Aspects of Crisis Management to Consider when Operating Remotely : A multiple case study on how companies adjust into a remote setting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background: Crisis management has become a highly relevant topic by virtue of the COVID- 19 pandemic. As a result, organizations have been forced to implement preventive actions to mitigate its impact. One of these implementations has been the enforced advancements for companies to readjust their businesses remotely. With remote working being a rather seldomly used practice for most organizations, managers are encouraged to enact and adopt quickly for their business to continue. Purpose: This thesis aims to explore how managers of Swedish manufacturing firms handle organizational crises in a remote-working environment. Method: This research follows a qualitative research method with an abductive approach. The findings are retrieved from conducted semi-structured interviews with eight managers in two different companies, which is then connected to relevant literature. Conclusion: Findings show of great importance for managers to focus on communication with their employees. Implications of the crisis are ambiguous. Manufacturing firms in Sweden have experienced increased productivity at the expense of their employee’s well-being. Given that the future point towards increased usage of remote working, it is crucial for managers to focal their business on combining the benefits with the drawbacks and thereby successfully adjust to a digital working environment.