European Working Conditions Survey 2010

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 European countries. Additional information on the structural characteristics of the sector is derived from Eurostat data. The fifth EWCS contains responses from 822 workers in media and communications. The report compares aspects of work in the media and communications sector with the EU28 as a whole and examines differences across its four subsectors.

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 countries. Additional information on the structural characteristics of the sector is derived from Eurostat data. The sector contains all social work activities for the elderly and the disabled, child day-care activities, and all other social work activities that do not involve accommodation. The fifth EWCS contains responses from 875 workers in this sector. The report compares aspects of work in the sector with the EU28 as a whole.

This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the furniture sector (NACE 31). 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 countries. Additional information on the structural characteristics of the sector is derived from Eurostat data. The fifth EWCS contains responses from 351 workers in the furniture sector and this fact sheet covers both the employed and the self-employed, comparing the situation in the sector to that in the EU28 as a whole.

This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability in the human health sector (NACE 86).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 countries. Additional information on the structural characteristics of the sector is derived from Eurostat data. The sector includes hospital activities, medical and dental practice activities and other human health activities.

This report gives an overview of working conditions, job quality, workers’ health and job sustainability for employees and the self-employed in the agro-food sector (NACE codes 10 and 11). It compares the situation in the sector with that in the EU28 as a whole. 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 countries. Additional information on the structural characteristics of the sector is derived from Eurostat data.

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the quality of employment conditions and employment relations in the European employed workforce. Employment in the report is viewed as the contractual relationship between an employer and a worker, specifically how the rights and duties embedded into the relationship are translated into real rights. The analysis is mainly based on data from the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), conducted in 2010. Where appropriate, comparisons with earlier waves of the EWCS are made.

This report explores the opportunities open to employees in workplaces across Europe to participate in decision-making, either in the context of their job or in relation to wider organisational issues affecting their work. Employee involvement is a key component of work organisation, relating to other dimensions such as physical working conditions and work intensity.

The health and well-being of individuals are two dimensions around which researchers and policymakers are re-arranging the debate on how to foster the progress of societies. Health and well-being have an intrinsic value, which should be part of the very definition of progress, and also a societal one because of their direct connection with issues such as labour force participation, productivity and sustainability.