experience…. • Perlow, L. (1999):The time famine: Toward a sociology of work time…. • Rosa, H. & W. E. Scheuerman (2008). High-speed society… • Hylland Eriksen, T. ([2001] 2007). Øyeblikkets tyranny… • Lefebvre, H. (2004): Rhythmanalyses. Space, Time and Everyday Life…. • Orlikowski, W.J. (2002). It’s about time…. • Ylijoki, O. & Mätylä, H. (2003): Conflicting Time Perspectives in Academic Work…. • Westenholz, A. (2006) Identity, times and work….

  6. Worker control • Is control in contemporary working life increasing or declining? NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  7. New and old work • Traditional work: Taylorism and bureaucracy as the enemy of employee control • Boundaryless work: Time as additional enemy of employee control • Huge difference between ‘having control’ and ‘being in control’ • Involvement and autonomy can be combined with bureaucratic control NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  8. Time, control and work strain In traditional work, time is subject of managerial control, and the crux of labour conflicts, Key concepts: • the length of working time, • the placement on the work day (working odd hours) • the breaks Work is regulated by concepts on normal time, overtime, holidays etc. NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  9. Boundaryless work • Self-management • Task-oriented work, internalization of control, out-put control • Boundaries of time and space are blurred • virtualization of work; work can be carried out all around the clock • Individualization • Organizational hierarchies blurred, roles defined and redefined by customers or users NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  10. The time - stress paradox • Although we as individuals have more control over working time, e.g. Self chosen hours stress, symptoms are prevalent. • Traditional regulation of working time does not apply in work characterized by boundarylessness NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  11. Our questions • How to conceptualize time and control in boundaryless work? • What is the relation between new temporal orders, control and strain? • Which new strategies for ’re-regulation’ of time are needed? NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  12. The school: Baseline findings Characteristics of work: • Many task without any demarcation (the skilled and socially well-functioning and democratic child) • Team organization • Project and problem orientated learning - Communication with peers, management, pupils, authorities NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  13. Findings related to time • The number of interpersonal relations explode • All natural gaps are filled with ad hoc planning and coordination • Time is fragmented by interruptions • The teachers are constantly ready to react on new impulses and information • Are expected to find new and innovative teaching methods NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  14. Findings related to time (2) • The teachers are constantly juggling with time and negotiating time with peers, family and management • Unpredictability (e.g. absence) and uneven rhythms create long working days • Many and long meetings challenge the theaters experience of meaning in work NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  15. Conclusions • The teachers have control in work but do not feel like being in control with their overall work situation • They lose control because there is never enough time and the temporalities are without (natural) rhythms • Control is gained and lost collectively NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  16. What is to be done? (Re)creation of temporal rhythms: • Collective obligations to create rhythms in work practice – A time for every purpose • Pauses that support rhythms between effort and regeneration • Demarcation of fast time too ensure time for immersion • Create rhythms between work and leisure NWLC Helsingør April 2012

  17. Intervention Focus on: 1. Lack of control Or 2. Lack of time and unhealthy temporalities - Resonance NWLC Helsingør April 2012

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