Renegotiating Work-Home Boundaries: Reconciliations of Remote Work and School During COVID-19

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18291/njwls.143181

Keywords:

Health, Working Environment & Wellbeing, Work/Life Balance

Abstract

This article contributes to understanding the radical transformation of everyday lives when parents’ remote work and children’s remote school were reconciled in homes during the early moments of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The dataset comprises an online survey (n = 92) plus interviews, online diaries, and sampled experiences from 16 Finnish remotely working parents. Identified challenges to the parents’ remote work included interruptions and fragmentation of work tasks, non-optimal work ergonomics, and rescheduling of work times. We present the strategies parents used to create new rhythms and routines, a shared space under the same roof, peace, and privacy for daily work and school, as well as managing multiple simultaneous social roles. Parents’ rich experiences provide insights into the early steps of COVID-19-catalyzed remote work. Thus, the paper offers a reference point for exploring potential development trajectories in the increasingly common hybrid work setting.

Author Biographies

Mari Karhu, University of Lapland

E-mail:mari.karhu@ulapland.fi 

Jonna Häkkilä, University of Lapland

Matilda Kalving, University of Lapland

Mari Mäkiranta, University of Lapland

Ashley Colley, University of Lapland

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2024-01-26

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Karhu, M., Häkkilä, J., Kalving, M., Mäkiranta, M., & Colley, A. (2024). Renegotiating Work-Home Boundaries: Reconciliations of Remote Work and School During COVID-19. Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies. https://doi.org/10.18291/njwls.143181

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