The Implications of Being an Ambitious Worker : A qualitative case study on the entreployee in contemporary society

Abstract: Recent changes in work arrangements for employees has given rise to the emergence of a new labour form in contemporary society, namely the entreployee. In contrast to traditional work, entreployees are given more flexibility and responsibility to manage their work, while at the same time are expected to extend their usefulness to the organisation. Although enhanced flexibility and autonomy at work appear alluring, it is argued by scholars that this freedom is multifaceted. Prior research holds that employees procure a mentality where the organisational imperatives become a source for personal fulfilment. In turn, employees are sacrificing personal spaces to work in comfortability which eventually raises concerns in regards to their mental health. Presently, the conceptual development of the entreployee has gained prominence. However, there is a limited amount of research that substantiates the assumptions from the individuals own stated claims. Thus, the purpose of this study aims to investigate the implications of being an entreployee in contemporary organisations. The study applied a qualitative methodology approach and a case study was conducted within a company in the IT sector. The data collection methods consisted of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with 14 participants, and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings in the study shows that the participants in the organisation believes that a sense of community is critical for the wellbeing of the employees. Interestingly, the findings also indicates that the participants obtain a strong work ethic to perform, composed by the expectations and sentiments related to work. However, the most significant finding in this study revealed that health concerns are not acknowledged in a versatile mode of work. Consequently, self-organised work and a high pressure to perform have substantial impacts on their perception of other colleagues and work. Finally, the study demonstrates a relationship between the separate research fields of talent management, identity regulation and the entreployee to suggest additional research on this matter.