Survey: work and women-specific health issues

This survey is about work and health, focusing on hormonal and women-specific symptoms such as those related to menstruation, pregnancy or menopause. We invite everyone who experiences this type of women-specific symptoms to take part, regardless of gender identity.

Participation is anonymous and takes about 5 minutes.

Step 1 of 5

20%

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

I identify as:(Required)

Woman

Transgender woman

Transgender man

Non-binary

I would rather not say

Other, namely…

Symptoms experienced

To what extent do you experience symptoms related to hormones, such as menstruation, pregnancy or menopause?(Required)

No symptoms at all	Few symptoms	Moderate symptoms	Many symptoms	Very many symptoms

How often do you experience these symptoms?(Required)

Daily

At least once a week or more often

At least once a month or more often

At least once every six months or more often

At least once a year or more often

How much do these symptoms affect your functioning at work?(Required)

No effect at all	Little effect	Moderate effect	A lot of effect	A great deal of effect

Where do you most notice the effect of these symptoms while at work?(Required)

Heavier physical strain (such as standing or lifting)

Pain

Less energy / more fatigue

Reduced concentration

Reduced enjoyment of work

More absence / taking sick leave

I suppress my symptoms

Other, namely:

Other, namely:(Required)

Which parts of your work are mainly affected by these symptoms? (multiple answers possible)(Required)

Moving and physical work (such as standing for long periods, bending and lifting)

Carrying out daily tasks (such as stocking shelves, warehouse work, checkout work, till of cash register work)

Keeping up with work (such as difficulty with the length of a working day, irregular shifts, work pace)

Thinking and concentrating (such as working accurately and making decisions)

Dealing with people and stress (such as difficulty helping customers, working with colleagues, coping with a busy work environment and work-related stress)

Work and the future (such as less enjoyment of work, being ill more often, worries about career progression or the future at work)

Other, namely:

Other, namely:(Required)

Openness to discussion & working climate

Do you feel comfortable with talking about women-specific and hormonal symptoms at work?(Required)

I do not feel free	I feel a little free	I sometimes feel free and sometimes not	I feel free	I feel completely free

Why do you not feel comfortable talking about your symptoms at work? (multiple answers possible)(Required)

I consider it a private matter.

I am ashamed of my symptoms.

I find it difficult to talk about this.

I feel there is a taboo on it.

I am worried my manager will not take me serious.

I am worried my colleagues will take me less serious.

I do not want to be seen as less resilient.

I do not expect that anything can be changed about my situation.

My manager does not have enough knowledge about these symptoms.

There are no arrangements or facilities within my organisation.

I do not want to put extra strain on colleagues.

Other, namely:

Other, namely:(Required)

When you do talk about your symptoms, do you feel seen and understood by your employer/manager?(Required)

Yes

Sometimes

What do you think would help to make your symptoms easier to discuss at work?

Solutions & needs

The following questions are the most important part of this survey. AVV collects these answers in order to gain insight into the situation and to work towards improvements at work.

What would help you to work better when you have symptoms? (multiple answers possible)(Required)

Flexibility at work (such as the option to sit more, take extra breaks, adjust working hours or shorten or swap a shift)

Adjustments in the workplace (such as less heavy work, a place to rest, good access to a toilet and aids such as menstrual products or a heat pad)

Understanding and support (such as more understanding from managers and colleagues)

Openness about symptoms (such as more room to discuss female-specific symptoms at work)

Clear arrangements and information (such as clear rules within the organisation and more information or education about female-specific symptoms)

I do not need any extra support.

Other, namely:

Other, namely:(Required)

Do you have any other suggestions or comments?

We invite you to tell us in as much detail as possible what you need in order to – despite your symptoms – keep enjoying your work.

How important do you think it is that this subject can be discussed openly in your workplace?(Required)

Not important at all	Not very important	Neutral	Important	Very important

Finally, a few general questions

In order to see clearly whether (female-)specific symptoms play a greater or lesser role in certain groups, we would like to ask a few more general questions.

What is your age group?(Required)

Younger than 25 years

25–34 years

35–44 years

45–54 years

Older than 55 years

What is your job role?(Required)

Sales assistant

Checkout assistant

Assistant store manager

Store manager

Warehouse employee

Order picker

Logistics employee

Customer service

Administrative employee

Marketing / E-commerce

Purchasing

Other, namely…

How many hours do you work on average per week?(Required)

Less than 16 hours

16–24 hours

24–32 hours

More than 32 hours

Optional

You can complete this questionnaire anonymously. Would you like to be kept informed about the results of this study? Then leave your name and email address here. Or keep an eye on our website: avv.nu/vrouw

Name

Email address