A1 Journal article (refereed)
Confident, cautiously confident or concerned? Working life profiles, capabilities, and expectations for work-family reconciliation among young Finnish women (2022)
Alakärppä, O., Räikkönen, E., Rönkä, A., & Sevón, E. (2022). Confident, cautiously confident or concerned? Working life profiles, capabilities, and expectations for work-family reconciliation among young Finnish women. Community, Work and Family, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668803.2022.2027743
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Alakärppä, Outi; Räikkönen, Eija; Rönkä, Anna; Sevón, Eija
Journal or series: Community, Work and Family
ISSN: 1366-8803
eISSN: 1469-3615
Publication year: 2022
Publication date: 20/01/2022
Volume: Early online
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13668803.2022.2027743
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/79479
Abstract
The uncertainties and growing social inequality young adults face in the labour market call for research on the link between young women’s expectations about working life and the real options they have in seeking to combine work with care. Drawing on Sen’s capabilities approach, this study contributes to filling this gap in the literature by examining how women in emerging adulthood in Finland foresee their future career and working life, and how these expectations are associated with socioeconomic and partnership characteristics and their expectations for work-family reconciliation. Survey data obtained from 527 young women aged 18–29 were analysed using latent profile analysis. Three distinct career/working life profiles were identified: confident (43%), cautiously confident (37%) and concerned (20%). The young women in the confident profile were the most advantaged and those in the concerned profile the most disadvantaged with regard to level of education, main activity, financial situation and region. Furthermore, the concerned women foresaw their options in their future career and in combining work with care as limited. The findings underline the importance of viewing individual decision-making processes related to work-family transitions within broader institutional and societal contexts.
Keywords: working life; labour market; young people; young employees; young adults; women; expectations; experiences (knowledge); gender roles; family (phenomena); career; career development; level of education; socioeconomic status; socioeconomic factors
Free keywords: young women; expectations; working life; work-family reconciliation; capabilities
Contributing organizations
Related projects
- "Career, family – or both?" Young women, expectations of work-family reconciliation and sustainable solutions
- Alakärppä, Outi
- Alli Paasikivi Foundation
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2022
Preliminary JUFO rating: 1