There are a number of key European policy agendas related to older people on which the DIAL research can shed light. This policy brief gives an overview of findings from DIAL projects in this area. Key Findings Differences between countries in retirement ages are narrowing over time. Workers are increasingly encouraged to work up to … Read more
DIAL Policy Brief No. 6 ‘Improving wellbeing among older people: What can policymakers learn from Dynamics of Inequality Across the Life-course (DIAL) research?’
Gendered retirement pathways across lifecourse regimes
This study analyses data on 1600 women and 1100 men over a 12-year period in 11 countries to assess the influence of institutional and individual factors on retirement decisions in different settings. It finds the retirement pathways of both men and women vary within and between welfare regimes and that they are not uniformly ‘gendered.’ … Read more
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Lives and Retirement Timing of Older Nurses in Ireland
This article draws on interviews with 16 female and nine male older nurses in Ireland in 2021 and asks what effect the pandemic has had on their working conditions and retirement intentions. It finds that while some responded positively to the pandemic, some experienced adverse health impacts, stress and exhaustion and many of the women … Read more
Policy agenda around social inequalities across the life-course
The policy agenda around social inequality is multifaceted and its relevance only heightened following global crises such as the Great Recession and more recently the Covid-19 pandemic. The Dynamics of Inequality Across the Life-course: structures and processes (DIAL) research programme was designed with this policy agenda in mind – and it has also responded to … Read more
Income Inequality and Mortality: A Norwegian Perspective
This paper uses Norwegian register data to examine the story behind income growth and people living longer in Norway over the last 70 years at both a municipal and individual level. It finds that the large gap in infant deaths between poorer and richer parts of the country largely closed in the late 1960s. However … Read more
European Union Extended Working Life Policies: On Pension Systems, Public Finances and Biopolitical Disciplining
This paper takes three key European Union documents on extended working lives (EWL) and looks at them from the perspective that policies are not entirely shaped by problems: in fact, problems are often shaped, in narrative terms, around policies. It concludes that the ‘problem’ which shapes much EU policy on EWL is questionable – the … Read more
Discrimination in the hiring of older jobseekers: Combining a survey experiment with a natural experiment in Switzerland
This paper looks at different explanations for why older jobseekers may struggle to find a new job if they are out of work, and concludes that this group is at a significant disadvantage when compared to younger workers with similar qualifications. The researchers tested three theories: that employers may prefer to recruit internally; that older … Read more
Country report: Sweden
The DAISIE project explores the gendered impacts of policies and practices aimed at extending working life (EWL) in five contrasting national settings (the Czech Republic, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK), using a mixed methods research design inspired by insights from life-course and gender studies. The project addresses two significant and timely issues: labour market … Read more
OECD Policy Recommendations on Extending Working Lives
This Working Paper presents an overview of the OECD’s approach to extended working life, in relation to pensions and employment policy. It briefly outlines the role of the OECD and traces the evolution of OECD policy recommendations on extended working life from 2005 onwards to 2018. It discusses how the OECD recommends policies targeted at … Read more
COUNTRY REPORT: Czech Republic
Policies aimed at extending working lives (EWL) have only been introduced in the Czech Republic over the last 15 years. This report first describes the situation of the 50+ age group in the Czech labour market. In the second part, it maps retirement, employment, pension and other relevant policies in the Czech Republic as well … Read more