At the centre, we conduct multidisciplinary research focused on work life and organisation. Our research concerns work environment, collaboration, leadership and organisation. We develop tools and methods that can contribute to the application of research. CTA is a hub where researchers and practitioners can meet, discuss, and learn more.

Working life is a major part of most people's lives. Working life research focusing on social and organisational aspects is important for creating healthy, sustainable, inclusive organisations and workplaces.

Lisa Ringblom

Our research

We conduct multidisciplinary and practice-oriented research to improve working conditions and contribute to an equal working life. The research profile focuses on organisational and social work environment issues. The link to society is strong, and the centre has the ambition to improve conditions in people's working lives. The Centre for Work Life Studies (CTA) was established by the Vice-Chancellor in the autumn of 2007 and started its research activities as a centre in January 2008.

All researchers at Malmö University who conduct working life research with a focus on the conditions and prerequisites for management and organisation as well as social relations in working life are welcome to be part of CTA.

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Current

We invite you to the 4th Malmö Work Science Meeting on 2 October 2026 – a free conference that brings together researchers and practitioners for dialogue on current challenges in working life. Registration deadline 18 September 2026.

Employees who have previously been the subject of incivility at the workplace run a greater risk of later being bullied at work. These are the findings of a study by Kristoffer Holm, a researcher at Malmö University and PhD in psychology focusing on work and organisational psychology.

Conference, 2 October

The 4th Malmö Work Science Meeting

News

Research centre to morph into inter-faculty network organisation

Working in healthcare - current research

Workload, stress and staff turnover

        Why do carers leave and how can staff turnover be reduced?

A few studies, primarily cross-sectional, indicate associations between illegitimate tasks and stress, exhaustion, and depression. This study investigates how illegitimate tasks affect the health and well-being of different groups in the workforce over time.

Threat and violence against healthcare professionals

The research study investigates the prevalence and experiences of threats and violence caused by patients or relatives in surgical wards.

Read the article about threats and violence against healthcare professionals

Researcher: Jenny Jacobsson

Elderly care

The project aims to increase the knowledge of responsible municipal politicians about the organisational and social work environment in elder care. 

More about the project to increase the knowledge about the work environment in elderly care

Researcher: Susann Porter

Research projects and publications

Anyone who conducts research within work life and evaluation studies is welcome to join the cohesive and multidisciplinary research centre CTA. Our interests include management, organization, social relations in working life as well as interactions between working life and leisure.

Find out more about our ongoing projects.

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Research programme OSSC

In 2017, the research programme OSSC was incorporated into the centre, with funding from the Swedish Council for Health Working Life and Welfare (FORTE). The programme highlights transformations and challenges in Human Service Organisations (HSOs) such as schools, social and health care providers.

The project aims to contribute to existing research with a new concept, namely organisational and social safety climate, which is inspired by the notion of psychosocial safety climate as well as new directives on organisational and social work from the Swedish Work Environment Authority. Together with the job demands-resources model, this forms the theoretical framework for the programme. OSSC provides a basis for developing further projects, as well as enabling continuity and a longitudinal approach within the research field.

Researchers active in CTA

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Problems related to the organisational and social work environment are the most common cause of work-related ill health. A research team headed by Hanne Berthelsen, Associate Professor in Organisation and Leadership, has been responsible for further developing and validating the COPSOQ measurement tool for the Swedish labour market.

Collaboration

Are you or your organisation interested in collaborating with CTA? Contact us!

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