Productive engagement across the life course: paid work and beyond
Date
2013
Authors
Loh, Vanessa
Kendig, Hal
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Australian Social Policy Association
Abstract
An uncertain economic outlook and the certitude of an ageing population
highlight the importance of productive activity across all age groups for
Australia’s future. This paper reviews Australian and international research
on productive ageing, which has typically focused on older age groups and
specific activities, and presents national findings from Wave 10 (2010) of the
Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey on
productive activities across the life course. Both paid, tax‑generating and
unpaid, voluntary activities are examined, including paid work, volunteering,
caregiving, childcare, and domestic work. The kinds of productive activity
people engaged in varied across age groups for men and women,
highlighting the potential competition between paid work and other
activities, and the importance of health and education for engagement
across all ages. While the Government has begun leading actions to enhance
and recognise these contributions that bring economic and social benefits
both to the individual and the broader community, our research reinforces
the value of investment in human capital for productive engagement across
the lifespan inclusive of early, middle and later life.
Description
Keywords
social contributions, ageing workforce, human capital, productive activity, caregiving
Citation
Collections
Source
Australian Journal of Social Issues 48.1 (2013):111-137
Type
Journal article