Quality of Work and Employment Quality of Work and Employment in Europe: in Europe:

first findings from the European first findings from the European Working Conditions Survey Working Conditions Survey

Agnès Parent- Thirion

surveys and trends unit

A few pointers on quality of workA few pointers on quality of work

• Quality of work, decent work, quality of work and employment, quality of employment Different framework Multidimensional

• Capture the ‘world of work’ for all employees Taking into consideration :

different sectors / public/private / different jobs / gender / different job status / self-employed and employees

• The context matters: legislation, labour market, employment policies, social protection and social provisions,…

• Context: Sustainability, ageing workforce, lifecourse, crisis…

Enriching knowledge through a multidisciplinary approach Enriching knowledge through a multidisciplinary approach over time: from health and safety to quality of working lifeover time: from health and safety to quality of working life

Well-being at workMultidisciplinaryHealth promotion

Multifactorial Health and well-beingMonofactorial Work ability Quality of work life

Demand of Risk and risk factor orientated Health promotion Health enterpriseprofessional Corrective and control Preventive service Productivitycompetence Curative and protective Adaptive Sustainability

Towards psychosocial Social cohesionComprehensive

Need for Increasing Interdisciplinarity

1850 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Schulte P, Vainio H. Well-being at work – overview and perspective.Scand J Work Environ Health. 2010; 36(5): 422-429

Some frameworks with different purposesSome frameworks with different purposes

• EU: European employment strategy (quality of work) from Lisbon strategy (more and better jobs) to EU2020 (smart, sustainable and inclusive growth)

• ILO: Decent work

• UNECE/ILO/Eurostat: quality of employment

• Eurofound: quality of work and employment

-> different purposes: - from measuring progress towards a political process - to a more independent and underlying measurement of

quality of work as such which might contribute to the process…

PROTECTING HEALTH & WELL-BEING

• Health and safety outcomes

• Exposure to risks• Participation • Occupational Health and Safety prevention framework

• Healthy work organisation

Different dimensions of Different dimensions of quality of work and employmentquality of work and employment

BALANCING WORK with NON WORK LIFE• Organisation of working time• blurring fronteers between work and private life• Social infrastructures and provisions

HAVING A JOB WITH FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS & EMPLOYMENT SECURITY • Employment status• Wages• Access to social protection• Workers rights

QWE

USING and ACQUIRING SKILLS

•Initial education •Cognitive content of work

•Training & lifelong learning

•Career development•Learning organisation

How can QWE be useful for EU2020How can QWE be useful for EU2020

• Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

sustainable jobs health and well being (over the life course), healthy work

organisation, work intensity working time/ work life balance

smarter working work organisation, education, training & lifelong learning,

employability, learning org, workplace organisation, productivity inclusive work/society

employment rates of 75% , flexicurity : empl status and salaries, rights at work, social protection

work life balance, working time arrangements, social infrastructure 

Mainstreaming of gender, age/life course

Change over the last 20 yearsChange over the last 20 years

• Globalisation

• Structure of employment More in services, less in industry A wide variety of employment contracts (& blurring division between self-

employed and employees)

• A more diverse workforce More women on the labour market _-> but gender segregation remains Ageing workforce

• (National) European policies aiming at modernising working life aimed at social progress and /or developing competitiveness

• Transformation in the management of companies adaptability and reactivity, HRM

Low level of mental well being per country - workers Low level of mental well being per country - workers (who 5 index - ewcs 2010)(who 5 index - ewcs 2010)

0,00%

5,00%

10,00%

15,00%

20,00%

25,00%

30,00%

35,00%

40,00%

45,00%

DK ES IRL NO NL FI MT SW BE GE LX KO AU UK eu27

FR FY GR MO EE PL CY SK RO SI IT BG PO HU HR CZ LV AL TK LT

Working when sick in the past 12 monthsWorking when sick in the past 12 months

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Denm

ark

Mal

ta

Slove

nia

Sweden

Finlan

d

Unite

d Kin

gdom

Belgiu

m

Luxe

mbo

urg

Franc

e

Slova

kia

Eston

ia

Cypru

sEU27

Nethe

rland

s

Latv

ia

Ger

man

y

Irelan

d

Spain

Hunga

ry

Austri

a

Lith

uani

a

Czech

Rep

ublic

Roman

ia

Portu

gal

Gre

ece

Polan

dIta

ly

Bulga

ria

Yes No I w as not sick

Level of job segregation at the workplaceLevel of job segregation at the workplaceby gender, 2010, EU27 (%)by gender, 2010, EU27 (%)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Men Women All

Mostly men

Mostly women

More or less equal number ofmen and women

Some results of the EWCS

Managers’ and supervisors’ working hoursManagers’ and supervisors’ working hours

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Subordinates

Supervisors

Managers

Subordinates

Supervisors

Managers

Men

W

omen

20 or less 21-34 35-40 41-47 48 or more

Human resource management practicesHuman resource management practices

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

2 to 9 employees

10 to 49 employees

50 to 249 employees

250+ employees

Agriculture

Industry

Construction

Wholesale, retail, food and accommodation

Transport

Financial services

Public administration and defence

Education

Health

Other services

Management holds meetings to exchange view s Formal assessment of w ork performance

Participated in employer paid training

Diffusion of high performance workplaces practices : Diffusion of high performance workplaces practices : team workteam work

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Education

Health

Constr

uction

Public

adm

inis

tration

and d

efe

nce

Tota

l

Fin

ancia

l

serv

ices

Oth

er

serv

ices

Agriculture

Industr

y

Whole

sale

,

reta

il, f

ood a

nd

accom

modation

Tra

nsport

no teamwork team with no autonomy team with some autonomy team with much automomy

Diffusion of high performance workplace practices : Diffusion of high performance workplace practices : task rotation schemestask rotation schemes

task rotation schemes - sector

00,10,20,30,40,50,60,7

Hea

lth

Edu

catio

n

Fina

ncia

lse

rvic

es

eu27

Con

stru

ctio

n

Oth

er s

ervi

ces

Pub

licad

min

istra

tion

Who

lesa

le,

reta

il, fo

od a

nd

Indu

stry

Agr

icul

ture

Tran

spor

t

autonomous multitasking

management controlledmultitasking

autonomous fixed task rotation

management controlled fixedtask rotation

Restructuring or reorganisation Vs introduction of new processes or technologies, by country, 2010 (% of respondents)

Poland

FYROMTurkeyAlbaniaBulgaria

ItalySpainGreece

MontenegroHungary

Romania SloveniaPortugalLithuaniaBelgiumGermanyEU27Croatia AustriaSlovakia

LuxembourgFrance Czech Republic

Latvia NetherlandsKosovoIrelandCyprus

United KingdomNorwayEstonia

Malta

Denmark

Sweden

Finland

R2 = 0.8083

%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

New processes or technologies

Res

truc

turin

g or

reo

rgan

isat

ion

Participation in improving the work organisation or Participation in improving the work organisation or processes, by country, 2010 (%)processes, by country, 2010 (%)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

NL

IE DK

MT

SI

EE

EL

CY

SE

FI

UK

FR

RO

LU

EU

27

BE

ES

IT LV

PT

CZ

AT

HU

PL

BG

LT

DE

SK

Always or most of the time Sometimes Rarely or never

Workers involved in workplace innovation

Many ways of developing on the job but trends have not Many ways of developing on the job but trends have not increased increased

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Meeting precise

qualitystandards

Assessing

quality of own

work

Solving

unforeseenproblem

s

Com

plex tasks

Learning newthings

Monotonoustasks

Tasks of less

than 1 minute

Tasks of less

than 10 minutes

EU15-1995 EU27-2000 EU27-2005 EU27-2010

Employer-paid training by age of employee, Employer-paid training by age of employee, 1995 – 2010, EU15 and EU27 (%) 1995 – 2010, EU15 and EU27 (%)

((or paid by oneself if self-employed)or paid by oneself if self-employed)

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

EU15 EU15 EU27 EU27 EU27

1995 2000 2005 2010

Under 30

30 to 49

50 and older

Training on increase, but big differences remain

Skills and duties match is important for both work Skills and duties match is important for both work companies and the workers companies and the workers

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

I need furthertraining tocope w ellw ith myduties

My presentskills

correspondw ell w ith my

duties

I have theskills to cope

w ith moredemanding

duties

Undergoneemployer

paid training

Asked fortraining fromemployer butdid not get it*

Paid self fortraining

Undergoneon-the-jobtraining

High cognitive engagement Low cognitive engagement

Use of technology, EU27, 2000-2010

17.6%

25.6%

28.8%

22.1%

10.5% 10.5%

8.5%

17.7%17.5%

20.0%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

2000 2005 2010

Working with computers: PCs, network, mainframe (all the time or almost)

Using internet / email for professional purposes (all of the time or almost)

Exposed vibrations from hand tools, machinery, etc. (all of the time or almost)

Work dependent on automatic speed of a machine

Some results of the EWCS:Some results of the EWCS:working time: reduction over timeworking time: reduction over time

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

1991

1995

2000

2005

2010

1991

1995

2000

2005

2010

EC

12 (

/EU

15fr

om 1

995)

EU

27

20 or less 21 to 34 35 to 38 39 to 41 42 to 48 more than 48

EWCS

But working time dispersion But working time dispersion differs between countriesdiffers between countries

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

EL

RO

BG PL

SK

CZ

HU SI

MT

CY LT LV PT

EE LU ES

EU

27 SE FI

BE IT AT

DE

UK

FR IE DK NL

EWCS 2010

Working time duration Working time duration and stressand stress

• Long working hours : - Slightly decreasing but still

54% of self-employed with employees,

43% of self-employed without employees and

11 % of employees - work 48 + hours per week- -> Report more health problems, work life balance problems and work

intensity

- Short working hours (particularly short part time)- Increasing, mostly female phenomenon (gender segregation)- Can be linked with other psychosocial risks mainly related to job and

financial insecurity

Working time organisation Working time organisation

• Standard working hours still the norm but a good proportion of workers work at different times 16% of workers work long days (>10 hours)

at least 5 times a month 10% of workers do night work

more than 3 times a month 17% of the workers do shift work 20% work on call 53% work at the weekend at least once a month

26% work at least one Sunday a month

-> also report more of the same problems of health, work-life balance and work intensity (as first group)

• Variability and predictability : other important elements for work-life balance

Working hours preference, Working hours preference, by gender, age and employment status, 2010, EU27 (%)by gender, age and employment status, 2010, EU27 (%)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

All

Men

Women

Less than 30 years of age

Between 30 and 49 years of age

50 or more years of age

Self-employed

Employed - permanent contract

Employed - Other

More The Same Less

Work life balanceWork life balance

• 18% of workers have problems with work-life balance Men > women esp. men 30-49 yrs old Dissatisfaction for women more evenly spread over career

• But flexibility of workers and employers 1 / 3 of the workers can easily take 1 hour off

Easier for men than for women More than 1 / 3 work in their free time

Slightly more men and for womenNearly 20 % (both men and women) do this more

than once per week

But if we look at all working time …

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

PT female

FT female

PT male

FT male

paid w ork commuting time second job unpaid w ork

E-nomads, by country, EU27 (%)

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Sometimes

Always

Exposure to combined ergonomic, biological and Exposure to combined ergonomic, biological and chemical and ambient risks, by country chemical and ambient risks, by country

(index scores, EU27 average = 100)(index scores, EU27 average = 100)

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

Ne

therland

s

De

nm

ark

Un

ited

Kin

gd

om

Ire

land

No

rway

Cze

ch R

epub

lic

Ge

rmany

Italy

Po

land

Au

stria

Latv

ia

Be

lgiu

m

Slo

vaki

a

Lith

uania

Sw

ede

n

Po

rtug

al

Luxe

mbo

urg

Malta

Bu

lgaria

Est

onia

Sp

ain

Slo

ven

ia

Cro

atia

Ro

mania

Fin

land

Cyp

rus

Mon

tene

gro

Hu

nga

ry

Fra

nce

Gre

ece

Alb

ania

Tu

rke

y

Ko

sovo

FY

RO

M

Ergonomic risks Biological and chemical risks Ambient risks

Change in exposure to physical risks (index) Change in exposure to physical risks (index) between 2000 and 2010, by countrybetween 2000 and 2010, by country

BE

BG

CZ

DK

DE

EE

EL

ES

FR

IE

IT

CY

LVLT

LU

HU

MT

NL

ATPL

PT ROSI

SL

FI

SE

UK

80

90

100

110

120

130

80 90 100 110 120 130

2000

20

10

Work intensity on the increaseWork intensity on the increase Working to tight deadlines, Working to tight deadlines,

EC12, EU15 and EU27, 1991-2010 (%)EC12, EU15 and EU27, 1991-2010 (%)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

1991 1995 2000 2005 2010

EU12

EU15

EU27

(Objective) work intensity(Objective) work intensity

N of pace determinants per country (empl)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0 1or 2 3 or more

Autonomy has remained stable globallyAutonomy has remained stable globallyAbility to change methods of work, by type of occupation, 2000 – 2010, EU27 (%)Ability to change methods of work, by type of occupation, 2000 – 2010, EU27 (%)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2000 2005 2010

High-skilled clerical

Low-skilled clerical

High-skilled manual

Low-skilled manual

AgricultureIndustry

ConstructionWholesale, retail, food and

accomodation

Transport

Financial services

Public administration and defence

Education

HealthOther services

Managers

Professionals

Technicians and associate professionals

Clerical support workers

Service and sales workers

Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers

Craft and related trades workers

Plant and machine operators, and assemblers

Elementary occupations

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50 0.55 0.60

Work intensity

Au

ton

om

y

EU27 Average Autonomy

EU27 Average Work intensity

Autonomy versus Work intensity, by sector and occupation

Psychosocial risks (2)Psychosocial risks (2)

• Work related stress factors : Work demands (work intensity, working long hours, cognitive

demands, work-life balance) Emotional demands (contact with people, emotional involvement,

consequences of mistakes) Room for manoeuvre Social relations Value conflicts and work dissatisfaction Employment insecurity and lack of career prospects and insecurity in

the work Violence, harassment and bullying

Hostile relationships at work Hostile relationships at work 2010, EU27 (%)2010, EU27 (%)

  Men Women

Over the last month, during the course of your work, have you been subjected to verbal abuse? 10.80% 10.70%

Over the last month, during the course of your work, have you been subjected to unwanted sexual attention? 1.10% 2.60%

Over the last month, during the course of your work, have you been subjected to threats and humiliating behaviour? 4.90% 5.10%

Violence, Discrimination and Harassment Violence, Discrimination and Harassment 2010, EU27 (%)2010, EU27 (%)

  Men Women

Over the past 12 months, during the course of your work, have you been subjected to physical violence? 2.00% 1.70%

Over the past 12 months, during the course of your work, have you been subjected to bullying /harassment? 3.90% 4.40%

Over the past 12 months, during the course of your work, have you been subjected to sexual harassment? 0.60% 1.50%

Able to work at 60, by countryAble to work at 60, by country

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

NL

DE IE DK

UK

SE FI

CY IT

EE

EU

27 LV

BE

AT

RO LT CZ

MT

SK

LU

BG PL

ES

HU

FR

EL

PT SI

Lack of information on health and safety risks per Lack of information on health and safety risks per countrycountry

not very well informed per country

10.07%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

TK FR MT IT AL HR BE NL

LX GR

EU27 M

K PO FI SI DK

SW SP MO AU NW RO LT GE

KO BG CZ

CY EE PL SK UK

LV HU

IRL

ConclusionsConclusions• Quality of work remains important

Work matters, not only employment -> ‘Better’ may be even more needed now ! Needed for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

• Challenge: Understand the phenomena No simple answers / explanation to most phenomena

Multilevel. Multi actions neededEuropean-wide comparative data

Workers and employers surveys

• Differences between groups of workers, economic activities and countries are important. Changes don’t go into the same directions for all groups of workers. Identification of groups of workers, situations of work which are of concern but also of groups and

situations which shall encourage us

• Context remains important

• Limited yet noticeable changes at global level

• Change is possible and actors have a role to play Evidence of change over time of a number of indicators. Are we heading into the right direction ? Do we

want to foster / nurture more changes ?

Merci Merci

www.eurofound.europa.eu

Working long hours …Working long hours …

Reports

Working less than 48h Working 48 h or more

Problems with work-life balance

16% 38%

Work affects my health negatively

23% 37%

Work intensity

(high speed > ½ time)

44% 54%

Consulted for your work targets

22% 29%

I feel at home at work 22 % 33 %

EWCS 2010

Working shifts, at nightWorking shifts, at night

Shift work

No shift work

Night work

No night work

Weekend work

No

weekend work

Problems with WLB

29% 15% 37% 15% 27% 10%

Work affect my health negatively

33% 23% 36% 22% 28% 21%

Work intensity

(high speed ½)

55% 44% 55% 45% 49% 53%

Consulted for your work targets

40% 48% 46% 48% 46% 49%

I feel at home at work

60% 62% 68% 65% 68% 68%

Job tasks in conflict with one’s values, Job tasks in conflict with one’s values, by occupation (ISCO08), 2010, EU27 (%)by occupation (ISCO08), 2010, EU27 (%)

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Managers

Professionals

Technicians and associateprofessionals

Clerical support workers

Service and sales workers

Skilled agricultural, forestry and fisheryworkers

Craft and related trades workers

Plant and machine operators, andassemblers

Elementary occupations

All occupations

Always

Most of the time

Sometimes

Knowing what is expected of you at work, Knowing what is expected of you at work, by sector (NACE), 2010, EU27(%)by sector (NACE), 2010, EU27(%)

56% 58% 60% 62% 64% 66% 68% 70% 72% 74% 76% 78%

Agriculture

Industry

Construction

Wholesale, retail, food and accomodation

Transport

Financial services

Public administration and defence

Education

Health

Other services

All sectors

Emotional involvement in one’s work, Emotional involvement in one’s work, by sector (NACE), 2010, EU27 (%)by sector (NACE), 2010, EU27 (%)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Agriculture

Industry

Construction

Wholesale, retail, food and accomodation

Transport

Financial services

Public administration and defence

Education

Health

Other services

All sectors

Always

Most of the time

Change of working hours in the past year, Change of working hours in the past year, by country, 2010 (%)by country, 2010 (%)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

CY

BG

LT

TR

ME

EL

KO

HR

LV

EE

RO

MK

IE ES

PL

MT

IT AL

CZ

HU

AT

EU

FI

UK

SK

PT

SI

NO

BE

DK

FR

NL

SE

LU

DE

Decrease

No change

Increase

The recession : change of salary in the past year, The recession : change of salary in the past year, by country, 2010 (%)by country, 2010 (%)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

LV LT ME

IE EE

RO

BG

HR

EL

MK

AL

SI

IT ES

SK

HU

CZ

KO

TR

PL

EU

27D

EF

RP

TA

TB

EC

YU

KLU M

TD

KN

LF

IN

OS

E

Decrease

No change

Increase

My work affects my health negativelyMy work affects my health negatively

my work affect my health negatively

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%