Increased Labour Market Participation Research Articles

From outsider to participant: a qualitative study about attaining and retaining work among persons with mental illness

BackgroundIn Norway, the number of people on sick leave and health-related absence from work has increased over the last few years, and mental illness is one of the main contributing factors. Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and the Qualification Program (QP) are two work-oriented measures offered by Norwegian labor and welfare authorities, aimed at increasing labor market participation among people with health-related problems. The aim of this study was to explore which factors people with mental illnesses found helpful for attaining and retaining work, and their experiences with taking part in IPS and the QP.MethodsThe study had a qualitative explorative design. Eight semi-structured interviews with individuals who had attained and retained work after receiving IPS or taking part in the QP were conducted. The data were analyzed using systematic text condensation, a thematic and descriptive, cross-case analysis strategy.ResultsThe analysis revealed three main themes, each related to the contexts of work and daily life: (1) inclusion and support, (2) structure and routines, and (3) motivation and self-confidence. The participants emphasized the importance of feeling included and supported both at work and by their family and friends. Furthermore, structures and routines at work and in the participants’ daily lives kept them engaged and made them feel better, which was important for retaining work. Having the motivation to attain and retain work was essential and seemed to increase over time together with improved self-confidence as a result of being able to stay at work.ConclusionInclusion, support, structure, routines, and motivation are decisive for people with mental illnesses in changing their view of their health and increasing their independence and experiences of coping in work and everyday life. Taking part in work-oriented measures seemed to function as a “gateway” to changing behavior for the participants, both in work situations as well as more generally in life.

The principle of adequate social protection in the European Pillar of Social Rights: Assessing the instruments used to realise its potential

Improving the social security protection of atypical workers has been high on the EU agenda in recent years. With the adoption of the European Pillar of Social Rights in 2017, the EU wished to break away from a decade of austerity measures. The EU further developed the right to adequate social protection in the Pillar through the Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed. This instrument urges EU Member States to ensure adequate access to social protection for workers, regardless of their employment relationship, and the self-employed. As part of the EU's recovery strategy during and after the Covid-19 crisis, several financial instruments were developed to support EU Member States. Through the Temporary Support to Mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency, EU Member States received support for job retention schemes. The EU also adopted the Recovery Resilience Facility, which provided grants and loans. Another support instrument was the European Social Fund Plus. This article discusses those recent EU initiatives, focusing on unemployment and the protection of atypical workers and the self-employed. With the introduction of the European Employment Strategy (1997), a closer link was made at EU level between unemployment, increasing labour market participation and activation measures. Less attention was paid to ensuring adequate unemployment protection. In recent years, however, it appears that the EU has been playing an increasing role in providing funding for temporary support and in introducing changes to EU Member States’ policies.

Wege aus der Wachstumsschwäche

Abstract Germany is experiencing a significant decline in potential output. The main reason is demographic aging and, in particular, the retirement of the baby boomers. The available labour volume is also being exacerbated by low employment rates among older workers and a decline in average working hours. In order to overcome weak growth, it is key to strengthen the economy’s potential output through technological progress and the efficient allocation of resources. This article analyses the development of potential output growth, quantifies possible contributions to overcoming weak growth and concludes by outlining economic policy options. We discuss two areas that are important for strengthening potential growth: mitigating the consequences of demographic aging and increasing investment and innovation. Mitigating the aging effects requires measures to increase labour market participation and the substitution of labour with capital goods where possible. The latter helps to ensure that more workers become available in areas where substitution through automation is more difficult. Increasing investment and innovation is crucial in order to increase productivity, modernise and expand the capital stock and open up new growth areas.

Disability and labour market participation among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya.

Despite the importance of labour market participation and the high number of people with disabilities in rural Africa who rely on subsistence agriculture to survive, very few studies have documented labour market outcomes among farmers with and without disabilities in Africa. We examined how labour market participation differed by disability and other factors among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya. We use cross-sectional data collected between January and April 2022 from sorghum farmers enrolled in a trial evaluating the impact of a programme designed to improve labour market participation among sorghum farmers in rural Western Kenya. Disability and Labour market outcomes were assessed using questions from the Washington Group /ILO Labor Force Survey Disability Module the ILO Labour Force Survey module respectively. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify socio-demographic characteristics and other related factors associated with labour market participation. Among 4459 participants, disability was reported by 20.3% of women and 12.3% of men. Labour market participation was reported by 77.1% and 81.3% of women and men, respectively. Adjusting for demographic confounders, having a disability was associated with a lower likelihood of labour market participation (odds ratio 0.59, 95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.83, P = 0.001). These findings were similar in a modified model that looked at functional difficulties separately from anxiety and depression. Women, older participants, and those who were dependent on others were also more likely not to report participation in the labour market. Increased recognition and understanding of functional limitations among smallholder farmers is vital for the success of economic empowerment programmes aimed at increasing labour market participation among the most vulnerable populations.

What, for whom, and under what circumstances: Do activation policies increase youth employment in the EU?

Activation measures have assumed a prominent role within policy perspectives aimed at increasing labour market participation to support welfare sustainability. Most comparative studies on active labour market policies (ALMPs) have been conducted at the national level, although several scholars recently stressed the need to consider more carefully the territorial dimension of social policies. This article addresses this research gap by providing quantitative estimates of the territorial effect of national ALMPs provision on youth employment in European regions. We find that regional contextual traits, which can present a variety of configurations, play a significant role in moderating the effects of ALMPs. Divergent outcomes per type and level of education also highlight the complexity of the landscape for ALMPs’ design and implementation. Our analysis helps identify the institutional and contextual conditions that require evaluation when designing and implementing policies targeting young people.

Gendered familialism in a Mediterranean context: women’s labor market participation and early childhood education and care in Turkey

AbstractThis article explores the relationship between women’s labor market participation and early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Turkey within a broader Mediterranean context. Since the 1990s, there have been significant changes in the familialist models in the Mediterranean region driven by women’s increased labor market participation and the expansion of ECEC services. The transformations in the region have unveiled a significant link between the expansion of preschool education and an increase in women’s labor market participation. Turkey missed this critical juncture in the 1990s, as indicated by the low employment rates of women and below-the-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-average preschool enrolment. Through a comparative perspective that examines the slow progress in both areas in Turkey as well as the gendered feature of its familialist model, the article emphasizes the need for closer analysis of the link between ECEC and the low labor force participation of women. Given that the expansion of ECEC in the 2000s has taken place through market-driven services, the article concludes that the link between ECEC and women’s labor market participation exhibits a class dimension. Thereby, women from lower socio-economic groups are increasingly experiencing the impact of the gendered characteristics inherent in the familialist regime in Turkey.

Diversity of employment biographies and prospects of middle-aged welfare recipients

Employment re-entry opportunities decrease with age. For middle-aged welfare benefit recipients, employment obstacles connected to age exacerbate further disadvantages connected to welfare receipt. At the same time, there is considerable diversity in middle-aged welfare benefit recipients’ long-term employment trajectories, which has thus far received little attention. Policies aim to increase labour market participation at higher ages. To this end, it is important to understand specific difficulties and to be realistic when formulating goals for people with very diverse types of employment histories. Using large-scale register data, this paper’s focus is on a cohort aged 45–54 in August 2012 in Germany. Sequence analysis aids in identifying characteristics relevant to employment histories over the past 19 years, from January 1993 to July 2012. Subsequent employment outcomes over the time span September 2012 to December 2018 are investigated, differentiating between jobs of different quality, and effects of training programmes on these outcomes are analysed using entropy balancing methods. Findings are that middle-aged welfare recipients’ employment biographies are very diverse, ranging from very little employment experience, over long histories of intermittent employment, to long continuous employment histories. Employment history attributes significantly affect employment prospects. The analyses further show that it is not too late to invest in skills, independent of employment history type.

Labour market integration among young adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at working age.

Multiple Swedish nationwide registers were used to identify 8045 individuals, aged 20-29, with an incident diagnosis of ADHD 2006-2011. Labour market integration was conceptualized according to the core-peripheral model as a continuum from a strong (core) to a weak (peripheral) connection to the labour market. Sequence analyses categorized clusters of labour market integration, from 1 year before to 5 years after their ADHD diagnosis for individuals diagnosed with ADHD and a matched control group without ADHD. Multinomial logistic regression computed odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between sociodemographic factors and comorbid disorders and the identified clusters. About one-fourth of the young adults diagnosed with ADHD belonged to clusters characterized by a transition to a mainly peripheral labour market position, which was approximately four-times higher compared to controls without ADHD. Foremost, those living in small cities/villages (OR 1.9; CI 1.5-2.2), those having comorbid autism-spectrum disorder (OR 13.7; CI 6.8-27.5) or schizophrenia/psychoses (OR 7.8; CI 3.8-15.9) were associated with a transition towards a peripheral labour market position throughout the study period. Those with a high educational level (OR 0.1; CI 0.1-0.1), and men (OR 0.7; CI 0.6-0.8) were less likely to have a peripheral labour market position. Young adults diagnosed with ADHD are four-times more likely to be in the peripheral labour market position compared to those without ADHD. To increase labour market participation, special attention is warranted to those with low educational level, those living outside big cities and those with comorbid mental disorders.

The Impact of Employer Characteristics on Sustaining Employment for Workers with Reduced Capacity: Evidence from Norwegian Register Data

Both literature and public policy on work inclusion has shifted towards the demand-side, which recognises that employer engagement is crucial to increase labour market participation and sustained employment for vulnerable groups. Research shows, however, that the implemented demand-side policies have been less than effective. This opens a discussion about barriers to implementation in terms of relevant employer characteristics. By use of Norwegian register data, this article estimates the impact of employer size and extent of implemented disability policies on probability of sustaining employment for workers with reduced capacity, finding that employer size negatively impacts probability of sustaining employment. Extent of implemented disability policies positively impacts probability of sustaining employment, irrespective of employer size. I argue that systematically considering these characteristics can help identify how and where to improve the position of workers with reduced capacity and discuss the implications for public policy.

Residential Segregation and Women’s Labor Market Participation: The Case of Santiago De Chile

Women’s labor market participation in Chile ranks among the lowest in Latin America. In a country where over 90 percent of the population lives in segregated cities, where employment opportunities cluster in affluent neighborhoods, residential sorting has surprisingly been neglected as an explanatory factor. This article addresses this omission by calculating the effects of residential segregation on labor market participation among less-educated caregivers. Using an OLS fixed effects model, the study finds that segregation entails adverse spatial mismatch effects on labor market participation. No other sub-population is affected in this manner. Hence, residential segregation contributes to the consolidation of three types of inequalities. First, it reproduces gendered inequalities within less-educated households. Second, in the context of increasing labor market participation among more-educated women, residential segregation further increases inequalities between low-income and affluent households. Finally, it deepens geographical inequalities between marginalized and non-marginalized households. HIGHLIGHTS Residential segregation has excluded less-educated caregiving women from paid work. Less-educated communities reside in regions with low job density. A spatial mismatch is a gendered phenomenon insofar as mobility is gendered. Segregation does not affect men’s or more-educated women’s labor force participation. Segregation aggravates economic, geographic, and gender inequalities.

Labour market integration of disability insurance benefit applicants in Switzerland

The increased labour market participation of individuals with disabilities remains a key policy priority for European governments. This study therefore aimed to examine factors promoting the labour market integration of disability insurance benefit (DB) applicants and those entitled to integration and occupational measures in Switzerland. A novel dataset was created via linking the 2018 Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS) to administrative register data (2000-2017). Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse the associations between demographic, socioeconomic, health, and regional characteristics and economic activity in working-age DB applicants (N=9,309) and those entitled to integration and occupational measures (N=5,753). Being male, living with an employed partner, having upper secondary or tertiary education, and being able to participate in the SLFS in the language of the language region of residence were associated with higher odds of economic activity. Higher odds of economic activity were also found for those not reporting long-term health-related activity limitations or chronic morbidity and for younger age groups. Individuals residing in the Lake Geneva Region and Ticino were less likely to be economically active relative to their counterparts living in Espace Mittelland. Most importantly, the results imply that education beyond the lower secondary level as well as language proficiency are essential for the economic activity of DB applicants and those entitled to integration and occupational measures.

Explaining public support for demanding activation of the unemployed: The role of subjective risk perceptions and stereotypes about the unemployed

In recent decades, European welfare states have adopted demanding active labour market policies (ALMPs), aimed at increasing labour market participation through imposing stricter work-related obligations and benefit cuts in case of job offer rejection. This article investigates whether support for such demanding ALMPs is driven by risk perceptions of future unemployment and negative stereotypes about unemployed persons. Insights into the role of risk perceptions and stereotypes offer opportunities to gain a better understanding of the impact of structural variables. Drawing on data from the European Social Survey 2016 in 21 European countries, the analysis reveals that higher subjective risk of unemployment decreases support for these ALMPs substantially, whereas negative perceptions of the unemployed increase support. However, these factors play at the individual level only and do not explain country-level differences in support of demanding ALMPs. The notable cross-national variation in support of activation policies is found to be unrelated to economic factors and to the strictness of activation requirements for unemployment benefits.

Organisational Policies and Practices for the Inclusion of Vulnerable Workers: A Scoping Review of the Employer’s Perspective

Purpose Current models of inclusive workplaces are primarily based on the perceptions of vulnerable workers, whereas attention for employer’s perceptions is lacking. This scoping review addresses this issue by mapping the literature that covers employer’s perceptions on the application and importance of organisational policies and practices aimed at the inclusion of vulnerable workers. Methods A literature search for qualitative and quantitative research articles was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, PsychInfo, Google Scholar and Web of Science. Studies were included when (a) they reported on practices aimed at the inclusion, participation, or rehabilitation of (b) workers with disabilities, a low education or migration background, or who were long-term unemployed, and (c) were based on samples of employers or their representatives. Results The search resulted in 3,134 articles. In total, 38 articles met the inclusion criteria of this study. We identified seven types of inclusive practices to stimulate the inclusion of vulnerable workers that employers applied and/or perceived as valuable: senior management commitment, recruitment and selection, performance management and development practices, job accommodations and redesign of work, supportive culture, external collaborations with other employers, and monitoring. Conclusions Our review identified seven categories of inclusive practices that pertain to all stages of the employee journey of vulnerable workers. These categories move beyond those reported in studies based on employee samples, for instance by highlighting the importance of monitoring and collaborations with other employers. Hence, our findings stress that insight into employers’ perceptions about effective measures is crucial to increase labour market participation of vulnerable groups.

A Struggle for Framing and Interpretation: The Impact of the ‘Basic Income Experiments’ on Social Policy Reform in the Netherlands

In the period from 1st October 2017 to 31st December 2019, the Dutch government allowed several municipalities to carry out so-called ‘basic income experiments’, ‘trust’ experiments, or ‘experiments low in regulation’. These experiments focused on giving exemptions on obligations attached to social benefits, allowing people to keep extra earnings on top of their social assistance benefits, and providing more guidance in finding work. In this paper, I critically evaluate the extent to which these experiments have had an effect on social policy in the Netherlands in both the short and long run. For municipalities, the main goal of these experiments was to examine whether an approach focused on trust and intrinsic motivation would lead to increased labour market participation and higher wellbeing. The national government approved the experiments; but in its evaluation, it focused solely on the outflow to work in line with the existing workfare approach. In the short run, the effects of the experiments appeared disappointing for those with the ambition of fundamentally reforming the social security system. However, in the struggle for framing and interpretation, advocates of a different social policy approach obtained success in the long run. Although the Participation Act was not initially amended, the recent coalition agreement of the new Government does propose a change related to the outcomes of the experiment; and in recent party manifestos, there are more far-reaching proposals to change social policy in the direction of a universal basic income.

Long-Term Trends in the Gender Income Gap within Couples: West Germany, 1978–2011

Abstract Coupled women typically have lower earnings than their male partners. This gender income gap within couples has declined over time, but we lack information about the drivers behind the decline. Here, we analyze the role of increased participation in education and the labor market, as well as changes in social policies, on the decline of the gender income gap within couples in West Germany from 1978 to 2011, using Microcensus data. We show that women’s increased labor market participation and their increased transfer incomes are the major sources of the reduction in the gap. Both trends are strongly connected to family policies. We also shed light on the role of men in the overall trend. Their increased full-time premiums and educational attainment are important counter-trends that outweigh the role of increased unemployment and part-time employment levels among men in reducing the gap.

What is a Good School, and Can Parents Tell? Evidence on the Multidimensionality of School Output

Abstract To explore whether schools’ causal impacts on test scores measure their overall impact on students, we exploit plausibly exogenous school assignments and data from Trinidad and Tobago to estimate the causal impacts of individual schools on several outcomes. Schools’ impacts on high-stakes tests are weakly related to impacts on important outcomes such as arrests, dropout, teen motherhood, and formal labour market participation. To examine if parents’ school preferences are related to these causal impacts, we link them to parents’ ranked lists of schools and employ discrete-choice models to infer preferences for schools. Parents choose schools that improve high-stakes tests even conditional on peer quality and average outcomes. Parents also choose schools that reduce criminality and teen motherhood and increase labour market participation. School choices among parents of low-achieving students are relatively more strongly related to schools’ impacts on non-test-score outcomes, while the opposite is true for parents of high-achieving students. These results suggest that evaluations based solely on test scores may be misleading about the benefits of school choice (particularly for low-achieving students), and education interventions more broadly.

Modern family on the Zambian Copperbelt

The family model promoted amongst Zambian mineworkers since the colonial period was based on a male breadwinner and a female housewife. This article examines the family dynamics in a context in contemporary Zambia of growing employment precariousness, declining incomes for men and increased labour market participation for women. It shows that, though wives still publicly present their husbands as breadwinners and family heads, their role in family decision-making has increased whilst their performance of household chores has decreased, and spousal relations have improved. In a context in which men’s jobs are uncertain and incomes inadequate, men have had to sacrifice their gender stereotypes to be more supportive of and cooperate with women, for their own economic security. It draws on interviews with 50 couples, a simple survey and participant observation conducted in the towns of Mufulira and Kitwe on the Zambian Copperbelt.

Strengthening Gender Justice in a Just Transition: A Research Agenda Based on a Systematic Map of Gender in Coal Transitions

For climate change mitigation, a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels such as coal is necessary. This has far-reaching gender-specific consequences. This paper presents a systematic map of the literature that examines the impact of historical coal phase-out processes on women and their role in these processes. The search process consisted of screening over 3100 abstracts and reading 247 full-text studies. The analysis of the 73 publications ultimately included in the systematic map shows that past coal phase-outs meant both opportunities (e.g., increased labour market participation) as well as burdens for women (e.g., double burden of job and household). It becomes clear that agency within coal transitions was also gendered. For example, it was difficult for women to gain access to union structures, which led them to organise themselves into grassroots movements. Our research shows that policies aiming for a just sustainability transition should always be explicitly gender-responsive. However, the impact of sustainability transitions on women’s lives remains largely under-researched. Therefore, we propose a research agenda based on our findings containing six key issues that need to be addressed scientifically.

Ticking boxes and clocking in: A critical view of gender mainstreaming in labour-market integration

ABSTRACT Mainstreaming is a popular approach when seeking to address societal inequalities. Gender and migrant integration are mainstreamed within EU policy, both seeking to increase labour market participation as a means to redress inequality. However, there are limited references to migrant women within gender equality or integration policies at the EU level. The study dissects a subset of migrant integration projects in Sweden – a country lauded for having Europe’s best integration policy while exhibiting the poorest results. The authors used non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews to identify pitfalls such as embedded stereotyping, undervaluation of cultural motivations, gender-washing, and methodological misalignment. Their findings show that gender and integration mainstreaming within the EU systematically position migrant women as a problem, despite the significantly important role they play within global labour markets. The authors conclude that migrant women may need to be included within gender and integration policy beyond the labour market.

Strengthening Gender Justice in a Just Transition: A Research Agenda Based on a Systematic Map of Gender in Coal Transitions

For climate change mitigation a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels such as coal is necessary. This has far-reaching gender-specific consequences. This paper presents a systematic map of the literature that examines the impact of historical coal phase-out processes on women and their role in these processes. The search process consists of screening 2,816 abstracts and reading 247 full-text studies. The analysis of the 73 publications ultimately included in the systematic map shows that past coal phase-outs meant, both opportunities (e.g. increased labour market participation) as well as burdens for women (e.g. double burden of job and household). It becomes clear that agency within coal transitions was also gendered. For example, it was difficult for women to gain access to union structures, which led them to organise themselves into grassroots movements. Our research shows that policies aiming for a just sustainability transition should always be explicitly gender-responsive. However, the impact of sustainability transitions on women's lives remains largely under-researched. Therefore, we propose a research agenda based on our findings containing six key issues that need to be addressed scientifically.