The document discusses the challenges faced by mid-life workers, particularly women, who balance employment with caregiving responsibilities for aging family members. It highlights trends in female labor force participation among older workers in the EU and provides survey results from Finland, showing that a significant percentage of working individuals also engage in caregiving. Workplace practices, such as flexible work arrangements, are examined as potential solutions for managing these dual responsibilities.

1. Combining working and caring
at mid-life: an empty nest or
new care duties?
Kaisa Kauppinen, Research professor, FIOH
International Conference on Care and Work-Care
Reconciliation
12 – 13 August 2013 University of Leeds

2. Images of an ageing population
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 2

3. Conflicting Trends: Who cares when your
(Grand)mother gets sick?
• In the EU older workers (55+) are urged to
stay on at work for longer
• A typical informal (family) carer is a female
family member in her 50s
• Increased women’s labour force participation
at 55+
• Women with high educational levels stay (and
wish to stay) longer in labour market
• Delayed parenting, ’older mothers’
• "Sandwiched" between multiple care
demands
Sirkku Ala-Harja: Sandwich Kid
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 3

4. Female employment rate (55to 64) by selected
countries 1997 and 2010. Eurostat, 2011.
• EU 27 26,1 38,6
• Germany 28,3 50,5
• Austria 17,0 33,7
• Denmark 40,3 52,5
• Estonia (-98) 41,6 54,9
• Finland 33,3 56,9 (60,4 in 2011)
• Spain 18,0 33,2
• France 25,0 37,4
• Netherlands 19,9 42,8
• Italy 14,8 26,2
• United Kingdom 38,5 49,5
• Sweden 60,4 66,7
• U.S. 49,5 56,4 (-07)
• Japan 48,4 51,2
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 / MM / 24.10.2014 4

5. Results from the FIOH Work and Health in
Finland Survey 2012
• The FIOH Work and Health Survey is conducted every
three years. The sample is representative of the whole
working-aged population in Finland from 25 to 68 years
of age. The total sample is about 3,000 (half women,
half men)
• A question: Do you care for another person who needs
help and care because of his/her old age, disability or
other reason in addition to your working outside the
home?
• Yes: Women 31 %, men 22 %, total 28 %
– about 700 000 working people in the Finnish labour market
– corresponds to the latest figures presented by OECD
(2011)
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 5

6. A special focus on carers belonging to the
age group of 45 and 63?
• Who is the person whom you are caring for
• My own or spouse’s parent(s)
– women 78 %, men 82 %
• Other relative
– women 10 %, men 8 %
• My own or spouse’s special-needs child
– women 5 %, men 2 %
• My own spouse
– women 2 %, men 4 %
• Somebody else (a friend, neighbour)
– women 5 %, men 4 %
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 6

7. The intensity of care-giving: How often?
• Daily or weekly
– Men 40 %, Women 60 %
• 2-3 times per month
– Men 30 %, Women 25 %
• Less often
– Men 30 % Women 15 %
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 7

8. What kind of care-activities provided?
• Household work
– Men 45 %, women 66 % ++
• Shopping, chauffeuring, helping around
– men 71 %, women 71 %
• Physical care (bathing, dressing, personal hygiene)
– men 21 %, women 37 % ++
• Repair and maintenance work, gardening
– men 65 %, women 34 % +++
• Financial assistance
– men 7 %, women 7 %
• Advocacy issues and organizing health care services
– men 60 %, women 65%
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 8

9. Workplace practices to combine working
and caring (FIOH survey with carers n= 97,
67 % women) 2013
• Employee-supervisor
negotations for free time
from work (45 %)
• Flexitime (45 %)
• Working hours bank (20 %)
• Alternation leave
(sabbatical) (18 %)
• Re-arrangements of
annual leave days (15 %)
• Part-time work, shorter
work hours, working from
home, teleworking (12 %)
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos / MM / 24.10.2014 9

10. A good example: Finnish food manufacturer
Saarioinen
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos / MM / 24.10.2014 10

11. Finnish food manufacturer Saarioinen:
senior programme for people 55+
• The role of shop floor level
supervisors is central
• the retirement age has risen
• employees can more flexibly
combine their care duties
with work schedules
• "I asked some time for
recuperation from heavy care
duties with my sick mother,
and with more flexibility at
work I feel much better",
Leila Marin, 2011
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos / MM / 24.10.2014 11

12. Sensitive age management policies can be
good for your business
Thank you!
www.ttl.fi
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos / MM / 24.10.2014 12