Health & Ageing at Work (HAWK): A Study of Menopause in Switzerland
The project aims to contribute to a better understanding of gender-specific ageing in the workplace, based on the example of (peri)menopause.
Factsheet
- Schools involved Business School
- Institute(s) Institute for New Work
- Research unit(s) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Strategic thematic field Thematic field "Caring Society"
- Funding organisation SNSF
- Duration (planned) 01.04.2025 - 31.03.2028
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Head of project
Prof. Dr. Isabelle Zinn
Prof. Dr. Nicky Le Feuvre - Project staff Dr. Nathalie Neeser
- Keywords Menopause, inequalities, gender, health, ageing, labor market
Situation
Demographic change has led to a rapid increase in the number of middle-aged workers in the Swiss labour market. Women aged 45 and over are increasingly becoming an active part of the workforce. At the same time, the goal of extending working life has been on the political agenda in Switzerland and internationally for several decades. One of the objectives is to alleviate the existing labour shortage. However, research shows that it is not easy to translate this goal into measures that promote healthy ageing in the workplace, especially for women. In this context, menopause is an essential example of gender-specific ageing, as more women than ever before are working throughout their menopausal cycle. Nevertheless, the topic remains taboo, even though menopause is directly related to women's health and well-being, their employment patterns and their career opportunities.
Course of action
The aim of the project is to contribute to a better understanding of women's experiences during (peri)menopause in the context of the workplace. To this end, we use a variety of methodological approaches and the project comprises the following four parts: (1) ethnographic observations and interviews with patients at menopause clinics; (2) an online survey of women aged 45 and over who work in a variety of professions in several Swiss hospitals; (3) biographical interviews with women aged 45 and over who work in the same hospitals; and (4) expert interviews with HR managers, department heads and staff representatives.
Result
The study of (peri)menopause in the workplace will enable us to gain insights into complex interactions between gender and age discrimination and thus better understand gender-specific ageing. The stigma associated with (peri)menopause will also provide us with insights into how individuals and institutions construct gender and gender-specific ageing. The project aims to make a fundamental contribution to understanding and improving organisational conditions that enable employees to remain in the workforce until the legal retirement age or beyond. Building on knowledge gathered in other national contexts, the study will contribute to understanding the experiences of older women in the context of the Swiss labour market.
Looking ahead
By researching gender-specific ageing in the workplace using the example of (peri)menopause, we will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of ageing women in the workplace. In order to reach the relevant policy makers and stakeholders, we will, among other activities, organise a conference bringing together human resources managers, occupational health professionals and policy makers interested in gender equality and ageing in the workplace.
