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Arbejdstid

Arbejdstid henviser til de perioder, hvor en arbejdstager arbejder, står til arbejdsgiverens rådighed og udfører sine aktiviteter eller pligter i henhold til den nationale lovgivning og/eller praksis. Arbejdstiden varierer for arbejdstagere i forskellige erhverv eller forskellige livsfaser, og kønnet spiller en særlig rolle for disse forskelle.

Topic

Recent updates

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Working life in Bulgaria

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Bulgaria. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Article
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Working life in Belgium

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Belgium. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Article
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Working life in Cyprus

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Cyprus. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Article

EU context

Arbejdstiden er et centralt aspekt af arbejdslivet, og regulering af arbejdstiden har været i centrum for de politiske, økonomiske og sociale drøftelser på EU-plan og nationalt plan. Med henblik på at beskytte arbejdstagernes sundhed og sikkerhed kræves det i EU's arbejdstidsdirektiv, at alle medlemsstater garanterer minimumsstandarder for arbejdstid for alle arbejdstagere i EU. Dette omfatter standarder for den maksimale ugentlige arbejdstid (fastsat til 48 timer), minimumskrav til hvileperioder og pauser, årlig ferie, natarbejde og skifteholdsarbejde.

Eurofounds arbejde

Gennem mange år har Eurofound indsamlet oplysninger om forskellige arbejdstidsaspekter og deres betydning for mænds og kvinders arbejdsvilkår og livskvalitet i EU. Eurofounds undersøgelser af arbejdstid bidrager til en bedre forståelse af, hvordan den er tilrettelagt, og hvordan den påvirker beskæftigelse, produktivitet, velvære og balancen mellem arbejde og privatliv. Man har regelmæssigt offentliggjort data om kollektive aftaler om arbejdstid og arbejdsmarkedets parters rolle, og for nylig er de også blevet analyseret ud fra et langsigtet perspektiv. Forskning i mænds arbejdstid i forhold til kvinders viser, at mænd med større sandsynlighed vil have længere arbejdstid, mens kvinder med større sandsynlighed vil bruge mere tid på ulønnet arbejde i hjemmet.

Regulering og tilrettelæggelse af arbejdstid

Regulering af arbejdstiden spiller en rolle med hensyn til at forbedre balancen mellem arbejde og fritid og ligeledes deltagelsen på arbejdsmarkedet. I et økonomisk klima i hastig forandring har virksomheder og arbejdstagere behov for fleksibilitet. Eurofound har undersøgt forholdet mellem arbejdstid og balancen mellem arbejde og fritid set over et helt livsforløb.

I forbindelse med forskningen har man undersøgt de forskellige aspekter af arbejdstidens tilrettelæggelse og virkningen heraf på produktiviteten og arbejdsvilkår. Eftersom arbejdstidens tilrettelæggelse er i forandring, har Eurofound sammen med Den Internationale Arbejdsorganisation for nylig undersøgt indvirkningen af fjernarbejde og mobilt IKT-arbejde på arbejdstiden for arbejdstagere, der er omfattet af sådanne arbejdsordninger.

I en nylig undersøgelse med et langsigtet perspektiv på arbejdstid, kiggede man på udviklingen inden for aspekter vedrørende kollektivt aftalt arbejdstid i EU ved begyndelsen af det 21. århundrede. I undersøgelsen fokuseres der især på fem sektorer: den kemiske industri, metalindustrien, bankvæsenet, detailhandel og den offentlige administration. I rapporten redegøres der for de institutionelle reguleringsordninger, og der foretages en vurdering af ændringer af den aftalte arbejdstid og den normale arbejdstid i perioden 1999-2014.

Arbejdstid i undersøgelsesanalyser

Eurofounds tre vigtigste undersøgelser indeholder data om spørgsmål vedrørende arbejdstid.

Den europæiske undersøgelse af arbejdsvilkår (EWCS) vedrører arbejdstid set fra forskellige vinkler. I den sjette EWCS i 2015 var arbejdstidens kvalitet et af syv indekser for jobkvalitet. Den blev brugt til at måle indvirkningen af lange arbejdsdage, muligheden for at holde pauser, atypiske arbejdstider, arbejdstidsordninger og fleksibilitet og indvirkningen heraf på arbejdstagernes sundhed og velvære. Resultaterne viser, at 43 % af arbejdstagerne har meget faste arbejdstider.

Ved hjælp af data fra den sjette EWCS har Eurofound for nylig undersøgt arbejdstidsmønstre for bæredygtigt arbejde. I analysen kigger man på sammenhængen mellem arbejdstidsmønstre, balancen mellem arbejde og fritid og præferencer vedrørende arbejdstid samt arbejdstagernes sundhed og velvære. Man vurderer også, hvor bæredygtige de nuværende mønstre for arbejdsvilkår og arbejdstid er for fremtiden.

I den europæiske livskvalitetsundersøgelse (EQLS) ser man på ordninger vedrørende arbejdstid, både lønnet og ulønnet, og deres indvirkning på tilfredsheden med balancen mellem arbejde og fritid.

Arbejdstidsordninger kan have betydelig indvirkning på virksomhedernes effektivitet, produktivitet og konkurrenceevne for ikke at nævne medarbejdernes sundhed, velvære og motivation. Gennem sin europæiske virksomhedsundersøgelse (ECS) har Eurofound ligeledes udført omfattende forskning i arbejdstid og balancen mellem arbejde og fritid. Man har undersøgt forekomsten af fleksible arbejdstidsordninger og arbejdstidskonti, deltidsarbejde, overtid og ikkestandardiseret arbejdstid, forældreorlov og andre former for langtidsorlov, gradvis pensionering og efterlønsordninger samt specifikke politikker for at støtte balancen mellem arbejde og fritid i virksomhederne.

Tema: EurWORK-ajourføring om søndagsarbejde i Europa

 

23. september 2016 – EU's medlemsstater har indført lovgivning for at regulere åbningstider i butikker og virksomheder på søndage. Nogle medlemsstater har imidlertid også selv fastlagt ny lovgivning om begrænsning af åbningstiderne. I henhold til den europæiske undersøgelse af arbejdsvilkår steg andelen af arbejdstagere, der arbejder på søndage, mellem 2010 og 2015, hvilket understøtter opfattelsen af, at det bliver stadig mere almindeligt at handle om søndagen.
What's happening with Sunday work in Europe

Ressourcer

Eurofound research

For many years now, Eurofound has collected information on various aspects of working time and their implications for working conditions and quality of life of men and women in the EU. Eurofound’s studies on working time aim to improve understanding of how long workers work and how their time is organised and the implications of working time patterns for employment, productivity, well-being and the balance between work and private life. Data on collectively agreed working time and the role of the social partners have been published regularly, and have also been analysed from a long-term perspective. Research on men’s working time versus women’s shows that men are much more likely to work longer hours and women are more likely to spend more time doing unpaid domestic work. While most individuals, regardless of their sex, seem to be satisfied with their current working time, the majority of those expressing a preference to change their working time say they would like to reduce their hours.

Regulation and organisation of working time

Regulating working time has a role to play in increasing work–life balance and also labour market participation. In a fast-changing economic climate, companies and workers need flexibility. Eurofound has explored the relationship between working time and work–life balance in a life course perspective.

Research has looked at the various aspects of the organisation of working time and the implications for productivity and working conditions. As the organisation of working time is changing, Eurofound together with the International Labour Organization examined the effects of telework and ICT-mobile work on the working time of those engaged in such work arrangements.

Taking a long-term perspective on working time, Eurofound has examined the evolution of aspects of collectively agreed working time in the EU at the beginning of the 21st century. The research focused in particular on five sectors: chemicals, metalworking, banking, retail and public administration. It described the institutional regimes of working time regulation and assesses changes in agreed working hours and usual working hours between 1999 and 2014.

Eurofound has also looked at the national approaches on how and when breaks from work should be taken. The research compares different approaches among Member States, gives examples of judicial rulings, highlights some types of work that attract special consideration and looks into causal relationships between breaks, health and performance at work.

Research on new ways of working fostered by digitalisation like teleworking and platform work have highlighted the increasing trend towards flexible working with far-reaching implications for the duration and organisation of working time. These aspects are also part of the regulatory debate at EU and national level, for instance wtih the adoption of legislation on the right to disconnect. 

Working time in survey analysis

Eurofound’s three major surveys provide data on issues related to working time.

The European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) covers working time from various angles. In the 2021 European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS), working time arrangements was one of six dimensions of job quality analysed. This dimension includes unsocial work schedules (as a job demand) and working time flexibility (as a job resource). The EWCTS captured four types of working time that are generally regarded as unsocial: regularly working in one’s free time, regularly working at night, working long hours and regularly being required to work at short notice. Flexibility in working hours is positively related to worker’s well-being and supports a healthy balance between their personal and working lives. The EWCTS highlighted the ease with which an individual can take an hour or two off during working hours to attend to a personal matter as an indicator of such flexibility. 

Using EWCS 2015 data, Eurofound has examined working time patterns for sustainable work. The analysis looks at the links between working time patterns, work–life balance and working time preferences, as well as workers’ health and well-being. It also assesses how sustainable the current working conditions and working time patterns are into the future.

The European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) looks at working time arrangements, both paid and unpaid, and their impact on satisfaction with work–life balance.

Working time arrangements can have a significant bearing on the efficiency, productivity and competitiveness of companies, not to mention the health, well-being and motivation of their employees. Through its European Company Survey (ECS), Eurofound has also carried out comprehensive research on working time and work–life balance. It has looked at the prevalence of flexible working time arrangements and working time accounts, part-time work, overtime and non-standard working hours; parental and other long-term leave; phased and early retirement; as well as specific policies to support work–life balance in companies.

Key outputs

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This report examines the average weekly working hours across Europe in 2021 and 2022. It covers important developments resulting from legislative reforms in collective bargaining at national or sectoral level...

24 oktober 2023
Publication
Research report
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De skrappe folkesundhedsmæssige restriktioner, som regeringerne indførte i 2020 for at kontrollere covid-19-pandemien, ændrede arbejdslivet brat og formede det fortsat i de to efterfølgende år. Mellem marts og november 2021...

29 november 2022
Publication
Research report
ef22032_card_cover.png

Denne rapport har til formål at kortlægge og analysere lovgivning og kollektive overenskomstforhandlinger om distancearbejde i de 27 medlemsstater og Norge. Den belyser de vigtigste forskelle og ligheder mellem landene...

1 september 2022
Publication
Research report
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Disclaimer: Please note that this report was updated with revised data (specifically for Bulgaria) on 23 March 2021.Formålet med denne rapport er at vurdere de umiddelbare virkninger af covid-19-krisen på...

11 marts 2021
Publication
Research report

Current and ongoing research

Research continues in this topic on a variety of themes, which are outlined below with links to forthcoming titles.

Eurofound expert(s)

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Jorge Cabrita is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit. He is responsible for formulating, coordinating and managing European-wide research, and promoting the...

Senior research manager,
Working life research unit
Oscar Vargas Llave

Oscar Vargas Llave is a research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound and manages projects on changes in the world of work and the impact on working conditions and related...

Research manager,
Working life research unit
Publications results (214)

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

This report examines the average weekly working hours across Europe in 2021 and 2022. It covers important developments resulting from legislative reforms in collective bargaining at national or sectoral level, drawing on debates about the reduction of working time and the four-day working week.

24 October 2023

This publication comprises individual country reports on developments in working life in each of the 27 EU Member States and Norway in 2022, based on national research and survey results. The topics covered include the policy responses of governments to inflation and how inflation has featured in

05 May 2023

Denne rapport præsenterer Eurofounds forskning i telearbejde under covid-19-pandemien i 2020 og 2021. Den redegør for ændringer i udbredelsen af telearbejde, arbejdsvilkår for arbejdstagere, der arbejder hjemmefra, og ændringer af bestemmelser omkring denne arbejdsordning. Resultaterne viser en

08 December 2022

De skrappe folkesundhedsmæssige restriktioner, som regeringerne indførte i 2020 for at kontrollere covid-19-pandemien, ændrede arbejdslivet brat og formede det fortsat i de to efterfølgende år. Mellem marts og november 2021 blev der gennemført over 70 000 interviews i 36 lande gennem den europæiske

29 November 2022

Denne rapport har til formål at kortlægge og analysere lovgivning og kollektive overenskomstforhandlinger om distancearbejde i de 27 medlemsstater og Norge. Den belyser de vigtigste forskelle og ligheder mellem landene med hensyn til lovgivning om distancearbejde og de seneste ændringer af denne

01 September 2022

This publication consists of individual country reports on working life during 2021 for 28 countries – the 27 EU Member States and Norway. The country reports summarise evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on working life based on national research and survey results during 2021. They

19 May 2022

Despite the well-known adverse effects of regular long working hours on workers’ health, well-being and performance, many workers in the EU continue to work beyond their normal hours. Part of this additional working time is classified as overtime. This report takes a comparative overview of how

10 March 2022

Covid-19-pandemien lukkede eller begrænsede mange økonomiske aktiviteter i 2020 med vidtrækkende konsekvenser for arbejdsmarkedet til følge. Tabet af arbejdspladser i starten af pandemien var større end tabet under den globale finanskrise. Faldet i antallet af arbejdstimer var endnu større som følge

19 October 2021

Online resources results (586)

Working life in Spain

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Spain. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions, actors and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Belgium

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Belgium. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Bulgaria

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Bulgaria. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Croatia

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Croatia. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Cyprus

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Cyprus. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Czechia

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Czechia. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Austria

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Austria. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Ireland

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Ireland. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions, actors and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Hungary

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Hungary. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions, actors and relevant regulations regarding working life.

Working life in Greece

This profile describes the key characteristics of working life in Greece. It aims to provide the relevant background information on the structures, institutions, actors and relevant regulations regarding working life.


Blogs results (9)

The jury is still out on the question whether men and women are from distinct planets. When it comes to the world of work, however, they are worlds apart.

25 oktober 2023
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Europe Day is a celebration of unity, solidarity and harmony. While we may not have had much to celebrate this past year, one thing we can be proud of is how Europe has come together in the face of large-scale challenges and threats, showing that solidarity is the key to resilience and resolve.

8 maj 2023
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​​​​​​​To date, close to six million workers in the EU have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Many businesses have closed their doors forever or been pushed to the brink, bringing severe financial and psychological hardship to the individuals and families affected. However, the toll of the pandemic c

9 februar 2021
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The International Labour Organization (ILO) met for the first time 100 years ago, and right at the top of the agenda for discussion for this new specialised UN agency was the 8-hour working day. This discussion subsequently resulted in the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, which stated that ‘The

12 november 2019
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Unemployment in the EU is continuing to fall, with the rate approaching its 2008 low point. This is good news: the Europe 2020 target of 75% employment in the working age population is now in sight for many Member States. However, as unemployment reaches new lows, the opposite problem is emerging –

19 november 2018
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 november 2017
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There are limits to the effectiveness of member states’ pension reforms. Europe, it’s often said, is experiencing a worsening ageing crisis. European governments grappling with this and the related unsustainability of many pension schemes have taken measures to keep older workers longer in employmen

26 september 2016
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​Nowadays we all know that long or excessive working hours may have serious negative impacts on a person’s health and wellbeing. Eurofound‘s new report 'Working time developments in the 21st century' suggests that if working time standards are mainly left to legislation or to be set unilaterally by

4 marts 2016
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The latest research from Eurofound on working conditions in Europe highlights that the 9-to-5 day is not the norm for many workers, and work commonly spills over into home life. Such patterns make it difficult to balance work and life outside work.

25 november 2015
Data results (26)

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