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'Divergent work ageing' and older migrants' (un)extended working lives

Journal: Work, Employment and Society

Date: 2024

Author: Sajia Ferdous

Abstract:
This article theorises older ethnic minority women’s work attitudes and labour market behaviour from an intersectional cumulative perspective within the extended working lives contexts. Empirical evidence has been drawn from interviews with South Asian British Muslim women aged between 50 and 66 living in Greater Manchester, UK. The findings show that the cohort’s ageing process is asynchronous with the British work ageing outlook as their cultural understanding of working age, age roles and successful ageing defies the extended working lives philosophies, and cumulative factors including caring responsibilities, legacy inequalities, and health issues present additional challenges for extending their work lives. Their culture- and context-specific work ageing process remains absent in the UK’s labour market discourse and policy landscape. The article theorises their idiosyncratic work ageing including non-conformist attitudes to extending work lives by proposing a ‘divergent work ageing’ model that can guide policymakers in creating inclusive labour market policies.

Link: Google Scholar

Background and Context

Aging Population & Policy

One-quarter of the UK's population is projected to be over 65 by 2041, prompting policies to extend working lives and increase state pension age.

Focus Population

South Asian British Muslim women have the lowest employment rates in the UK at 39%, with minimal participation in extended working life initiatives.

Research Approach

Semi-structured interviews with 30 South Asian British Muslim women aged 50-66 in Greater Manchester explored their unique work aging experiences.

Cultural Age Supersedes Chronological Age for South Asian Older Women

UK Policy: Working Age (50-66) Based on Chronological Age Cultural Perspective: "Too Old to Work" Based on Family Role (Grandmother) Divergence
  • South Asian women often become grandmothers in their 40s/50s, triggering social perception of being "older".
  • Family members reinforce the notion that these women are "too old" for wage work.
  • This cultural understanding of aging conflicts with UK policy expectations of extended working lives.

Multiple Factors Drive Premature Work Aging Perceptions

Premature Work Aging Cultural Age Roles Family Perceptions Health Issues Religious Priorities
  • Being a grandmother signals transition to old age within family and community settings.
  • Lifelong health issues from young motherhood and extensive caring responsibilities impact later-life work capability.
  • Religious priorities like pilgrimage and philanthropy take precedence over extending paid work careers.

Majority of South Asian British Muslim Older Women Are Non-Employed

  • Only 20% of interviewed women were employed or self-employed despite being of working age.
  • The majority (80%) were non-employed, with 33% economically inactive and not seeking work.
  • This pattern contradicts UK extended working lives policies that aim to keep older adults employed longer.

Cultural Understanding of "Successful Aging" Differs from Western Active Aging

Western "Active Aging" Cultural "Successful Aging" Extended Working Life Economic Self-Reliance Continuous Skills Development Raising Successful Children Religious Piety & Pilgrimage Community Philanthropy
  • South Asian women prioritize family success, religious obligations, and community service in later life.
  • Financial independence and career success are not central to their definition of successful aging.
  • This cultural understanding conflicts with UK policies that emphasize extended working and economic self-sufficiency.

Factory Work Was the Most Common Previous Occupation Among Non-Employed Women

  • Factory work was the predominant previous occupation, consistent with historical textile industry concentration.
  • Caring and school-related roles were common, aligning with gendered role expectations.
  • Many women's occupational histories reflect low-skilled work with limited career progression opportunities.

Contribution and Implications

  • The study introduces the concept of "divergent work aging" to explain mismatch between cultural aging and policy expectations.
  • Extended working lives policies need to acknowledge diverse cultural understandings of age, work, and successful aging.
  • Policy focus on economic aspects of active aging overlooks the complex socio-cultural factors affecting ethnic minority women.
  • Inclusive labor market policies should consider alternative work arrangements compatible with cultural values and physical capabilities.
  • The "divergent work aging" model can guide development of more culturally sensitive approaches to aging workforce issues.

Data Sources

  • Employment Status visualization uses data from Table 1 showing employment status distribution among 30 interviewees.
  • Previous Occupations visualization uses data from Table 2 detailing non-employed women's previous work experiences.
  • Remaining visualizations synthesize qualitative findings from interviews as presented in the article text.