Inclusive working life

In the Inclusive Working Life (INKA) research programme, researchers are working to identify barriers and facilitators for how a working life can be designed that promotes equality and better health for all workers.

Inequalities in labour market access and occupational health are evident in in the working population in Sweden and globally based on gender, country of birth and health status. Differences in life conditions can lead to challenges for workers in entering the working life, remaining at work throughout their working years, and/or in returning to work after an absence and to experience a health-promoting working life.

Within the INKA research program, researchers the University of Gävle's three faculties work in interdisciplinary teams together with companies, organizations, and researchers from other universities to address the complex question of how to use work and work organization as a platform to minimize inequality and promote better health for employees. Through collaboration, INKA tackles actual working life challenges that organizations, employees and people outside the working life experience.

The INKA program addresses societal challenges linked the UN's Agenda 2030 Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

Global goal 3
Global goal 5
Global goal 8
Global goal 10

Opportunities for collaboration

Are you an organization experiencing challenges in creating an inclusive and health-promoting work environment for your employees? Contact us about opportunities for developing new research projects and partnerships towards creating a more inclusive and health-promoting working life.

Research projects

Research projects within the INKA program fall within three areas: Access to Working Life, Remaining at Work and Returning to Work.

Access to Working Life

These research projects focus on overcoming challenges in labour market access for vulnerable groups including, immigrants and people with long-term ill-health issues.

Project name:
What facilitates inclusion in working life for nurses with education from countries outside the EU?

Aim:
To examine what is facilitating for nurses educated in countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland to have an inclusive and healthy working life in Sweden.

Collaborating partners:
The Swedish Board of Health and Welfare

Project coordinator:
Denice Högstedt, RN, PhD-student & Maria Engström (Main supervisor), RN, PhD, Professor at the University of Gävle

Other research team members:
Elisabet Eriksson, RN, PhD, Senior Lecturer at the University of Gävle, Inger Jansson, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor at University of Gothenburg Doctoral students: Denice Högstedt

Funding:
University of Gävle

Time period:
On-going, started in 2019

Remaining at Work

These research projects focus on physical, psychosocial and organizational factors that contribute health promoting work such that all employees have an equal chance at remaining at work throughout their entire working life.

Project name:
Intended Retirement Timing – a study of older workers in long-term elder care

Aim:
To study older workers’ intended retirement timing, and its association with health, family- and work-related factors.

Project coordinator:
Peter Öberg

Other research team members:
Peter Öberg, Gunnar Bergström, Pia Tham Doctoral students: Carolina Nordlinder

Funding:
University of Gävle

Time period:
2019-

Returning to work

These research projects focus on the path back to work after having an exit from the labour market, taking into account individual characteristics and organizational aspects.

Project name:
Can-Work-S: Supporting cancer survivors’ working life and health

Aim:
To identify cancer-related health- and labour market consequences and to support cancer survivors to work, better health and a health-promoting working life.

Project coordinator:
Anna Efverman

Doctoral students:
Kristina Tödt, Linda Eklund, Jessica Nordlander

Funding:
Forte, Cancerforskningsfonden i Norrland, Bröstcancerfonden, Benny Frengens forskningsfond, Centrum för Klinisk Forskning (CKF) Dalarna, CKF Region Gävleborg, Cancerstiftelsen i Kronoberg, Ester Åsberg Lindbergs stiftelse

Time period:
2021 - ongoing

Current Funding Sources

Logo FORTE
Logga AFA
Logga Region Gävleborg
Logga Region Dalarna
Logga Försäkringskassan
Logga Samordningsförbundet

Programledare

Anna Efverman, profilbild

Anna Efverman

Associate professor in Healthcare Science, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies.

Please contact Anna Efverman if you have any questions about the research programme or read more about her research and see her publications in the research presentation.

Jennie Jackson, profilbild

Jennie Jackson

Assistant Professor, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies.

Please contact Jennie Jackson if you have any questions about the research programme or read more about her research and see her publications in the researcher presentation.

This page was last updated 2024-05-13