Daniel Seldén

This research programme examines the complex interplay among welfare-state income-maintenance alternatives, exclusion mechanisms in working life, organisational and employer adaptations to working conditions, and employees’ health and motivation. Within the programme, I investigate the conditions under which older employees can sustainably extend their working lives, including through individual adaptations and a greater understanding of age-related heterogeneity.

In addition, I have specific responsibility for the programme’s network, Senior Workforce and Skills Supply – Network for Dialogue and Collaboration between Research and Practice (SAK). The SAK network comprises researchers and representatives from public and private organisations and serves as an arena for dialogue and learning in collaboration with practitioners.

Funder: Forte
Period: 2021–2027

This project examines “working pensioners” (individuals who combine pension income with paid employment) who lease their labour to staffing agencies, focusing on conditions, working arrangements, and motivations. From a life-course perspective, we study how earlier work-related events have shaped pathways into these forms of employment, as well as experiences of working conditions, autonomy, income, and work environment.

The project contributes to a broader understanding of the societal consequences of extended working lives and changing forms of employment in the Swedish labour market. The significance of this research lies in ensuring a fair, long, and sustainable working life for both younger and older individuals, and in generating insights for the design of targeted policies that support well-being, economic stability, and occupational security for older workers in the evolving labour market landscape.

Funder: Forte
Period: 2025–2028

This research project examines how municipalities use social media to inform and engage residents in dialogue, with a focus on organisational preconditions, working conditions, and professional practices. We analyse the content that is published, how communication is shaped by the technological and normative logics of platforms, and how digital presence affects the work and work environment of municipal employees.

Through an interdisciplinary approach that combines work environment research, organisational theory, and sociolinguistics, we study how the pace, interactivity, and exposure to harsh tones on social media reshape public authority communication and professional roles. The project is based on interviews and case studies in Swedish municipalities, as well as an analysis of published content.

The project contributes knowledge on how sustainable and democratically anchored communication practices can be developed in the public sector and provides a basis for guidance that supports both citizen dialogue and a safe working environment.

Funder: Afa Försäkring
Period: 2025–2027