Vienna Health Prize 2026: Second Place Goes to a Programme That Helps Staff Over 50 Plan Their Exit — and Keeps Them Coming In
Published on 09/26/2026 at 01:30 | Editorial boerse-global.de
A structured transition scheme for employees aged 50 and above has earned HABIT – Haus der Barmherzigkeit Inklusionsteam second place in the "Healthy in Institutions/Organisations" category of the Vienna Health Prize 2026.
The award was presented at Vienna City Hall during the Vienna Health Promotion Conference and carries prize money of 1,500 euros, according to reports dated 24 September 2026. The jury recognised the organisation's company transition management, which gives older staff systematic support.
From first conversation to final handshake
Funded by the Fonds Gesundes Österreich (FGÖ), the project targets employees from the age of 50 and follows them all the way to retirement. It has since become a permanent fixture within HABIT's regular workplace health management.
A package of preventive and advisory measures forms the core of the programme: one-to-one staff discussions, personal counselling and coaching, and occupational medical support. Participants also receive physiotherapy advice so they can tackle the physical strains of daily work head-on.
Information rounds out the offer, covering topics such as partial retirement, the pension process and individual future planning. Structured closing dialogues at the point of leaving working life bring the process to an end.
Applications from over-50s double
The concept reaches beyond the existing workforce. According to the organisation, the share of applications from people aged 50 plus doubled in the first half of 2026 compared with the first half of 2024.
Workplace initiatives built around age-sensitive conditions and maintaining employees' ability to work are gaining cross-sector importance for recruitment and retention as demographic change reshapes the labour market.
A broad care network behind the project
HABIT is part of the Haus der Barmherzigkeit group and provides a differentiated range of care services in the social sector. The organisation runs around 480 care places, spread across 13 shared apartments, one kids' shared apartment, two Garconnierenverbünde (clusters of small self-contained flats), the waberl service, five day centres and Mobile Begleitung.
HABIT's services are funded by the Fonds Soziales Wien using resources from the City of Vienna, Wiener Kinder- und Jugendhilfe and the Province of Lower Austria.
