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Baby boom women and work after age 65

PhD conferred in 2004.

Thesis topic:

"A longer working life for Australian women of the baby boom generation? - Women's voices and the social policy implications of an ageing female workforce".

Summary

With an increasing proportion of older people in the Australian population and increasing health and longevity, paid work after the age of 65 years may become an option or a necessity in the future. The focus of this research is on Australian women of the baby boom generation, their working futures, and the work-retirement decision. This is explored both from the viewpoint of women and from a social policy perspective. The research draws on Considine's model of public policy, futures studies, and Beck's concept of risk society.

The research comprises three studies. Using focus group research, Study 1 explored the views of Australian women of the baby boom generation on work after the age of 65 years. Study 2 aimed to explore current thinking on the research topic in Australia and overseas. Computer-mediated communication involving an Internet website and four scenarios for the year 2020 were used for this study. Study 3 consists of the analysis of quantitative data from the Healthy Retirement Project, focusing on attitudes towards retirement, retirement plans, and the preferred and expected age of retirement.

The importance of choice and a work - life balance emerged throughout the research. Women in high-status occupations were found to be more likely to be open to the option of continuing paid work beyond age 65 than women in low-status jobs. However, the women were equally likely to embrace future volunteering.

The research findings suggest that policies for an ageing female workforce should be based on the values of inclusiveness, fairness, self-determination, and social justice, and address issues of workplace flexibility, equality in the workplace, recognition for unpaid community and caring work, opportunities for life-long learning, complexity and inequities of the superannuation system, and planning for retirement. Further, providing a guaranteed minimum income for all Australians should be explored as a viable alternative to the current social security system.

Online publications about the research

A woman's work is never done - reinventing retirement
ON LINE opinion, May 2005.

We need less 'boomer bashing' and more stories of better futures for all.
ON LINE opinion, January 2004.

Tailoring the workplace is the key to keeping skilled women at work.
ON LINE opinion, August 2003.

Conference presentations about the research

A working future for Australian women of the baby boom generation? Work after age 65 - Women's perceptions and the policy implications of an ageing female workforce. PowerPoint presentation at the VCOSS Congress in Melbourne, 14 August 2003.

A longer working life for Australian women of the baby boom generation?: Women’s voices and the policy implications of an ageing female workforce. Paper presented at the Australian Social Policy Conference 9-11 July 2003, University of New South Wales, Sydney.

BabyBoomWomen@Work2020, 18th World Conference, World Futures Studies Federation, 13-16 November 2002, Kure City, Japan.

Download or view the thesis:


Part 1 (151 kb)
Table of Contents,
Summary, Chapter 1
Introduction

Part 2 (239 kb)
Chapter 2
Literature Review

Part 3 (211 kb)
Chapter 3
Study 1

Part 4 (265 kb)
Chapter 4
Study 2

Part 5 (197 kb)
Chapter 5
Study 3

Part 6 (171 kb)
Chapter 6
Discussion of
Findings from
Studies 1, 2, and 3

Part 7 (57 kb)
Chapter 7
Conclusion

Part 8 (1488 kb)
Appendices and
References

Appendix 9 (this zip file contains the BBW@W2020 website, 878 kb)


or download the full document (2.25 MB, pdf)
PhD thesis

The thesis is also available online via the Australian Digital Theses (ADT) Program, direct link here.

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