Felix Schulz, who recently moved from Leeds to Lund to begin his new role at LUCSUS, is studying how workers in diverse sectors and occupational groups perceive the transition and the inherent changes to work that accompany it.
He points out that work often forms a central part of a person‘s identity, making it difficult for employees to embrace drastic career changes. For instance, efforts to reassign coal workers to healthcare roles have faced resistance, as such transitions overlook the emotional and cultural significance of their original jobs.
The research project, titled "Lost in the Transition? Unravelling Worker Identities in the Transformation Towards a Decarbonised Future" will focus on workers in Sweden, Germany, and Great Britain to identify occupations, sectors and regions where workers are most at risk of conflict during the climate transition. Felix Schulz will also analyze how institutional factors such as trade union support and socio-cultural factors such as values influence workers' perceptions of these changes.
By understanding what makes certain jobs integral to workers' identities, Felix Schulz aims to guide policymakers in developing targeted and inclusive strategies that ensure workers feel being a central part in the climate transition rather than left behind.
Read a longer article about Felix Schulz’s research in the magazine Extract (in Swedish)
