Comparative reports
Comparative reports from the Observatory network of national correspondents
Comparative reports are significant pieces of comparative analysis covering developments at EU and national level on a pre-selected theme. They are based on structured contributions from the national correspondents, each covering their own country. A synthesis 'comparative report' is prepared by a lead correspondent and the national contributions are also published.
latest reports | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004
21 July 2010: Absence from work (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as 
size 203 kb])
This study addresses patterns of absence from the 27 EU Member States and Norway, the costs involved, policies for dealing with absence and general developments in relation to promoting health and well-being. Average rates of absence across Europe are between 3% and 6% of working time. A reasonable estimate of the cost is about 2.5% of GDP. There is also evidence of presenteeism – the practice of attending work while ill – although there is a general lack of data on trends. While some countries are attempting to control costs, others put the emphasis on promoting well-being.
16 April 2010: Comparative analysis of working time in the European Union (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 529 kb])
The number of hours worked every week or year, and the way in which work is organised, are issues of central concern and interest to both employees and employers. In the case of employees, working hours have a direct bearing on standard of living, level of work–life balance and the overall sustainability of working life. For employers, working time is a key element in the calculation of costs, productivity and competitiveness. Working time, and its regulation, is likewise an important policy issue for national governments. This report, covering the 27 Member States of the EU and Norway, focuses on changes in working time and practices relating to the organisation of work over the period 2000-2006.
06 April 2010: Working poor in Europe (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 357 kb])
Being in work greatly reduces the risk of poverty. Nevertheless, in the European Union, 8% of the employed population fell into the category of ‘working poor’ in 2007, in the sense of having an income below 60% of the national median. The proportion varies markedly across countries and social groups. In most countries, the issue of working poor is not a policy priority of either the government or the social partners, although it can be included in general policies to combat poverty and social exclusion. Although there is little evidence to prove it to date, the working poor are likely to have been particularly affected by the current economic recession.
05 March 2010: Flexible forms of work: ‘very atypical’ contractual arrangements (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 263 kb])
This report examines the recent evolution of some specific flexible employment contractual arrangements in the EU Member States and Norway. Within the broader category of ‘non-standard forms of work’, the overview focuses on the ‘very atypical’ forms of work, namely: part-time work of fewer than 10 hours a week, very short fixed-term contracts, zero hours working and non-written contracts. Despite the difficulty in obtaining data, the study highlights the increase in the use of these different types of contractual arrangements and the sectoral specificities that exist Europe wide. The study explores actions which seek to guarantee both flexibility and security in the labour market through a degree of regulation and monitoring of these forms of work. The use of very atypical work raises particular challenges, especially in terms of health and safety,the risk of poverty and the propensity for undeclared work. Social partners as well as policymakers still have to address these challenges.
13 November 2009: Low-qualified workers in Europe (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 755 kb])
In general, people in Europe who have only a basic level of education are disadvantaged in three ways: their employment options are limited, they tend to be restricted to certain types of jobs and they have fewer opportunities to participate in training than people with more education. Current policies are geared towards ensuring that fewer people drop out of the school system with inadequate qualifications. However, it is equally important to ensure that those with low qualifications can access the labour market and find stable, decent employment. The social partners can make an important contribution in this regard.
28 September 2009: Annual review of working conditions 2008–2009 (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 741 kb])
This sixth annual review examines four key dimensions of working conditions and quality of work and employment: career development and employment security, health and well-being, skills and competence development, and work–life balance. The report outlines relevant legislative and policy developments, and examines trends in the workplace during the period 2008–2009.
04 May 2009: Occupational promotion of migrant workers (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 190 kb])
This report examines the situation regarding the occupational promotion of migrant workers in the EU Member States and Norway. Previous research has shown that migrant workers are frequently segregated into low-paid, unskilled and precarious employment. This report confirms this research, providing clear evidence of barriers to the occupational promotion of migrant workers – such as the prevalence of temporary employment, higher level of over-education, fewer training opportunities and poor recognition of qualifications among these workers. The second part of the report looks at some public polices and good practices which aim to foster the occupational promotion of migrant workers – including education and training programmes, and collective bargaining initiatives. The report points to the lack of well-documented cases of such practices, as well as the need for greater monitoring of these initiatives.
02 March 2009: Self-employed workers: industrial relations and working conditions (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 1122 kb])
This report presents an overview of the industrial relations and employment and working conditions of self-employed workers in the European Union and Norway. It presents basic trends in self-employment, highlights issues concerning the definition of self-employment and offers an overview of the national situations regarding the legal framework. The study also examines social security as a crucial aspect of the regulation of self-employment and a source of differences between employees and self-employed workers. Recent reforms in this area have often focused on increasing protection measures. Finally, the report analyses the presence and regulation of ‘economically dependent work’, as well as the collective representation of self-employed workers.
07 July 2008: Annual review of working conditions in the EU 2007–2008 (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 1495 kb])
This fifth annual review examines four key dimensions of working conditions and quality of work and employment: career development and employment security, health and well-being, skills and competence development, and work–life balance. The report outlines relevant legislative and policy developments, and examines trends in the workplace during the period 2007-2008.
03 April 2008: Working conditions and social dialogue (EU Countries / Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 519 kb])
This report examines the link between working conditions and social dialogue, highlighting instances where social dialogue has had an impact on working conditions. The impact of social dialogue on working conditions is considered at all levels – national, sectoral, company and workplace levels. There is also a specific focus on occupational health and safety. The first section of the report maps existing research and administrative reports, highlighting the findings of surveys, both quantitative and qualitative, that have identified a link between social dialogue and working conditions. The second section looks at examples of social dialogue drawn from case studies that have had an impact on working conditions in a range of areas. Some examples of incomplete social dialogue are also presented, including possible reasons for the shortcomings. Finally, the report identifies potential lessons for the future in terms of factors that contribute to the success or failure of social dialogue.
Teamwork and high performance work organisation [ or view as 
size 998 kb]
This report provides a comparative overview of teamwork, based on the European Working Conditions Surveys and 16 national contributions to a questionnaire. It considers how teamwork has developed as a new form of work organisation and takes into account the context at national and company level. The study assesses the positive and negative influence of teamwork on diverse aspects of working conditions, such as job autonomy, job satisfaction, work intensity, productivity and the learning environment. It also investigates the prevalence of teamwork according to various factors including sex, sector and occupation. The national contributions from the following 16 countries are available (as PDF files): Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Gender mainstreaming in surveys [ or view as size 109 kb]
This comparative analytical report provides a comparative overview of how gender mainstreaming is incorporated into national working conditions surveys, based on 12 national contributions. It investigates the conceptual and methodological framework of gender mainstreaming in surveys, as well as its implementation. The report then examines some of the survey findings on the respective situation of women and men regarding working conditions. The national contributions from the following 12 countries are available (as PDF files): Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
Measuring job satisfaction in surveys - Comparative analytical report [ or view as size 233 kb]
This report provides a comparative overview of how job satisfaction is measured in national working conditions surveys, based on 16 national contributions to a questionnaire (PDF file). It investigates conceptual and methodological issues in the study of job satisfaction. The report then examines survey results on levels of general or overall job satisfaction among workers, as well as identifying the relationship between specific factors relating to work and job satisfaction. The national contributions from the following 16 countries are available (as PDF files): Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Jorge Cabrita and Heloisa Perista (CESIS, Portugal) coordinated the preparation of this comparative analytical report.
Combining family and full-time work [ or view as size 405 kb]
Full-time work has become an increasingly common employment pattern in the European Union, for both sexes, since the enlargement of the EU to 25 countries in 2004. At the same time, there is widespread discussion about working time flexibility as a desired solution to enhancing the work–life balance of working parents. This report shows that such flexibility varies significantly between countries and sexes. However, to better understand the impact of this flexibility on work–life balance, it must be recognised that flexibility can be either positive or negative, and that predictable working time arrangements may also be a good solution for working parents. The report provides a comparative overview based on 12 national reports, which are also available (as pdf files): Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
Impact of training on people’s employability [ or view as size 369 kb]
Data from national working conditions surveys and other sources reveal that fixed-term and temporary agency contract holders in the European Union are at a disadvantage in terms of access to both training and competence development in companies. A number of relevant indicators in the surveys highlight this fact. Such national data tend to confirm the research findings of the European Working Conditions Surveys, carried out by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in 1990, 1995 and 2000-1, and offer further insights into this issue.This study examines the issue of training and employability, focusing on those workers on fixed-term and temporary agency contracts. The 12 national reports are also available (as pdf files): Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
Work-related stress [ or view as size 215 kb]
Changes in the content and organisation of work in recent decades have resulted in an intensification of work, which is commonly regarded as a cause of stress. This report presents trends in the risks and consequences of work-related stress, and identifies how these can be prevented. The analysis is based on national surveys and research information available in the EU, as well as recent research findings.
Information technology: Use and training in Europe [ or view as size 267 kb]
The growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) has had a dramatic impact on almost all sectors and occupations, fundamentally changing the face of the workplace. This report looks at computer use and training provisions in Europe. Information technology use and skills are seen as vital elements in achieving the European objective to become the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world.
Temporary agency work in the European Union [ or view as size 97 kb]
Overall dissatisfaction with their working conditions and job situation among temporary agency workers would seem to indicate the existence of poor working conditions among this group. However, specific health and quality of work indicators paint a more ambiguous picture. They reveal that the main reasons behind this dissatisfaction are the insecurity inherent in this form of employment and the fact that temporary agency work may often be taken up involuntarily.