Kristina Palm, Professor of Working Life Science

Kristina Palm is from Grödinge, 30 kilometres south of Stockholm. She is an electrical engineer, specialised in quality technology. She graduated from the Royal Institute of Technology, KTH. She is has a Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Science and is a docent at KTH. Here doctoral thesis examined work engagement. Kristina Palm came to Karlstad University in 2019, as a visiting researcher. Since 1 November 2021, she has a permanent position.

"My research is essentially about creating a sustainable working life. More specifically, it can for example be about understanding how digitalisation affects work and the working environment. Understanding how leadership can be developed to improve work, and how to create an inclusive working life."

Kristina Palm says that most researchers study something that is close to their hearts. For Karin, this has always been working life engagement.

"Over time, I have developed a strong drive. I want my research to change working life for the better, and thereby contribute to improved public health. As organisations are now transitioning to “the new normal”, there is significant interest in my research about remote work and the boundaries between working life and personal life. Both employers and employees in both private and public organisations are interested in the findings."

Working life science is a broad and, to a certain extent, interdisciplinary subject. However, Kristina Palm believes they need to be even more interdisciplinary in order to solve some of the potential problems in our future working lives, for example the effects of climate change and rapid digitalisation.

"I am very proud of having received Södertälje’s Sankta Ragnhild award when I was head of department at KTH. As head of department, I contributed to turning a negative development in the municipality into something positive, through a collaboration between the municipality and the private sector. I am also very proud of receiving an award for best HR research of the year, in 2022. I want to continue researching the same issues I currently research, but I also want to focus more on addressing the working life challenges of the future."

Kristina Palm has a big interest in ceramics, and she likes to spend her spare time doing pottery in her very own workshop at home. She also enjoys training and competing in triathlon, an interest she also shares with her husband.