Decolonising Work-Life Intersectionality Experiences at Workplaces

This chapter critically examines the intersections of work and life through the lens of decolonial theory, highlighting how Eurocentric norms, colonial legacies, and neoliberal capitalism continue to shape organisational practices and workers’ lived experiences. It argues that the dominant “ideal worker” archetype, which is white, male, unencumbered by care responsibilities, and oriented towards capitalist productivity, remains embedded in management discourse and workplace policies, thereby marginalising women, racialised minorities, Indigenous peoples, migrant healthcare workers, and platform-based labourers. Drawing on scholarship across critical race studies, feminist theory, and Indigenous epistemologies, the chapter demonstrates that work–life intersectionality is not a neutral pursuit of balance, but a contested terrain structured by historical and contemporary inequalities. Through case illustrations from academia, healthcare, Indigenous labour practices, and the gig economy, the analysis reveals how colonial hierarchies persist in defining professionalism, meaningful work, and organisational justice. It further explores how subaltern and Indigenous perspectives challenge Eurocentric notions of productivity by valuing relational, communal, and culturally embedded forms of work. The chapter concludes by proposing decolonisation strategies, including intersectional policy audits, recognition of cultural and care labour, algorithmic accountability, and migration justice that move beyond symbolic inclusion. In doing so, it underscores the transformative potential of decolonisation for building equitable, plural, and meaningful work–life experiences across diverse contexts.