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Work organisation

Work organisation is about the division of labour, the coordination and control of work: how work is divided into job tasks, bundling of tasks into jobs and assignments, interdependencies between workers, and how work is coordinated and controlled to fulfil the goals of the organisation. It encompasses the tasks performed, who performs them and how they are performed in the process of making a product or providing a service. Work organisation thus refers to how work is planned, organised and managed within companies and to choices on a range of aspects such as work processes, job design, responsibilities, task allocation, work scheduling, work pace, rules and procedures, and decision-making processes. 

Topic

Recent updates

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Human–robot interaction: What changes in the workplace?

Explore our digital report summary. Understanding how workers and robots interact and the implications for work organisation and working conditions is crucial for robots’ successful integration into the workplace.

Data story
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Interaction between workers and robots is expected to increase in modern workplaces due to rapid advancements in robotic technologies. This report explores the opportunities and challenges that come with closer...

22 July 2024
Publication
Research report

Policy pointers

  • Many jobs still offer little autonomy and few challenges: in 36% of EU27 establishments, a small proportion of workers (less than one in five) can organise their work autonomously, and in 42%, a similarly small proportion are in a job requiring problem-solving.
  • Establishments offering jobs with high levels of complexity and autonomy to most of their workers score highest on both workplace well-being and establishment performance. Differences in workplace well-being are particularly pronounced.
  • Nearly half of employees (47%) working in a high-involvement organisation report a high level of work engagement, almost double the share working in a low-involvement organisation (24%). The greater scope for decision-making in high-involvement organisations is intrinsically motivating.
  • A high-involvement organisation provides more opportunity for both formal and informal skill development, but it is particularly strongly associated with informal skill development. 

Eurofound research

Eurofound research examines the different ways in which work is organised across organisations and their potential effects on productivity, efficiency and competitiveness, as well as on working conditions, worker well-being and the sustainability of work over the life course. Research finds that some types of work organisation are associated with a better quality of work and employment. These, more people-centred, forms of work organisation emphasise the value of teamwork, skills use and skills development, as well as employee involvement and autonomy. 

Data collection on work organisation

Eurofound monitors developments in work organisation and workplace practices, based on its Europe-wide surveys and on national-level data collection by the Network of Eurofound Correspondents.

Aspects of work organisation are a key element in the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), focusing in particular on those aspects of work organisation that are linked with job quality and well-being at work.

Using EWCS data, the European Restructuring Monitor has considered the effects of restructuring on work organisation outcomes such as work intensification, autonomy, access to training, formal work assessment and teamwork.

The European Company Survey (ECS) is the only EU-wide establishment survey that encompasses a wide range of questions about work organisation, skills use and skills development, human resource management, direct employee involvement and social dialogue. Eurofound collaborated with sister agency Cedefop to carry out the ECS 2019, which covers aspects of work organisation, looking at job complexity and autonomy, spanning teamwork and problem-solving, as well as at collaboration and outsourcing.

Impact of digitalisation, new forms of employment and COVID-19

Work organisation has an impact on various aspects of the quality of work and employment, such as physical risk factors, working time, intensity of work, flexibility and satisfaction with working conditions, and also affects establishment performance. Eurofound research therefore looks at changes in the different forms of work organisation, including new methods of organising work resulting from a higher use of digital solutions

For instance, Eurofound looks into the emerging new forms of employment that are transforming work organisation and work patterns. A collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) has also analysed the impact of new information and communications technologies (ICT) on work and life, examining the increasing use of telework and ICT-based mobile work and what this means for work organisation, working time, health, and well-being, as well as work–life balance. 

The COVID-19 pandemic was another important driver of changes in the way work is organised. When discussing ways of organising work after the pandemic, the focus is around hybrid forms of work organisation. Eurofound research looks at the main features of hybrid work, aiming to determine if this form of work reflects an evolution of earlier remote work and telework or a transition to a qualitatively new form of work.

Eurofound’s EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and rising inflation, and collects examples of company practices to deal with changes in work organisation. Research using the ECS 2019 and a follow-up edition of the survey that was carried out in 2020 analysed the impact of COVID-19 on workplace practices in companies. Other studies, using information collected though Eurofound’s Network of European Correspondents, documented the measures agreed in two sectors severely disrupted by the crisis – hospitals and civil aviation – such as the adaptation of work organisation to secure greater capacity.

Importance of work organisation for companies and workers

Analysis of ECS data explores the links between innovations in work organisation and the potential benefits for both employees and organisations, such as optimising production processes and improving the overall experience of work. It shows that well-functioning social dialogue and direct employee involvement can also make a valuable contribution to the implementation of innovation in the workplace, creating potential win–win arrangements for workers and their employers. 

More recent analysis of the ECS 2019 data examined the link between skills and company performance, and how workplace practices related to work organisation affect this association. This analysis showed that businesses with a culture that values employees are more likely to put workplace practices in place that ensure that employees have the appropriate skills, have the opportunities to use these skills and are motivated to do so, resulting in better establishment performance. These results make a clear business case for applying a people-centred approach to job design and work organisation. 

EU context

Work organisation is a key element underpinning economic and business development, with important consequences for productivity, innovation, working conditions and worker-well-being. Promoting certain forms of work organisation contributes to attaining the objectives set by the European Commission’s European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience launched on 1 July 2020 and its workplace innovation projects. These objectives aim to move Europe towards a more competitive knowledge-based economy, centred on a skilled workforce and innovation – not only in products and processes, but also in the organisation of work and quality of work standards, as it transitions to a digital and carbon-neutral economy. The European Commission dedicated 2023 as the European Year of Skills to support skills development and help companies to address skills shortages in the EU.

Workplace innovation and the link with how work is organised can happen in a variety of ways including changes in business structure and business models, human resources management, relationships with clients and suppliers, or in the work environment itself. Social dialogue also has an important role to play in the organisation of work aimed at fostering employee potential, as highlighted in theEU Directive on informing and consulting employees. The European Pillar of Social Rights reiterates the importance of social dialogue and involving workers in processes related to work organisation.

Key outputs

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The term ‘hybrid work’ was popularised with the upsurge of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, when companies and employees started to discuss ways of organising work after the crisis. The...

25 May 2023
Publication
Research report
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Research into the transformative potential of the digital revolution tends to take a quantitative approach in an attempt to monitor changes in employment levels due to digitalisation. The fear of...

25 October 2021
Publication
Research report

Data and resources

Related data and resources on this topic are linked below.

 

European Industrial Relations Dictionary 

Eurofound expert(s)

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Gijs van Houten is a senior research manager in the Employment unit at Eurofound. He has specific expertise in cross-national survey methodology and the analysis of workplace...

Senior research manager,
Employment research unit
Publications results (160)

Interaction between workers and robots is expected to increase in modern workplaces due to rapid advancements in robotic technologies. This report explores the opportunities and challenges that come with closer human–robot interaction.

22 July 2024

The term ‘hybrid work’ was popularised with the upsurge of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, when companies and employees started to discuss ways of organising work after the crisis. The term has been increasingly used to refer to situations in which (teleworkable) work is carried out from two

25 May 2023

The report explores plausible and imaginable scenarios examining how telework and hybrid work in the EU might have developed by 2035, and their implications for the world of work. How prepared are managers and employees, employer organisations and trade unions, and policymakers for the greater

28 April 2023

Human resources contribute to the success of an organisation though their skills. According to the ability, motivation, opportunity (AMO) model, employee contributions to organisational performance depend on their skills, their motivation to draw on their skills, and the opportunities to do so

30 March 2023

This report analyses the role of social dialogue and collective bargaining in addressing the challenges faced by the civil aviation sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social partner involvement in the measures introduced to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic varies across European

01 December 2022

This report analyses the role of social dialogue and collective bargaining in addressing the challenges created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in the hospital sector. It also explores whether existing social dialogue and collective bargaining processes at national level were adapted in

01 December 2022

This report sets out to map and analyse legislation and collective bargaining on telework in the 27 Member States and Norway. It highlights the main cross-country differences and similarities regarding telework legislation and recent changes to these regulations. It also examines the current situati

01 September 2022

Despite the well-known adverse effects of regular long working hours on workers’ health, well-being and performance, many workers in the EU continue to work beyond their normal hours. Part of this additional working time is classified as overtime. This report takes a comparative overview of how

10 March 2022

This report aims to support European businesses in navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus is on workplace practices and features that have helped establishments across the EU to develop operational resilience while keeping employees and customers safe. The report investigates

09 December 2021

Research into the transformative potential of the digital revolution tends to take a quantitative approach in an attempt to monitor changes in employment levels due to digitalisation. The fear of potential job losses and negative disruption brought about by digital technologies has permeated the pol

25 October 2021

Online resources results (250)

Human–robot interaction: What changes in the workplace?

Explore our digital report summary. Understanding how workers and robots interact and the implications for work organisation and working conditions is crucial for robots’ successful integration into the workplace.

Flexible work increases post-pandemic, but not for everyone

Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, various forms of flexible work, such as teleworking and flexitime, were in place across EU Member States. However, the pandemic led to a surge in flexible working practices with many workers wanting to focus on their work–life balance and have more time for

Platform work and employment conditions Informal meeting of EU Employment and Social Policy Ministers (EPSCO), 19 July 2018, Vienna, Austria Presentation by Juan Menéndez-Valdés, Director, Eurofound

19 July 2018

France: First company-level agreement on digital transformation signed at Orange

The new agreement signed by Orange and three trade unions contains measures designed to achieve a level-playing field for employees and to avoid ‘over-consumption’ of digital tools, a key element being respect for work–life balance with a guaranteed ‘right to switch off’.

Germany: Latest findings from DGB Good Work Index

The German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) introduced the DGB Good Work Index in 2007 as a measurement tool, based on data from an annual survey, for monitoring quality of work. This article describes the background to the DGB Good Work Index, the most recent findings and the debate around the

Estonia: Improving work opportunities for people with disabilities

Reforms to legislation passed in early 2016 aim to promote the participation of people with disabilities in the the labour market. However, a recent study shows that government ministries and other state institutions made limited progress between 2013 and 2015 in increasing employment opportunities

United Kingdom: Report identifies key levers for improving workplace productivity

Amid the extensive debate about the UK’s relatively poor productivity record, a recent report from Acas identifies seven key factors for improving workplace productivity: well-designed work; skilled managers; effective conflict management; clarity about rights and responsibilities; fairness

Italy: New rules on job tasks

The Italian government’s labour reforms continue with the adoption of the so-called ‘Jobs Act’. It introduces mobility within and between staff levels, allowing employers to assign workers different job tasks belonging to the same, or even lower, staff level for which they were hired. It has been


Blogs results (6)
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As we leave behind the lockdowns and business disruptions of COVID-19 and enter a ‘new normal’, it is time to talk about how workplaces might be transformed to drive innovation. Some may baulk at this suggestion, as we continue to grapple with the pandemic fallout, but crises have always been a crad

28 June 2021
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COVID-19 has shown that some things can hit us out of the blue. The pandemic sent a shockwave through businesses all over the world and has brought massive changes to work organisation, internal communication and day-to-day operations for many companies. Doubtless, the depth of the pandemic’s impact

21 June 2021
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The COVID-19 pandemic compelled governments to take exceptional measures to monitor and control the spread of the Coronavirus. Among them was the introduction in most EU Member States of tracking apps to gather data on citizens who have contracted the virus and to trace their contacts, a measure tha

13 January 2021
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After more than 60 years of European policy on the equal treatment of women and men, men still outnumber women in management positions by almost two to one. The women who do make it into management are more likely to be in non-supervising management roles where they manage operational responsibiliti

7 March 2019
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Manual jobs in European manufacturing are being transformed as blue-collar workers take on more intellectual tasks. This is a consequence of the increasing use of digital tools and the growing importance of quality control in production. The severe losses of middle-paying jobs in the manufacturing s

27 September 2018
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In the digital age, there are fewer routine jobs because of a higher risk of automation. But a great paradox of this age is this: workers in most types of jobs, including high-skilled ones, are reporting higher levels of routine at work. This emerges from a new study of the task content of occupatio

28 September 2016
Upcoming publications results (1)

This policy brief investigates how organisations are adapting their work organisation and practices to hybrid work. Based on case studies and on data from the European Working Conditions Survey 2024, the policy brief examines how hybrid work is being managed in organisations and profiles t

April 2025

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