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Work-life balance
Work–life balance refers to the level of prioritisation between an individual’s work and personal life. A good work–life balance is achieved when an individual’s right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm – to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society. Enabling a better work–life balance for workers across the life course has been an EU policy goal for many years as it is central to ensuring that work is sustainable for all.
In this episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Research Manager Tina Weber about new research on the right to disconnect, the evolution of the right to disconnect...
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...
Eurofound has launched its 2024 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) aiming to interview about 50,000 workers across 35 countries. The survey covers all EU Member States and 8 additional countries...
19 February 2024
Corporate news
Eurofound research
Work–life balance continues to be a significant research topic for Eurofound, in its surveys and other studies.
Podcast
Listen to or watch a recording of our International Women's Day 2023 podcast on the work–life challenges of women and men.
Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Surveys (EQLS) provide comparisons between countries on the reconciliation of work and family life, flexible working time arrangements and the provision of quality care services. The European Company Surveys (ECS) provide data on why and how companies make use of a broad variety of working time arrangements. The European Working Conditions Surveys (EWCS) look at the organisation of working time across the EU and issues related to it including flexible arrangements, working time preferences and work–life balance.
Eurofound’s unique e-survey, Living, working and COVID-19, provides a snapshot of the impact of the changes that occurred during the pandemic on people’s lives, with the aim of helping policymakers shape the response to the crisis. Conducted in five rounds during 2020, 2021 and 2022, it allows for comparison of the challenges that arose during the different stages of living through the pandemic. A range of questions focus on people’s work situation, their level of teleworking during COVID-19, experiences of working from home and the impact on work–life balance.
The latest findings, published in July 2022 show that despite some improvement in work–life balance issues, there has been a sharp decline in family time among workers in 2022, with almost 30% reporting that their job is preventing them from spending time with their family, from a much lower 19% in 2020.
Working life and work–life balance
Eurofound gathers information on working life in the EU, looking at national and EU-level policies to promote work–life balance and investigating the role of social dialogue and collective bargaining in this area.
Research investigates the opportunities for working time flexibility and improved work–life balance related to digitisation and platform work, linked with the labour market integration of specific groups, such as those with care responsibilities or health issues.
In its research on working conditions and sustainable work, Eurofound has looked at the implications for work–life balance for parents and caregivers.
In the context of the negotiations on the work–life balance package at EU level, and at the European Commission’s request, Eurofound has produced a review of national statistics on the uptake of family-related leave by fathers over time across the EU Member States and Norway.
The fifth round of Eurofound's e-survey, fielded from 25 March to 2 May 2022, sheds light on the social and economic situation of people across Europe two years after COVID-19...
Digital technologies have made it possible for many workers to carry out their work at any time and anywhere, with consequent advantages and disadvantages. Eurofound data show that teleworkers are...
Developments in information and communication technology (ICT) have been among the key drivers of change in working life over the past two decades. Specifically, telework and ICT-based mobile work (TICTM)...
Gender inequality at work persists across Europe, despite the long standing attention paid and efforts made to tackle it. This Eurofound report presents a closer look at women’s and men’s...
Advances in ICT have opened the door to new ways of organising work. We are shifting from a regular, bureaucratic and ‘factory-based’ working time pattern towards a more flexible model...
In the context of ongoing negotiations at EU level on adopting a work–life balance package for families and caregivers, Eurofound was requested by the European Commission to provide an update...
7 February 2019
Publication
Customised report
EU context
On 17 November 2017, the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission formally proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights, which included an initiative to support work–life balance. Subsequently, in June 2019, the Council adopted a new Directive on work–life balance for parents and carers. The Directive aims to increase women's participation in the labour market and outlines a number of new or improved minimum standards for parental, paternity and carer’s leave, as well as flexible working arrangements, aiming to also increase men's take-up of these.
Jorge Cabrita is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit. He is responsible for formulating, coordinating and managing European-wide research, and promoting the...
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors (NACE 90, 91, 92 and 93). It is based mostly on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which gathers data on working conditions and
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the accommodation sector (NACE 55).1 It is based mostly on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which gathers data on working conditions and the quality of work across 34
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the other service activities sector (NACE 94 to 96). It is based mostly on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which gathers data on working conditions and the quality of work
The economic crisis has reshaped the lives of millions of European citizens. But how has it affected families with children? Children are more at risk of poverty or social exclusion than the overall population in a large majority of EU countries; hence, it is important to understand how the crisis
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the chemical industry (NACE 20 and 22). It is based mostly on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which gathers data on working conditions and the quality of work across 34
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the retail sector (NACE 47). It is based mostly on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which gathers data on working conditions and the quality of work across 34 European
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the media and communications sector. It is based mostly on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which gathers data on working conditions and the quality of work across 34
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the social work sector (NACE 88). It is based mostly on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which gathers data on working conditions and the quality of work across 34 European
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the metal industry (NACE 25 to 30). The sector includes the manufacture of fabricated metal products, computers, electronic and optical products, electrical equipment, automotive production
This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the agriculture sector (NACE 1). It is based mostly on the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which gathers data on working conditions and the quality of work across 34 European
In December 2005, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs (Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend, BMFSFJ [1]), the Allensbach Institute for Polling (Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach, IfD [2]) looked at the prevalence of family-friendly policies in enterprises. The
Employees in the Czech Republic are entitled to up to three years of parental leave [1] which must be taken before the child’s third birthday. Parents may share the leave equally, or either the father or mother can take the entire period of leave (36 months). Another option is to take a few months
Reconciling work and family life is becoming an increasingly topical issue in the financial services sector’s social agenda, particularly in light of its strategy on corporate social responsibility. In this context, two of the largest private Spanish banks, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) [1]
In Sweden, compensation during parental leave is set at 16 months, of which 13 months are compensated at 80% of the previous income and three months at a fixed rate. In total, individual arrangements over four months are given to each parent, i.e. two months for mothers and two months for fathers
A study developed between October 2000 and July 2004 analysed the results of a survey carried out among a number of Portuguese companies in the information and communication technologies (ICT) and the retail trade sectors. One of the findings of this study is that the female workers experienced more
The June 2005 Bulgarian National Working Conditions Survey (BG0509SR01 [1]) explored the issue of work-life balance in some detail, by adding four questions to the 2001 questionnaire devised by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The issue was further
Teleworking is based on the use of computers by knowledge and communication workers. A study on teleworking (available for purchase; in German) [1] focused on highly and medium qualified workers teleworking at home at least one day per week. The study is based on a combination of narrative and semi
A comparison of results of the two Working Life Barometers in the Baltic countries (1998 and 2002) reveals an improvement in working conditions in Estonia. However, significant problems remain, such as increasing stress and limited access to job-related training. This report introduces the main
The report on Working time in 2003 (2.1MB pdf file; in German) [1] by the Institut zur Erforschung sozialer Chancen (ISO) [2] updates previous survey findings. The new survey, conducted between July and October 2003, includes in its analysis characteristics of work, work organisation and strain. [1]
The report Informe España 2004 [1] (2004 Report for Spain) was published by the Fundación Encuentro [2] in May 2004. An annual publication since 1993, the report provides a series of analyses on social, economic and political issues in Spain. The 2004 report devotes a chapter to the balance of work
The jury is still out on the question whether men and women are from distinct planets. When it comes to the world of work, however, they are worlds apart.
Telework has become a permanent feature of working life in Europe. While we’ve seen the benefits of more flexible ways of working – particularly during the pandemic – the problems that arise from an increasingly connected life are also becoming clearer. Unfortunately, legislation alone may not be en
The pandemic has had differential impacts on women. Raised consciousness about them must be applied to advance gender equality in recovery measures. All crises have a strongly gendered impact and none more so than the current pandemic, across a range of indicators. While the virus itself seems to ta
The decades-long trend of a narrowing gender employment gap in Europe has halted in recent years. Now the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting low-paying service sectors with a high share of social contact, including many with a majority of female workers, risking forcing them ou
Whatever the benefits of telework – and there are many, including more flexible working time, increased productivity and less commuting – there are drawbacks, as many of the one-third of Europeans who were exclusively working from home during the pandemic will attest. Primary among these is the ‘alw
The COVID-19 health crisis prompted governments to take the unprecedented step of shutting down all workplaces, apart from those providing essential goods and services, to control the spread of the virus. Every worker who was able to do so began to work from home, initiating a social experiment of a
While women appear to be more resilient than men to COVID-19 in terms of health outcomes, that is not the case when it comes to the economic and social fallout. Measures taken by governments to control the spread of the virus are exacerbating gender divides in unemployment, domestic labour an
