Missing workers: retaining mature age women workers to ensure future labour security

External PersonnelRachel Ong ViforJ, Siobhan Austen, Therese Jefferson, Rhonda Sharp, Gill Lewin
Research PartnersUniversity of South Australia
Project FundingAustralian Research Council
Project StatusComplete (January 2011 to December 2013)

Project Summary

This project aims to provide a detailed understanding of the factors that promote or hinder mature age women’s retention in paid work. Drawing on emerging themes in feminist economics, the project will contribute a new model of employment decision making by mature age women. It will also generate an innovative database that will allow international comparisons of the factors affecting the retention of mature age women in paid work. Women aged 45+ are a crucial component of Australia’s future labour supply. An understanding of the barriers to their retention in the workforce is necessary for the development of policy to ensure that critical community needs, such as aged care, can be met.