Health & Ageing at Work (HAWK): A Study of Menopause in Switzerland

We will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms that produce contrasting experiences of ageing at work for women and draw a comprehensive picture of the factors that encourage/discourage workers from remaining in employment

Situation

Demographic ageing has led to a rapid rise in the proportion of middle-aged workers in the Swiss labour market. This trend is fuelled by the increasing employment rate of women aged 45+ and by later retirement ages for men and women alike. The target of extending working life (EWL) has been on the Swiss and international policy agenda for several decades. Beyond ensuring the viability of pension systems, these policies aim to mitigate labour shortages. However, research suggests that EWL objectives do not translate easily into occupational-level measures that are conducive to a healthy experience of ageing at work, particularly for women. Within this context, menopause as a symbolic marker of women’s ageing has recently appeared on the international research agenda. Demographic ageing means that more women than ever before will be in employment throughout their entire menopausal cycle, yet this ‘taboo topic’ remains under-researched, particularly in the Swiss context. Menopause is potentially related to women’s health and well-being, as well as to their employment patterns, career opportunities and exposure to discrimination in the final stages of their working lives.

Course of action

To contribute to a better understanding of women’s experiences of ageing at work, we will carry out mixed-methods organisational case studies in several hospitals and public health research institutions in Switzerland. Inspired by life-course methods, the research protocol includes: (1) ethnographic observations and interviews with out-patients attending dedicated ‘menopause clinics’ in two teaching hospitals; (2) an on-line survey of women aged 45+ working in in a wide range of occupations in four health-related institutions, located in three Swiss cantons; (3) 100 biographical (+ life-grid) interviews with women aged 45+ working in the same healthcare institutions; (4) 20 expert interviews with HR, line managers, and staff representatives in these institutions.

Result

By studying the complex interactions between gender and age discrimination, the project will contribute to a better understanding of mechanisms that produce contrasting experiences of ageing at work for women in different occupations. The stigma attached to menopause, as a physical and symbolic marker of ageing, provides original insights into the mechanisms through which individuals and institutions do gender. The project will make a significant contribution to understanding the organisational arrangements that are most conducive to retaining and/or attracting older female workers. This will help draw a comprehensive picture of the factors that encourage or discourage workers to remain in employment until or beyond legal retirement age. It will also give insights into different aspects of ‘gendered ageing’ in a critical occupational sector such as healthcare. Building on knowledge accumulated in other national contexts, the study will make a significant contribution to the understanding of women’s experience of ageing at work in Switzerland. It will identify the organisational arrangements that are most conducive to addressing part of the gender equality challenges of EWL policies. Results from the project will also help HR and occupational health services to elaborate and implement measures to support working women through the menopause transition.

Looking ahead

By exploring different interrelated aspects of gendered ageing at work through the lens of menopause as a socially and institutionally embedded experience, we will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the impact of ageing on women’s experiences at work. In order to reach the relevant policymakers and stakeholders, we will organize various events, including a practitioner roundtable bringing together HR managers, occupational health specialists, and policymakers who are interested in gender equality and ageing at work.

Contact

Prof. Dr. Isabelle Zinn

• Dozentin Tenure Track
• +41 31 848 66 10
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This project contributes to the following SDGs

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