Organisational Anomie: A Qualitative Study on Homecare Workers' Experiences of Work and Organisational Normative Structure

ABSTRACT

The organisational environment and work design dramatically influence employees' performance, wellbeing and identity. However, little is known about how organisational normative structure – that is, the set of general values and shared norms that regulate individuals' behaviours in a community or an organisation – influences employees experiences and wellbeing. We apply the concept of anomie to explore how Norwegian homecare workers (HCWs) experience their working environment, the normative structure of their organisation and its influence on their performance, wellbeing and identity. We examine organisational anomie in terms of perceptions of a discrepancy between job demands, various expectations and job resources as well as a discrepancy between one's normative ideals of care and the organisational work design to fulfil the caring duties and obligations. We conducted a qualitative interview study, recruiting 10 HCWs in Norway. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we developed the following five major themes to describe HCWs' understanding of their working environment and its influence: (1) The only sure thing is that anything can happen, (2) Multiple affordances of home as a context for care, (3) Conflict between normative beliefs and the organisational working environment, (4) Time pressure affects presence and (5) Did I do a good enough job? We discuss these themes with regard to their practical implications for the homecare institution and the theoretical implications for extending anomie theories to the organisational context.