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Working conditions and sustainable work

Working conditions and sustainable work is one of the six main activities in Eurofound’s work programme for the 2021–2024 period. Eurofound will continue to operate as a centre of expertise for monitoring and analysing developments in this area, including how the COVID-19 crisis has been impacting on working conditions and job quality, as well as on workplace practices.

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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 Lipiec 2024
Publication
Research report

Key policy messages

The main findings emerging from Eurofound research serve as input for policymakers to address some of the key issues in this area.

  • Improving working conditions is crucial for workers and employers. Many different aspects in job quality need to be considered. Good-quality jobs enable people to have longer and better working lives, contributing to sustainable work and a positive work–life balance.
  • Working conditions in the EU are generally improving, even if the pace of progress is gradual. Progress has not been as fast for some groups of workers: it depends on the type of work contract, the sector and the level of educational attainment.
  • There are many ways to improve working conditions and job quality in the EU. Governments certainly have an important role to play in establishing the framework through regulation. But workers and employers and their organisations are also important actors. For many dimensions of job quality, the workplace is where change happens.
  • Only one-fifth of European companies have found the secret for attaining optimal workplace well-being and business performance. ‘High investment, high involvement’ workplaces have been shown to offer the best outcomes for workers and employers, boosting performance and improving job quality through increasing employee autonomy, facilitating employee involvement and promoting training and learning.
  • Many people are struggling to combine work and non-work commitments, in particular parents and other carers. While flexible working arrangements can help address these difficulties, they also bring challenges. Telework, for example, offers more freedom to choose when and where to work, but it can also lead to longer working hours at higher intensity and with greater difficulty to disconnect from work.
  • The rise in telework during the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the blurring of lines between work and private life. Many governments and social partners are discussing ‘right to disconnect’ initiatives in order to prevent large segments of workers being at risk of physical and emotional exhaustion.
  • In future, social partners should aim to include provisions for workers on the voluntary nature of telework or the suitability of specific tasks for teleworking in any legal frameworks or agreements. Clarification about how employers can contribute to expenses linked to working from home, as well as guarantees of equal pay and access to training for those working remotely, will also be critical.

2021–2024 work plan

During 2021–2024, Eurofound will provide important insights into the challenges and prospects related to working conditions and sustainable work in the EU. Building on long-established expertise in this area, Eurofound will look at trends and progress over time and identify emerging concerns around working conditions and job quality. The analysis will cover different countries, sectors, occupations and groups of workers on issues such as work organisation and teleworkingworking timework–life balanceequal treatmentworkplace health and well-beingskills and trainingearnings and prospects, and job satisfaction. Non-standard forms of employment will be a specific focus, particularly self-employment.

In light of the EU’s demographic challenge of an ageing population and the increasing diversity of working life, Eurofound will continue to explore the factors enabling more workers to stay in employment longer. It will also put the spotlight on improving job quality as an enabler of greater labour market participation and increased employee motivation, contributing to sustainable work over the life course.

The links between work and health will be investigated in close consultation with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). Eurofound aims to build on its collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) on issues around the future of work and working conditions at global level.

Addressing stakeholder priorities

Eurofound’s research aims to assist policy action to improve working conditions and job quality, while progressing towards sustainable work, helping to address the challenges facing the EU and national levels in the areas of work and employment. It focuses on identifying pressing issues and specific groups at risk and analysing selected elements.

The Agency’s work plan is aligned with the European Commission’s political guidelines over the next four years, directly feeding into a number of key policy areas aimed at creating a robust social Europe. In particular, Eurofound’s research will support policy initiatives under the European Pillar of Social Rights in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis and activities linked to, among other initiatives, the European Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, the reinforced Youth Guarantee, the Youth Employment Support package, the skills agenda, as well as innovation and job creation and the European Commission’s proposal for adequate minimum wages in the EU.

Eurofound research

Eurofound continues to monitor developments in working conditions, with a particular focus on improvements in the job quality of older workers, the challenges associated with specific types of self-employment and the longer-term structural impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In 2024, fieldwork commences for the newest edition of the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), which includes questions on working conditions and work–life outcomes relevant to the aftermath of COVID-19. The first results are planned for the end of 2024. 

Final analysis of data from the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey 2021 (EWCTS) feeds into three studies in 2024: an analysis of working conditions and work practices in the hybrid workplace; an investigation of changing working time patterns; and an examination of the job quality of older workers.

Research commences on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe, examining levels of digitalisation, digital skills, innovation and training strategies. This research assesses how workers in SMEs compare to the average in terms of working conditions, job quality, digital skills and take-up of training. 

Research in 2024 also aims to identify the most vulnerable group of workers by examining employment relationships that combine several unfavourable characteristics. The research investigates the job quality of workers in these employment relationships, their access to social protection and training, as well as ways to support the transition to more secure forms of employment. 
 

Key outputs

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Eurofound's 2024 work programme is set in the context of the upcoming European elections, war in Ukraine, renewed Middle East conflict and rising cost of living across the EU.

23 Styczeń 2024
Publication
Work programme
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The year 2022 opened with cautious optimism. Europe was emerging from two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, with NextGenerationEU setting out a plan for a recovery that builds a strong...

4 Maj 2023
Publication
Annual report

Eurofound expert(s)

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Barbara Gerstenberger is Head of the Working Life unit at Eurofound. In this role, she coordinates the research teams investigating job quality in Europe based on the European...

​Head of Unit,
Working life research unit
Publications results (569)

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

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 practices and the development of new activities and products. Climate change risks are associated with

01 July 2024

The post-pandemic recovery of Europe continued in 2023, with strong job creation despite subdued economic growth, against a background of rising geopolitical tension. Eurofound’s research over the year brought to light evidence on the key issues shaping the daily lives and work of Europeans.

02 May 2024

Ensuring greater social protection for self-employed people has been the subject of much policy debate in recent years. In 2019, the Council of the European Union adopted a recommendation on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed. Sudden reductions in income during the COVID-1

30 January 2024

This report explores EU Member States’ legislation around the right to disconnect and assesses the impact of company policies in this area on employees’ hours of connection, working time, work–life balance, health and well-being, and overall workplace satisfaction.

30 November 2023

Using data from the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey 2021 and building on a theoretical model that differentiates between job stressors and job resources, this report examines key psychosocial risks in the workplace and their impact on health.

23 November 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a diverse collection of workers ensured the functioning of our societies. In a time of crisis, they maintained access to healthcare, long-term care and other essential goods and services, including food, water, electricity, the internet and waste treatment.

10 October 2023

Termin „praca hybrydowa” upowszechnił się wraz ze wzrostem popularności telepracy podczas pandemii COVID-19, kiedy firmy i pracownicy zaczęli rozmawiać o sposobach organizacji pracy po kryzysie. Termin ten jest coraz częściej używany w odniesieniu do sytuacji, w której praca (w formie telepracy)

25 May 2023

Rok 2022 przywitaliśmy z ostrożnym optymizmem. Europa wychodziła z dwuletniej pandemii COVID-19, a program NextGenerationEU nakreślił plan odbudowy dla stworzenia silnej i zrównoważonej przyszłości. Jednak rosyjski atak na Ukrainę na początku roku diametralnie zmienił sytuację, wywołując nowe

04 May 2023

W raporcie przeanalizowano prawdopodobne i wyobrażalne scenariusze badające, w jaki sposób telepraca i praca hybrydowa w UE mogłyby się rozwinąć do 2035 r., oraz ich konsekwencje dla świata pracy. Jak przygotowani są menedżerowie i pracownicy, organizacje pracodawców i związki zawodowe oraz

28 April 2023

Online resources results (1780)

Norway: Low-paid workers fall behind

Most workers in Norway have had a substantial increase in their real wages in the past 15 years. However, a new report shows that low-paid workers – mostly found in the private service sector – have not had any rise in real wages in the last seven years and that wage inequality is growing.

Norway: Improving gender balance in management posts

While Norway has a good record on equal opportunities for women, the proportion of women in management is relatively low. A new report on the issue concludes that a gender-neutral approach rather than initiatives aimed at women only seems to be more successful in achieving gender balance.

Germany: New evidence on the scope of service contracts feeds into social partner debate

In the wake of the very heated public debate on service contracts, with unions claiming that workers on such contracts are not treated as fairly as core staff, a new study by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) outlines to what extent German companies use these contracts and presents their

United Kingdom: Government launches consultation on worker representatives on company boards

Prime Minister Theresa May first pledged to put worker representatives on the boards of UK companies in July 2016, shortly after taking office. This article outlines the evolution of the proposal, up to the launch on 29 November of the formal process of consultation on corporate governance, and

Bulgaria: CITUB analyses violations of labour rights in 2015

Trade union confederation CITUB has drawn up proposals for amendments to Bulgaria’s Labour Code based on its survey of common code violations. The survey found that almost half of all violations involve the calculation of total working time, which is often used by employers as an opportunity to hide

Finland: HR managers regard diversity as strength for workplaces

The Diversity Barometer 2016, a survey-based study by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, explores the perceptions and attitudes of human resources professionals to diversity in Finnish workplaces. It finds that the key aspects of diversity are age and age-related issues, language and

Croatia: New system of trade union training

Between July 2015 and July 2016, a new system of training for union representatives and shop stewards was introduced to modernise union training and enhance social dialogue. The EDUCA project was promoted by the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) with the support of unions from the

Sweden: Debate on whether solidarity action should be restricted

A long-running debate about solidarity in industrial action by workers supporting another group, even though their own union is not involved in the dispute, has flared up. There are fears that the turbulence of the 2016 bargaining round will be repeated in 2017 and employers are seeking stricter

Germany: Union–Amazon conflict escalates in run-up to Christmas

Since 2013, trade union ver.di has been recruiting members among employees of Amazon and has campaigned for better wages and working conditions. Amazon opposes all collective bargaining but argues that it is a socially responsible employer. A new round of stoppages by ver.di members demanding a

Norway: Strike in rail sector settled and new rules coming down the line

Industrial action that disrupted operations on Norwegian railways for five weeks in autumn 2016 was settled, with the government agreeing to reframe the national regulations for train drivers’ qualifications ahead of the planned privatisation of much of the rail network in 2017.


Blogs results (61)
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To mark annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April, Anna Gallinat, Communications Project Officer, discusses Eurofound’s most recent evidence on safety and health in the workplace.

27 Kwiecień 2018
Pay inequalities come back into focus in post-crisis Europe

The ability to make ends meet is a vital issue for many Europeans and an important priority for European policymakers. In the immediate aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis the initial focus was to mitigate and reverse job loss, particularly in the countries most affected. With employment back to p

3 Listopad 2017
Rethinking working time in Europe

The results of recent research on working time patterns in the EU constitute a strong plea for working time policies that clearly acknowledge the life course perspective. This means that working time must not only be thought and organised in daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly terms but also take i

1 Listopad 2017
The many faces of self-employment In Europe

While the Europe 2020 strategy actively promotes entrepreneurial self-employment as a means to create good jobs, policy makers at national and EU level are actively looking at better social protection for self-employed workers. Understanding this paradox requires looking beyond the ‘self-employed’ l

26 Październik 2017
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In-work poverty increased during the economic and financial crisis that hit European shores in 2008. By 2014, ten per cent of European workers were at risk of poverty, up from eight per cent in 2007. Ten per cent is a significant figure: the working poor represent a substantial group that can’t be i

13 Październik 2017
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The refugee crisis has posed significant challenges for Europe – we have not seen such a large-scale migration of people since the Second World War. The exodus from war-torn regions initially posed a humanitarian challenge for frontline countries such as Greece and Italy. However, the longer term ch

20 Czerwiec 2017
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Average unemployment rates continue to fall across Europe, employment is growing again in middle-paying jobs, offshoring is on the decline, the proportion of routine jobs is falling, and efforts to make work more sustainable have borne fruit.

6 Czerwiec 2017
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One of the common values that unites the European Union is that of equal opportunities: all citizens should have the same possibility to improve their lives and participate in the labour market regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. Ensuring equal opportunities in finding w

8 Marzec 2017
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The growth in average (nominal) pay of employees has accelerated in recent years in EU countries after a slump following the economic crisis. Similar developments show up in data on collectively agreed wages. However, higher wage growth figures do not automatically mean that all employees benefit eq

27 luty 2017
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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.

2 luty 2017

Upcoming publications results (2)

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

The European population is living longer, with a declining natural population since 2014, offset only by positive net migration. The proportion of older people, especially those over 50, is increasing. Demographic ageing, where the working-age population shrinks while the number of older individuals

March 2025
Data results (1)

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