‘I am not forced to live near the office’: sustainable hybrid work for public employees in a rural region
Context-specific knowledge on enhancing performance and well-being at work is necessary, as different contexts pose different advantages and challenges. At the same time, the hybrid work model is often investigated as a homogeneous work design, despite its varied uses and locations. For public emplo...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2025.2498217 |
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| Summary: | Context-specific knowledge on enhancing performance and well-being at work is necessary, as different contexts pose different advantages and challenges. At the same time, the hybrid work model is often investigated as a homogeneous work design, despite its varied uses and locations. For public employees in rural areas, a hybrid work model could contribute to sustainable work that supports performance and well-being. Yet, little is known about which factors this group perceives as important or necessary to achieve this. To address this gap, we recruited 70 public sector employees from a sparsely populated area in Sweden. They completed a qualitative survey about their psychosocial and organizational hybrid work environment, performance, and well-being. Our reflexive thematic analysis suggests that (i) an adequate setup and trust-based leadership, (ii) a supportive climate and reasonable demands, and (iii) work flexibility are central for this specific group. Despite diverse demographic backgrounds, participants shared similar needs, particularly regarding the importance of spatial and temporal flexibility, empowerment, and trust-based leadership. Our results contribute to the Job Demands-Resources model by qualitatively exploring perceptions of resources and demands, identifying factors that support performance and well-being when using a hybrid work model within a public organization in rural Sweden. |
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| ISSN: | 2331-1908 |