Invisible Workers: On Digitalisation in Home Care Work from a Gender and Technology Perspective

Abstract

This chapter is a theoretical reflection on the digitalisation of home care work from a gender and technology perspective. Increasing aging populations that contextualise the digitalisation of healthcare, and the restructuring of care from hospitals to private homes, make home care key. Nevertheless, home care remains a low-status sector, dominated by women and low wage levels, characterised by many occupational health problems, including high levels of sick leave, staff turnover, as well as perceived stress and high workload. Digitalisation has been framed as a solution to several of these problems by offering home care workers more control and increased efficiency. However, research indicates that the way digitalisation is carried out in fact increases the risk of further deteriorating work conditions and subordinating home care workers even more. We argue that while the organisation of home care and digitalisation continue to change, home care workers remain invisible, further contributing to maintaining their subordinate position on the labour market. Although research highlights that participation of users is essential for successful implementation of new technology, home care workers do not seem to be involved to any great extent. Still, they are far from passive rejectors of new technologies but rather active in redefining new solutions to fit their work environment.