Engaging women cleaners in Luxembourg: new insights into health, wellbeing and the psychosocial work environment

WISH project report published

• Socio-Economic & Environmental Health & Health Services
• Department of Precision Health

A new report from the participatory research project “WISH” presents insights into the health and working conditions of women employed in Luxembourg’s cleaning sector and explores participatory approaches to inform the design of workplace interventions.

The report from the WISH project (Engaging Women in Luxembourg’s Cleaning Sector: Co-Designing Health Solutions) has recently been published, shedding light on the working conditions, work environment and health challenges experienced by women cleaners in Luxembourg. The study was led by Dr Valerie Moran, a researcher from the Socio-Economic & Environmental Health & Health Services (CARES) research group, a joint initiative of the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) and the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER). The report was co-authored by Carole Blond-Hanten (Researcher) of the Labour Market department, LISER and Dr Maria Ruiz-Castell (Group leader, CARES) of the LIH Department of Precision Health (DoPH).

Work and employment play an important role in people’s health and wellbeing. There is growing recognition of the importance of the psychosocial work environment, encompassing work organisation, relationships, and job demands, and its impact on health and wellbeing. In Luxembourg, while the cleaning sector has expanded rapidly and plays an important role in the economy, employees have reported various issues related to their work environment and health.

To better understand these challenges and identify potential solutions, the research team adopted a participatory research approach, engaging experts through interviews and women cleaners through the “World Café” method. This collaborative format created a space for open dialogue and exchange, enabling participants to share their experiences and perspectives while collectively identifying priorities for improving the psychosocial work environment, health and well-being in the sector.

The results highlight important aspects of the psychosocial environment of women cleaners including the organisational culture, workload and work pace, work schedule, environment and equipment, interpersonal work relationships, professional identity, and career development as well as health (physical, mental, and stress) and organisational (sick leave) impacts.

This work was made possible through seed grant funding from the EXperimental and PARticipatory Research competence centre (ccEXPAR) at LISER. The project benefitted from the support of the Chambre des Salariés Luxembourg and received valuable feedback on the results from the Féderation des Entreprises de Nettoyage (FEN) and the OGBL.

By placing workers’ voices at the centre of the research process, the WISH project contributes to a deeper understanding of the psychosocial work environment, health and wellbeing of women cleaners in Luxembourg and highlights the importance of participatory approaches in developing inclusive and sustainable workplace interventions.

concludes Dr Moran.

The full report of the WISH project can be accessed here.

The related policy brief published by LISER can be accessed here.