Survey post test
As part of the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) quality control, the Foundation carried out for the first time in 2006 a post test focusing specifically on aspects related to development at work and employability.
The post test consisted of 20 qualitative follow-up interviews conducted between the end of July and beginning of November 2006 in each of the five countries involved in this exercise (Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Portugal and the UK). The interviewees were selected from among those respondents of the fourth European Working Conditions Survey who had given prior consent to be contacted for the follow-up interview. Both genders as well as different age groups, occupations, sectors and educational levels were represented in the sample.
The aim of the post test was to detect cross-national differences, evaluate the capacity of the survey to measure a variety of phenomena and facilitate a better understanding of the survey’s findings. To this end, based on the national findings emerged from the interviews, the technical quality of the questionnaire was assessed and commonalities and national differences were highlighted.
Given the challenges of a cross-cultural survey and its wide geographic coverage it seems that the selected questions worked out well in the five post-test countries.