Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research 2020, 21 (2): 127-130

Conference Report on the Austrian-Czech Symposium ‘Where Does Work Stop, Where Does Life Begin? – The Transformation of Work in Austria and the Czech Republic’

Julia Gruhlich, Nicole Horáková

The world of work is changing rapidly. While this may not be a new discovery, it is still of high political, economic, cultural, and social relevance. The biggest trends include globalisation, transnationalisation, the digitalisation of work, and the flexibilisation of work with new standards for employment (e.g. part-time work, teleworking, positions with changing workplaces, virtual teamwork). In modern societies, the expectation of being geographically mobile, spatially flexible, and available online at all times  is increasing. As a consequence, the formerly clear boundaries between the areas of work, family, and private life are becoming increasingly blurred. On the one hand, the ‘blurring of boundaries at work’ allows employees to design the work process more according to their individual ideas and to organise work according to their own needs. On the other hand, work and its functional principles are also penetrating the private sphere and it is increasingly challenging for employees to align their lives with economic goals. Although there are some universal trends in the world of work, it is questionable what form these developments will take in the different countries of Europe and what opportunities and risks are associated with it.

Published: January 12, 2021  Show citation