2023
Research_
The Body@Work Project
Turning attention to the physical body and its dynamics at work
The Body@Work Project reimagines the future of embodied work and investigates how workplaces can make radical strides to offer a truly inclusive and supportive experience for all workers.
About the project
The Body@Work Project is a collective of University of Sydney academics who are working with industry, unions and community leaders to reimagine the future of embodied work and investigating how workplaces can make radical strides to offer a truly inclusive and supportive experience for all workers.
This means recognising the emotional labour of work while also turning our attention to the physical body at work. It also means recognising all workers across the sex and gender spectrums have reproductive health and caring obligations, not just cisgender women of childbearing age.
The Body@Work Project responds to growing research evidence that shows overlooking workers’ physical, psychological and reproductive health needs has adverse socioeconomic and demographic implications for the state, firms, employees and gender equality.
This research evidence also shows how reproductive health can affect labour force participation at any stage of the life cycle, from IVF and assisted fertility treatment to menopause.
The Body@Work Project is critically examining the responsibility of organisations and employers for workers’ health and wellbeing and potential policy responses and interventions to promote better work-life balance and gender equal labour market outcomes.
Our people
Associate Professor Elizabeth Hill (University of Sydney)
Elizabeth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Economy at the University of Sydney. Elizabeth’s research focuses on the political economy of gender, work and care in the Asia Pacific, including the implementation and impact of menstrual leave and reproductive health policies. Elizabeth is also co-convenor of the Australian Work + Family Policy Roundtable.
Email: elizabeth.hill@sydney.edu.au
Professor Marian Baird AO (University of Sydney)
Marian is a Professor of Gender and Employment Relations at the University of Sydney Business School, Head of the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies and Co-Director of the Women, Work and Leadership Research Group. Marian’s research focus is gender and employment, including collective bargaining for reproductive health policies. Marian is also a Chief Investigator on the Centre of Excellence on Population Ageing research (CEPAR).
Email: marian.baird@sydney.edu.au
Sydney Colussi (University of Sydney)
Sydney is a Research Associate in the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School. Sydney recently completed her Juris Doctor at the University of Sydney Law School and her research focuses on the relationship between reproductive health, gender equality and paid work.
Email: sydney.colussi@sydney.edu.au
Academic workshops
- The Body@Work Project Research Network Workshop: The Reproductive Body in Law, Policy and Bargaining. Co-hosted with the Women, Work and Policy Research Group (The University of Sydney, 7 November 2022)
- Menstrual and Menopause Research Project Workshop (The University of Sydney, Women and Work Research Group, 28 May 2021)
Conferences
- Baird, M. (2021) 'To produce or reproduce - Is that the question for women?' The Social Future of Australia: ASSA 50th Anniversary Symposium
The Body in the Workplace series
- April 2022 newsletter (PDF, 142KB)
- May 2021 newsletter (PDF, 117kb)
- October 2020 newsletter (PDF, 64kb)
- Special Report – Menstrual and Menopause Research Project Workshop (PDF, 121kb)
- Special Report - Body@Work Project Research Network Workshop 2022: The Reproductive Body in Law, Policy and Bargaining (PDF, 135KB)
Publications
- Colussi, S., Hill, E. and Baird, M. (2023). Engendering the right to work in international law: Recognising menstruation and menopause in paid work. University of Oxford Human Rights Hub Journal 5: 1-40
- Colussi, S., Hill, E. and Baird, M. (2024). 'Reproductive policies: An expanding approach to work and care' in M. Baird, E. Hill and S. Colussi (eds) At a Turning Point: Work, Care and Family Policies in Australia (Sydney University Press, forthcoming 2024)
- Armour, M., Barrington, D., Connolly, H., Goldblatt, B., Hill, E., Howe, D., Johnson, M., King, M., Lansbury, N., Nash, M., et al (2023). Menstrual Justice: A Human Rights Vision for Australia.
- Colussi, S., Hill, E., Baird, M. (2023). A bloody controversy: Menstrual leave in Indonesia. SAGE Business Cases. United Kingdom: Sage Publications Ltd.
- Baird, M., Hill, E. and Colussi, S. (2021) ‘Mapping Menstrual Leave Legislation and Policy Historically and Globally: A Labor Entitlement to Reinforce, Remedy or Revolutionize Gender Equality at Work?’ Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal, 42(1) pp. 187–225.