Javascript is disabled in your browser. Please, enable it for a better user experience.
Töökohtade kvaliteet
Töökohtade kvaliteet täiendab töökohtade kvantitatiivseid näitajaid, et anda hinnang tööhõivestrateegiale. Töökohtade kvaliteet on mitmemõõtmeline mõiste, milles poliitika eri tegevuskavad ja valdkonnad rõhutavad erinevaid mõõtmeid.
Eurofoundi uuringutes mõõdetakse töökohtade kvaliteeti enamasti töökoha tasandil. See hõlmab töökoha objektiivseid omadusi, mida saab vaadelda ja mis on seotud inimeste tööst tulenevate vajaduste rahuldamisega. See koosneb kõigist töö ja tööhõive omadustest, millel on tõestatud põhjuslik seos tervise ja heaoluga. Hõlmatud on töökohtade positiivsed ja negatiivsed omadused. Need näitajad kajastavad tööressursse (füüsilisi, psühholoogilisi, sotsiaalseid või organisatsioonilisi aspekte) ja töökoha vajadusi või neid mõjutavaid protsesse.
Workers will experience the effects of climate change in many ways: job insecurity, changes to their work tasks and responsibilities, and changes in their workplaces that may involve different work...
There is no one future of work for all jobs – policymakers will have their work cut out to ensure that remote and platform working, artificial intelligence and climate change...
Job quality and its improvement is an important policy concern, as quality jobs are crucial for higher labour force participation, higher well-being and increased economic performance. Job quality is also a key component in making work sustainable and enabling workers to remain motivated to remain in work for longer. It is central to the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda, the OECD’s jobs strategy and to the European Union’s quality of work policies to create more and better jobs. For workers, for the enterprises and organisations that employ them and for societies, there are benefits associated with high-quality jobs, and costs associated with poor-quality jobs.
International Labour Organization (ILO): Decent work
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): OECD Jobs Strategy
Job quality can be supported by a wide-ranging set of policies and actions at EU level, by national authorities and social partners, and within companies aimed at addressing the issues raised in the EWCS analysis of job quality indices and profiles and that support workers throughout their working lives.
By bundling practices that increase employee autonomy, facilitate employee voice and promote training and learning, businesses can boost performance while improving job quality.
Job quality can be improved by reducing excessive demands on workers and limiting their exposure to risks – and also by increasing their access to work resources that help in achieving work goals or mitigate the effects of these demands. Each dimension of job quality can also be improved through workplace practices and policies.
Workers and employers and their organisations each have a role to play in improving job quality; social dialogue is critical for devising policies in the workplace and beyond. Public authorities should regulate with the common goal of improving job quality in mind.
Being a manager is challenging for both women and men. To increase the attractiveness of managerial positions, job quality for all managers needs to be improved. Linked to this are difficulties in achieving a satisfactory work–life balance. Addressing the working time and work–life balance needs of managers increases the attractiveness of this function and also makes working as a manager more sustainable.
As some employment statuses are linked to poorer quality jobs, labour market policies aimed at addressing global economic competitiveness and combating high unemployment rates hence need to consider the potential effects for job quality.
Eurofound aims to consolidate the position of its European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) as an important tool for benchmarking job quality in the European Union and beyond, feeding into policy development in the area of quality of work. The data have been used to carry out further research on various topics linked to job quality, including job quality in different work situations, job quality of different groups in the labour market, the impact of job quality on quality of working lives and in-depth analysis of individual dimensions of job quality. The European Company Survey 2019 (ECS 2019) also looks at different dimensions of job quality for workers and employers. Recent research has also looked into job quality in a global perspective.
Eurofound’s EWCS 2015, the sixth edition of the survey, provides an in-depth account of people’s current experience of work in Europe and an overview of working lives through the lens of job quality. The survey gathered detailed data on almost every aspect of working life, from working time to relationships with colleagues to opportunities for training.
To explore what the data say about job quality, Eurofound developed seven indices representing different dimensions of job quality, based on aspects of work that have an independent influence on health and well-being. These are:
Physical environment
Work intensity
Working time quality
Social environment
Skills and discretion
Prospects
Earnings
Those jobs that scored similarly on the seven job quality indices were grouped together in five job quality profiles: High flying, Smooth running, Active manual, Under pressure, Poor quality.
The data show a diverse and heterogeneous labour market, where one in five workers has a 'poor quality' job.
Eurofound's 2021 flagship report on working conditions and sustainable work sums up research on job quality in the past five years. It highlights the relevance of job quality to address challenges in the future: pyschosocial risks at work, ICT-based mobile work, fragmentation of work and the specific challenges in the era of COVID-19.
Company survey: Workplace practices and job quality
The European Company Survey (ECS) looks at workplace practices with regard to work organisation, human resource management and direct and indirect employee participation. These workplace practices are key determinants of the job quality of employees. The ECS 2019 examines job autonomy and complexity, the prevalence of part-time work and permanent contracts, the expectations management has of employees, the motivational drivers that are in place, the training and learning opportunities that are offered to employees, as well as the channels for, and impact of, direct and indirect employee participation. Both the ECS 2013 and the ECS 2019 show that establishments that have workplace practices that ensure good job quality also do better in terms of performance and workplace well-being.
Infographic: How good company practices impact on workplace well-being and performance
Only one-fifth of European companies find secret to combining optimal workplace well-being and business performance.
‘High investment, high involvement’ workplaces have the best outcomes for workers and employers, managing to boost performance and improve job quality.
Using EWCS data, Eurofound has collaborated with the ILO on a pioneering project to provide a comparative analysis of job quality covering approximately 1.2 billion workers in Europe, Asia and the Americas. It analyses the seven dimensions of job quality, finding both important differences and similarities between countries.
How different groups fare on job quality
Eurofound’s policy brief on women in management uses EWCS data to look at the diversity of job quality in management positions, analysing whether the working conditions of managers are better than those of non-managers and whether they are similar for women and men. Analysis of gender equality at work also highlights important gaps in men’s and women’s working conditions and job quality which require specific attention.
Research on working conditions of workers of different ages examines the role of job quality and other work-related factors in workers’ decisions and ability to remain in paid employment. Other research on working time patterns for sustainable work examines from a gender and life course perspective the links between working time patterns and organisation, working time quality and work–life balance, and health and well-being.
The research on working conditions in sectors examines trends in job quality from a sectoral perspective. Findings also reveal that workplace accommodation of the needs of workers with chronic disease can impact their job quality and the sustainability of work.
Determinants of job quality: Employment status, working time patterns
Eurofound’s policy brief on employment status uses EWCS data to investigate the job quality associated with different employment statuses in the EU Member States. The research explores the working conditions of five categories of self-employed and analyses their job quality.
Other research examines the working conditions and job quality associated with ICT-based mobile work and the impact of this form of work on quality of working lives.
Research also looks at human resource management and how employee involvement in decision-making can benefit organisations, helping to improve job quality and working conditions.
Impact of job quality
Research on working conditions and workers’ health examines the interplay between job demands and job resources which support workers in greater engagement and well-being. In terms of reconciling work and life, Eurofound examines the reciprocal relations between working conditions and job quality and people’s lives outside work, and what is most important for people in terms of work–life balance.
The EWCS 2015 demonstrates the positive relationship between each job quality index and worker's experience of the quality of working life in terms of: career and employment security, developing skills and competences, maintaining and promoting health and well-being, reconciling working and non-working life, work sustainability, and meaningful and motivating work.
Labour market change and job quality
Eurofound’s European Jobs Monitor (EJM) tracks structural change in European labour markets. It describes shifts in employment at Member State and EU level, analysing changes in terms of occupation and sector and the implications for job quality.
Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Research Manager Jorge Cabrita about new research that highlights poor job quality - including high emotional demands, working at high speed and to tight deadlines...
Ranged rahvatervise piirangud, mida valitsused rakendasid 2020. aastal, et ohjeldada COVID-19 pandeemiat, muutsid järsult tööelu ja jätkasid selle kujundamist järgnenud kahe aasta jooksul. 2021. aasta märtsist novembrini peeti 36 riigis...
See juhtaruanne võtab kokku programmiperioodil 2017–2020 tehtud Eurofoundi töötingimuste uuringute peamised järeldused. Selles kaardistatakse alates 2000. aastast tehtud edusammud töötingimuste parandamisel ja vaadeldakse, kas kõik töötajad on positiivsetest muutustest võrdselt...
See aruanne põhineb Euroopa ettevõtete uuringu neljandal väljaandel, mille tegid 2019. aastal Eurofound ja Cedefop. Selles kirjeldatakse paljusid Euroopa ettevõtetes rakendatavaid tavasid ja strateegiaid, mis käsitlevad töökorraldust, personalijuhtimist, oskuste kasutamist...
Megatrends, such as digitalisation, globalisation, demographic change and climate change, are transforming the world of work, with knock-on effects for working conditions and job quality. Against this background, this report...
The number of workers living with chronic health conditions is rising in the EU. Such conditions affect people’s ability to work to varying degrees. While some are unable to continue...
15 oktoober 2019
Publication
Policy brief
Ongoing work
Eurofound aims to consolidate the position of its European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) as an important tool for benchmarking job quality in the European Union and beyond, feeding into policy development in the area of quality of work. The data have been used to carry out further research on various topics linked to job quality, including job quality in different work situations, job quality of different groups in the labour market, the impact of job quality on quality of working lives and in-depth analysis of individual dimensions of job quality. The European Company Survey 2019 (ECS 2019) also looks at different dimensions of job quality for workers and employers. Recent research has also looked into job quality in a global perspective.
Eurofound’s EWCS 2015, the sixth edition of the survey, provides an in-depth account of people’s current experience of work in Europe and an overview of working lives through the lens of job quality. The survey gathered detailed data on almost every aspect of working life, from working time to relationships with colleagues to opportunities for training.
To explore what the data say about job quality, Eurofound developed seven indices representing different dimensions of job quality, based on aspects of work that have an independent influence on health and well-being. These are:
Physical environment
Work intensity
Working time quality
Social environment
Skills and discretion
Prospects
Earnings
Those jobs that scored similarly on the seven job quality indices were grouped together in five job quality profiles: High flying, Smooth running, Active manual, Under pressure, Poor quality.
The data show a diverse and heterogeneous labour market, where one in five workers has a 'poor quality' job.
Company survey: Workplace practices and job quality
The European Company Survey (ECS) looks at workplace practices with regard to work organisation, human resource management and direct and indirect employee participation. These workplace practices are key determinants of the job quality of employees. The ECS 2019 examines job autonomy and complexity, the prevalence of part-time work and permanent contracts, the expectations management has of employees, the motivational drivers that are in place, the training and learning opportunities that are offered to employees, as well as the channels for, and impact of, direct and indirect employee participation. Both the ECS 2013 and the ECS 2019 show that establishments that have workplace practices that ensure good job quality also do better in terms of performance and workplace well-being.
See European Company Survey 2019 infographic.
Working conditions in a global perspective
Using EWCS data, Eurofound has collaborated with the ILO on a pioneering project to provide a comparative analysis of job quality covering approximately 1.2 billion workers in Europe, Asia and the Americas. It analyses the seven dimensions of job quality, finding both important differences and similarities between countries.
How different groups fare on job quality
Eurofound’s policy brief on women in management uses EWCS data to look at the diversity of job quality in management positions, analysing whether the working conditions of managers are better than those of non-managers and whether they are similar for women and men. Research on working conditions of workers of different ages examines the role of job quality and other work-related factors in workers’ decisions and ability to remain in paid employment. Other research on working time patterns for sustainable work examines from a gender and life course perspective the links between working time patterns and organisation, working time quality and work–life balance, and health and well-being.
Determinants of job quality: Employment status, working time patterns
Eurofound’s policy brief on employment status uses EWCS data to investigate the job quality associated with different employment statuses in the EU Member States. The research explores the working conditions of five categories of self-employed and analyses their job quality. Other research examines the working conditions and job quality associated with ICT-based mobile work and the impact of this form of work on quality of working lives.
Impact of job quality
Research on working conditions and workers’ health examines the interplay between job demands and job resources which support workers in greater engagement and well-being. In terms of reconciling work and life, Eurofound examines the reciprocal relations between working conditions and job quality and people’s lives outside work, and what is most important for people in terms of work–life balance.
The EWCS 2015 demonstrates the positive relationship between each job quality index and worker's experience of the quality of working life in terms of: career and employment security, developing skills and competences, maintaining and promoting health and well-being, reconciling working and non-working life, work sustainability, and meaningful and motivating work.
Labour market change and job quality
Eurofound’s European Jobs Monitor (EJM) tracks structural change in European labour markets. It describes shifts in employment at Member State and EU level, analysing changes in terms of occupation and sector and the implications for job quality.
Research continues in this topic on a variety of themes, which are outlined below with links to forthcoming titles.
Agnès Parent-Thirion is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound, tasked with the planning, development and implementation of working conditions research...
This report aimed to assess the main dimensions of work attitudes in the European Union and in a selected sample of extra-EU countries, by analysing several data sources in a comparative way. Some preliminary conclusions can be drawn. It seems that countries at different stages of industrial
Following various pan-African initiatives, a new pioneering survey was undertaken to document the current status of working conditions in selected sectors in Mozambique and to draw attention to related policy gaps. The survey was carried out based on the global version of the European Working
Following various pan-African initiatives, a new pioneering survey was undertaken to document the current status of working conditions in selected sectors in Tanzania and to draw attention to related policy gaps. The survey was carried out based on the global version of the European Working
Töötingimuste muutuste (või samaks jäämise) uurimine võib heita valgust sellele, mis edusamme on tehtud nende poliitikaeesmärkide saavutamisel. Samuti saab uurimine näidata, kuidas muudatuste mõjurid – globaliseerumine, tehnika areng, paindlikumad töökorralduse vormid, Euroopa rahvastiku vananemine
This report is based on 21 case studies in four sectors (electromechanical engineering, food manufacturing, financial services and insurance activities, and wholesale and retail) in six countries: Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Spain and Sweden. The aim of this research was to
This report seeks to investigate the contribution played by social dialogue structures in boosting the quality of work and employment. Focusing in particular on national experience in six Member States, and the situations of the construction and healthcare sectors, it provides an overview of major
Creating better jobs and working conditions are key elements of the European social model. Improving the quality of work and working conditions is, however, a new dimension within the European Employment Strategy which previously concentrated on quantitative measures such as increasing employment
This report outlines the current situation regarding work intensity, indicating a clear link between work intensity and poor working conditions, both physical and psychological. The analysis is based on findings from the fourth European Working Conditions Survey carried out in 31 countries
Post and telecoms were amongst the most changing sectors of the 1990s. Both sectors have now been privatised and opened up to competition following EU liberalisation law. The EU employed about 3.3 million post and telecoms workers in 2006. A large share of them, 83%, was working in the EU-15 and
The EU employs about 20 million health and social services workers in 2006, the majority of which live in the EU15 countries. The new member states employ 2.3 million health and social services workers. Moreover, the workforce grew much faster in the EU15 than in the new member states. Hence the
On 3 April 2001, representatives of the metalworking employers' organisation for the district of Baden Württemberg (Südwestmetall) and the IG Metall metalworkers' trade union met for a first round of negotiations over a revision of the sector's general agreement on pay grades (Lohn- und
A European Council meeting was held in Stockholm on 23–24 March 2001, bringing together heads of state and government and employment and social policy ministers to discuss economic and social questions. The requirement to hold such annual spring Councils was laid down by the Lisbon Council in March
While Ireland's much-vaunted "Celtic Tiger" economy continues to generate strong economic growth and reductions in unemployment, a number of negative aspects are evident in an increasingly frenetic economic climate. One of these is that there is increased evidence of workplace stress, particularly
The Labour government's "work-life balance campaign" was launched in March 2000 by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the education and employment secretary, David Blunkett. Its objective is to encourage employers to introduce flexible working practices to enable employees to achieve a better
Teleworking is a fast growing employment practice in the UK (TN9811201S [1]). Recent research by the Institute of Employment Studies (cited in /IRS Employment Trends/ 711, September 2000) shows that the number of people working from home in the UK for at least one day a week in their main job, using
On 22 December 2000, Belgium's central trade union and employers' organisations formally signed an intersectoral collective agreement for 2001-2. The accord provides for an indicative pay norm of an increase of 6.4% over two years (or up to 7% in well-performing sectors), as well as provisions on
Greek workers are in favour of the 35-hour working week, but not of current government industrial relations policy, while their main priorities include quality of life, job security and working conditions. Only a third are union members but the great majority are in favour of trade unions. These are
In September 2000, the Finnish social partners and government started preparations for the forthcoming bargaining round, which may take place at central level. Trade unions have made a number of "qualitative" demands, such as a cut in working time and a pay indexation clause to guarantee purchasing
The Irish social and economic context has changed considerably in recent years. In particular, while the Irish economy was burdened with mass unemployment and poor performance during the 1980s, there has since been very strong economic growth. The expansion of the economy has resulted in continual
Reform of the Italian education and training system has been high on the agenda of the government and social partners for some years. In August 2000, the reform process reached the universities with the adoption of a radical decree law, providing for changes such as the introduction of a two-tier
Motivated workers have higher levels of engagement, better health and are able to work longer. Improving motivation at work is therefore a key component in meeting the challenges of Europe’s ageing workforce and improving the EU’s long-term competitiveness on a global scale. This means that fosterin
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
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
The workings of industrial relations are constantly evolving. In this blog piece, Eurofound authors Christian Welz and Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras discuss a tool that Eurofound has developed to enable this process of change to be monitored and analysed, enabling stakeholders in Member States to asse
Dr Erika Mezger, Eurofound's Deputy Director, outlines what the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) says about working conditions among German workers and how they compare to those of the rest of Europe.
Even in the confused and contentious context of the new US President-elect as well as the EU’s post- Brexit deliberations, it is hard to argue otherwise. But, while having a job in the first place is clearly of paramount importance to people - and society at large – there is also a more sophisticate
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