Since 2018, I have been conducting research on the intersection of aging, old age, health, and the workplace. In my first postdoc at IUMSP (Lausanne University Hospital) I was collaborating in a project supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) on health promotion at work through the lens of breastfeeding (see below).
During my subsequent SNSF fellowships at Goethe University Frankfurt, University of Chicago, and Konstanz University, I examined how members from specific occupations accompany old age at work (see below).
A third strand of research now looks at older workers (45+) and aims at identifying the factors that influence a healthy experience at work, and how these factors influence employment patterns and retirement aspirations. A particular focus is put on gendered ageing and the complex production of economic inequalities in later life by studying the impact of perimenopausal symptoms on women’s labor force participation and career performance (Funding: SSP, UNIL & SNF 10.002.031).
HAWK: Health & Ageing at Work: A Study of Menopause in Switzerland (FNS project funding 10.002.031)
Co-PI’s: Nicky Le Feuvre & Isabelle Zinn
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 and to combat gender inequalities in old age. 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, but is yet a ‘taboo topic’ and remains under-researched. 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. By exploring different interrelated aspects of gendered ageing at work through the lens of menopause as a socially and institutionally embedded experience, the HAWK project will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the impact of ageing on women’s experiences at work and will reveal their diverse coping strategies.
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 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.
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.
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Health promotion in the workplace: what is the place of breastfeeding?
The significance of breastfeeding in public health has been well-documented, yet it is not widely acknowledged. This research project, in which I was a postdoctoral researcher, examined breastfeeding in the workplace from both a public health and gender equality perspective. In Switzerland, returning to work after maternity leave often results in mothers stopping breastfeeding, despite a law allowing them to continue. We investigated the experiences of mothers to better understand the social dynamics surrounding breastfeeding at work, with a particular focus on the concept of “choice.” Our findings revealed that most employers do not view breastfeeding at work as part of the workplace culture and consider it as a private matter. Additionally, the solutions proposed to support breastfeeding at work often involve women stepping away from paid work, such as taking unpaid leave or working part-time, which can create precarious situations and disproportionately affect mothers. Our research highlights that achieving equality in the workplace can only be accomplished by recognizing breastfeeding as a public health issue and implementing policies and measures that allow for better balancing of work and breastfeeding. The lack of consideration for the needs of women returning to work after childbirth highlights that many workplaces are not gender neutral (FNS project funding: 156561)
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Old Age management by members of peripheral occupations
Between 2018 and 2020, I conducted sociological research on the management of old age in institutions such as nursing homes for the elderly in Germany. My research focus was on the role of professionals from non-nursing occupations, who are often considered “peripheral” but play a crucial role in the management of old age in institutional settings. Through my study, I aimed to understand the ways in which these professionals contribute to the socially differentiated construction of old age and their role in shaping the experiences of elderly people in these institutions.
The two projects I conducted provided insight into the occupational dynamics of aging management by analyzing the various forms of interprofessional collaboration. I examined the social division of labor, the delegation of responsibilities, and the blurred boundaries between different occupational groups and volunteer workers. I aimed to gain insight into their perceptions of the value of their work, as well as their ethical perspectives on what constitutes “good” aging management. My ultimate goal was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the collective organization of aging within institutional settings, as shaped by the workers involved in the local “constellation of care.”
Description of my research on the website of the Swiss National Science Foundation: Early Postdoc.Mobility and Postdoc.Mobility.