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The ‘Older Worker’ and the ‘Ideal Worker’: A Critical Examination of Concepts and Categorisations in the Rhetoric of Extending Working Lives

In: Extended Working Life Policies

Author

Listed:
  • Clary Krekula

    (Karlstad University)

  • Sarah Vickerstaff

    (University of Kent)

Abstract

Policies supporting longer working lives have to a great extent described older peopleOlder people as the problem. In this chapter we challenge this description by looking critically at some of the assumptions underlying the extending working lifeWorking life agenda. The chapter begins with a discussion about the homogeneous representations of increased life expectancy, where we show that the neglect of growing differences in longevityLongevity takes privileged aging as the starting point. Next we discuss the use of the concept of genderGender equality equalityEquality gender to illustrate how male life courses are taken as the norm. The chapter then considers how increased individualization and the conditions that work organizations provide frames older peopleOlder people as all the same leading to widening inequalities amongst those in retirement. All taken together, extended working lifeWorking life leads to be an individualization of the risks of working lifeWorking life . Based on an analysis of the debates at the country level we further argue that the extended working lifeWorking life agenda is a top-down process and a globally spread implementation of an economically based political project.

Suggested Citation

  • Clary Krekula & Sarah Vickerstaff, 2020. "The ‘Older Worker’ and the ‘Ideal Worker’: A Critical Examination of Concepts and Categorisations in the Rhetoric of Extending Working Lives," Springer Books, in: Áine Ní Léime & Jim Ogg & Martina Rašticová & Debra Street & Clary Krekula & Monika Bédiová & Ignaci (ed.), Extended Working Life Policies, chapter 2, pages 29-45, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-030-40985-2_2
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-40985-2_2
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